Last man standing: a new ultra run is coming to area

The City of Las Cruces is planning a new Day of the Dead, Land of Enchantment Backyard Ultra run at the Prehistoric Trackways National Monument in October.

Registration is already open for the event, which will take place starting at 7 a.m. on October 31.

Shane Asbury, race director and owner of Wanderlust Running Unlimited which is organizing the event, said an ultra run is more than 31 miles and longer than a marathon.

He said the ultra run planned at the Prehistoric Trackways will be challenging. There will be a 4.16 mile loop. Runners can run the loop every hour for 24 hours, which would then equal a 100K run in 24 hours. A 100 Kilometer run equals 62.13 miles and is 36 miles more than a marathon.

“It’s pretty hard, there’s a lot of elevation to it,” Asbury told the Bulletin.

Hilary Dutcher, destination experience manager for Visit Las Cruces said the elevation climbs at an 11% grade but at its steepest, it becomes more than a 17% grade. The city is calling it a “last runner standing” race.

Asbury said an ultra runner might train for as much as 24 weeks out of the year and average 30-to-60 miles a week.

He said ultra runs, because they are always trail runs, are not just a physical workout, but also a mental one. He said runners have to pay attention because the terrain is rough, there are obstacles and the potential to trip on roots.

“This course has got a lot of technical to it as far as rocks and roots go. When running on the road, you don’t have to concentrate on your footing. This is taxing both mentally and on your body because you have to focus on where your footing is going,” he said.

Asbury said ultra runs are starting to get more popular.

“I’m hoping it catches fire,” he said.

Dutcher said the city was interested in bringing in another running event. There is already the Sierra Vista Trail Run, which is held in the spring and starts at the Sierra Norte trailhead off Dripping Springs Road.

Dutcher said one of the nice things about this new ultra run is that it is taking place on a part of the Trackways, the Ridge Line Trail, that not many are familiar with.

“The route is not on the part that people usually hike,” she said. “It’s better known as a mountain bike trail or off-highway-vehicle road.”

The Prehistoric Trackways National Monument is an area where Paleozoic-era fossilized footprints have been found. Dutcher said that while the large fossils are now mostly housed at the University of New Mexico’s Paleontology Department, “there are still plenty of small fossils and footprints,” in the area.

She said October 31 is also a lovely time to be in Las Cruces.

“We get our monsoon rains. We get more Forbes and flowers in the fall. The desert is really nice that time of year. It’s one of the best times to be out here and be active,” she said.

Asbury said that since this is the first year of the run, he expects a small crowd but hopes to see the run grow in time.

Dutcher said the city sees this as an opportunity to promote Las Cruces as runners will likely stay the weekend, pay for hotels and eat in area restaurants and shop in local stores.

“People want a challenge, want to push themselves and each other,” she said.

For more information: https://raceroster.com/events/2025/104666/2025-backyard-ultra.