Mount Solon, Virginia · Trail
Official site ↗Grindstone
A September trail weekend at Natural Chimneys Park in Virginia's Shenandoah Valley: a night-start 100M, a 100K and a 50K, all UTMB World Series races, the two longest Western States qualifiers.
Completed September 18, 2026
100M
women
- 1. Katti Jackson21:46:37
- 2. Jessie George22:23:43
- 3. Sarah Gage24:44:04
men
- 1. Jordan Buck20:58:15
- 2. Spencer Imbach21:15:15
- 3. Chris Aldrich21:37:34
100K
women
- 1. Rachel Doxey12:26:54
- 2. Mia Yeager13:07:05
- 3. Geneviève Laliberté13:15:56
men
- 1. Guillaume Hansel9:19:24
- 2. Aaron Slabach9:39:00
- 3. Devon Brodmyer10:43:39
50K
women
- 1. Sarah Bergeron Larouche4:21:13
- 2. Roxane Vermette5:08:53
- 3. Sophie McDonald5:16:55
men
- 1. Liam Meirow3:51:54
- 2. Cade Michael3:57:59
- 3. Ruaridh Mon-Williams3:58:42
Next edition: Friday, September 24, 2027
Distances
100M
- Distance
- 167.4 km (104 mi)
- Vert gain
- 6,400 m (21,000 ft)
- Start
- 6:00 PM GMT-4
- Cutoff
- 36 hr
6:00 PM Friday start · WSER 2027 qualifier (sub-36:00)
100K
- Distance
- 100 km (62 mi)
- Vert gain
- 3,350 m (11,000 ft)
- Start
- Sep 19, 6:00 AM GMT-4
- Cutoff
- 18 hr
Saturday 6:00 AM start; the finish closes at midnight · WSER 2027 qualifier (sub-18:00)
50K
- Distance
- 50 km (31 mi)
- Vert gain
- 1,550 m (5,100 ft)
- Start
- Sep 19, 7:00 AM GMT-4
- Cutoff
- 9 hr
Saturday 7:00 AM start from Natural Chimneys Park; the race's own time chart measures the course at 52.3 km
| Distance | Vert gain | Start | Cutoff | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 167.4 km (104 mi) | 6,400 m (21,000 ft) | 6:00 PM GMT-4 | 36 hr | 6:00 PM Friday start · WSER 2027 qualifier (sub-36:00) |
| 100 km (62 mi) | 3,350 m (11,000 ft) | Sep 196:00 AM GMT-4 | 18 hr | Saturday 6:00 AM start; the finish closes at midnight · WSER 2027 qualifier (sub-18:00) |
| 50 km (31 mi) | 1,550 m (5,100 ft) | Sep 197:00 AM GMT-4 | 9 hr | Saturday 7:00 AM start from Natural Chimneys Park; the race's own time chart measures the course at 52.3 km |
About
Grindstone fills a September weekend at Natural Chimneys Park in Mount Solon, Virginia, west of the Shenandoah Valley. The 100M is the anchor: 167.4 km with 6,400 meters of climbing through the national forest, out to Reddish Knob and back, starting at 6:00 p.m. Friday so every runner takes on the first night in the dark. The cutoff is 36 hours, and a 100K, 50K, and 21K share the weekend.
As a UTMB World Series event, top finishers earn Running Stones for the World Series Finals lottery, and the top three men and women in the 100M, 100K, and 50K qualify directly for the Finals. The 100M and 100K both count as Western States 100 qualifiers.
Course
From Natural Chimneys Park in Mount Solon, the 100M runs an out-and-back over the ridges to Reddish Knob: 167.4 km with 6,400 meters of climbing, a 6:00 p.m. Friday start, and a 36-hour limit. The 100K (100 km, 3,350 meters of gain) starts Saturday. The 50K (50 km, 1,550 meters of gain) starts Saturday at 7:00 a.m. with a nine-hour limit.
How to register
Registration runs on the UTMB platform. The 2026 races are September 17 to 20; registration for the following year opens September 18, 2026. Finishers earn Running Stones for the UTMB World Series Finals lottery.
Results by year
- 2027September 24, 2027 · upcoming
- 2026September 18, 2026 · completed100M: Jordan Buck 20:58:15 · Katti Jackson 21:46:37; 100K: Guillaume Hansel 9:19:24 · Rachel Doxey 12:26:54; 50K: Liam Meirow 3:51:54 · Sarah Bergeron Larouche 4:21:13
- 2025September 19, 2025 · completed100M: Christopher Sobie 21:47:22 · Isabelle Danforth 26:36:23; 100K: Mead Binhammer 9:38:11 · Sandi Nypaver 11:24:54; 50K: Ben Robinson 4:19:37 · Sarah Bergeron Larouche 4:25:36