Many ultrarunners will tell you their crews have the hardest job between the start and finish line of an ultra. After crewing for over 150 100-mile trail races, I can tell you the difficulty of the job actually depends on the race. Luckily, there are some races where the driving is manageable, and the aid stations have plenty of room for everyone. The 2025 Mace’s Hideout 100 was one of those races.
The 100-mile event takes place in the Wet Mountains of Colorado, and the start/finish line is near the small community of Beulah, about 20 miles west of Pueblo. There are stunning views of the Spanish Peaks and the Sangre de Cristo Mountains, and the course covers elevations from around 6,600 to 11,600 feet. With its mountain vistas and lush green landscape, it’s one of the most beautiful race courses I’ve seen.
As my husband, Mike, and I arrived at race headquarters, we were greeted by race director Chris Westerman. “The man, the myth, the legend! There must be something good about this race if Mike Smith keeps coming back,” said Westerman. This was Mike’s fourth visit to the race. There are a lot of good things about Mace’s Hideout 100 and one of them is crewing.
For those who have yet to crew a mountain race, Mace’s Hideout is a good place to start. Most of your driving – and there is a lot of it – is on forest roads. These dirt roads are usually well maintained and unless there is a lot of rain, any vehicle can make it from aid station to aid station. There are rocky sections that require slower speeds but drive carefully and they are passable. The sections between aid stations are long but the scenery is beautiful, and you’ll likely see wildlife along the way. Every aid station has ample parking, and you can crew directly from your vehicle.
The race starts at a very civilized 8 a.m., and crews must drive about 1.5 hours from the start to the first aid station at Greenhorn. The runners have 18 tough miles before arriving, so crews have plenty of time to get prepared for the day before driving out to Greenhorn. I like to spend the night out on the course at Mace’s Hideout, so I take extra time to make sure I have everything I need. I drove out to Greenhorn early this year so I could get a hike in before crewing.
It’s another 1.5-hour drive on forest roads to the next aid station: Sand Hollow. About halfway through, drivers will cross over to the dry side of the Wet Mountains and the terrain changes from forested mountains to rolling hills and high meadows. The roads often narrow to one lane but there are many opportunities for cars to pass each other. The runners have 19.5 miles between Greenhorn and Sand Hollow aid stations, so there is a lot of down time if you head straight there. This is the most remote aid station located roughly 30 miles from the start/finish. It was commonplace to see the race director out on the course on his dirt bike, checking on runners and making sure aid stations had what they needed. After the runners arrive at Sand Hollow, they go out on an 8-mile loop and return, so crews end up spending a lot of time there.
If you planned your crewing strategy, you know that you have a decision to make about what to do after finishing at Sand Hollow. Crews won’t see their runners until 35 miles later at the Greenhorn aid station. It’s a long drive from Sand Hollow to anywhere and you’ll probably be driving in the dark, so the options are to spend the night at Sand Hollow and get up early to drive to Greenhorn, spend the night at Greenhorn or drive back to where you’re staying and head to Greenhorn early the next morning. Sand Hollow is lower in elevation and therefore, warmer, but it is nice waking up where your runner will be arriving and not having to worry about missing them.
I spent the night at Greenhorn as did a lot of other crews. Another great thing about this race for crews that might be worried about spending the night out on the course is that there are volunteers manning the aid stations and you won’t be alone.
I had time to make coffee before Mike came in, but after eating a sausage biscuit, he applied sunscreen, removed his lights and heavier clothing, then was back out on the trail. I ate breakfast then drove through the early morning with the beauty of sun filtering through the aspens at 11,000 feet, and was rewarded with a sighting of two young bull elk.
The drive to the next aid station, called the “Unofficial Aid Station,” takes an hour. It is located at a parking area for a trailhead on the side of a paved road, and the runners have 14 miles to get there from Greenhorn. If you are looking for a unique experience to fill some of the time, you can visit Bishop’s Castle, which is just down the road. This three-story structure was built by one man over several years and includes a fire-breathing dragon—it’s a legendary roadside attraction.
From Unofficial Aid Station, crews have a quick 10-minute drive to Second Mace’s, which is the last aid station of the race. Runners have 6 miles to get there and a 5 p.m. cutoff before heading to the finish. From Second Mace’s to the finish line there are approximately 30 creek crossings so preparing your runner’s feet for the upcoming water submersions is important at this point in the race.
For me, it’s a relief when Mike leaves the last aid station of any race. I stop worrying about everything that might go wrong and head to the finish line to cheer for runners.
It takes about 30 minutes to drive to the finish line from Second Mace’s, and runners have 10 miles to the finish from that point. As runners arrive, cheers echo from the small crowd of crews and volunteers and the exhausted faces of the runners light up with smiles. High-fives and hugs are freely exchanged among strangers who’ve become comrades on the trail. Every finisher is greeted like a champion, and it’s a moment where pain dissolves into pride and the collective spirit of resilience fills the air with a happiness that feels profoundly communal. That “old school ultra” spirit of community is just one of the good things you’ll find at Mace’s Hideout 100. You can count crewing this race as one of the many others.
Sandra Bullock Smith is the author of Crewing for an Ultrarun – Start to Finish.