Thinking about your first 100-miler but not sure where to start? This one is all tactical. Pierce breaks down what to look for when picking your first 100-mile race, then walks through five of the most beginner-friendly 100s out there to help you earn that first belt buckle.

• The #1 factor in choosing a race: what excites you most (mountains, flat, trail, road)
• Other factors worth weighing: elevation gain and descent, temperature, cutoff times, altitude, and terrain
• Why it’s easier to race on terrain similar to what you train on (and how to make it work if you can’t)
• Rocky Raccoon 100 (Huntsville, TX — February): low 40s to 60s, ~5,000 ft of gain, the “hilliest” on the list
• Tunnel Hill 100 (Vienna, IL — November): 30s to 50s, only ~1,400 ft of gain, a go-to for PRs
• Brazos Bend 100 (Needville, TX — December): under 100 ft of gain, basically sea level, flat and fast but can get warm
• Hennepin 100 (Sterling, IL — October): mid 40s to mid 60s, ~1,000 ft of gain
• Long Haul 100 (Lakeland, FL — January): 50s to 70s, ~1,200 ft of gain
• Why you should build up through a marathon, 50K, and 50 miler before tackling 100
• What Pierce learned from running his first 100 on a one-mile neighborhood loop (and why he doesn’t recommend it)

Go out and run your race.

New episodes drop every week — actionable training tips, race strategies, and stories from people doing extraordinary things. Subscribe so you don’t miss one. And if you’re ready to train with a plan built around YOUR race, send a DM to @pierceshowe on Instagram to learn more about coaching.