The race is held in a beautiful park in Oklahoma City and is put on by Chisholm Deupree among other co-race directors. They did an amazing job. It was extremely well organized. I really can not say enough good things about this race. If you are into timed events like this, you must put this one on your calendar. The course was good (some flat, some gentle rollers), the aid was great (best food I’ve ever had at a race), and the volunteers were both experienced and wonderful. They even had a monitor that showed your progress during the race. Every time you crossed the timing mat, you knew exactly how fast your pace was for the previous lap and how many miles you had accumulated. -Mike Krejci
Who would have known that Oklahoma City had the perfect trail course for a 6 hour run? In just one loop that was a little over 2 miles you had a chance to experience everything a trail run has to offer except altitude! Those capable of dodging roots and rocks then had to quickly descend and ascend creeks and hollows to keep the pace. Jeremy Duncan from Colorado took out fast from the start and led the “Fun Run” from start to finish. Christine Tokarz from Texas took the steady approach and eventually took a solid 2nd place finish proving that she knew how to handle not only the Women’s field but most of the men’s as well! I was happy with a 3rd place finish and look forward to breaking 40 miles next year at this race that is sure to become a classic both on and off the road. -Russell Allison
The 24thehardway race in Ok City presented a perfect setting for me to break into the world of 6 hour racing. There is no way I would have hit my goal pace without the extreme generosity of the volunteers, the top notch organization of race logistics, and the stellar location. I would highly recommend either the road or the trail to any fellow ultrarunner! -Christine Tokarz
This was my first ultra, and if they were all done this way, I’d probably do 2-3 a year. Although the .97 mile loop would normally seem kind of monotonous, you knew what was coming and you got to visit with others as they were putting in their time. I’ve never had a chance to visit w/ serious Ultra folks (24 hr finishers/100mile veterans, etc) so it was nice to get to talk with them some on some of the loops. The one aid station was stocked with just about everything you could want (well except for grape gatorade). Plenty of wildlife (birds, squirrels, deer, even a couple of snakes, and lots of grasshoppers), scenic course away from the hustle and bustle, plenty of portojohns, unique finish awards, TWO shirts, all in all a very well done race. -Tim Taft
I traveled to OKC hoping for a great new addition to the Southwest’s 24-hour arsenal. RD Chisholm Deupree boasted a scenic, well paved 1mile loop with gentle rollers. 24 The Hard Way delivered. Although I arrived with mixed expectations for myself, I had one goal: stick to the plan. Amidst much excitement, and many runners pushing it early, I took the tortoise approach. I power-walked the three perfectly spaced uphill sections and ran the remainder of the course from hour one. To my dismay, the blistering pace of the front runners continued into the afternoon. Fighting the competitive urge, my walk, run strategy continued into the night. After midnight, the field began to gradually decrease. The night belonged to the patient and steady, and the magic of camaraderie began to build. Old and new friends shared stride, company, support, and forward motion. By sunup, the atmosphere shifted and runners began to tap the tank to chase their goals. The support of the volunteers and spectators built excitement into the final minutes. In the end, the rabbit prevailed, but for the turtles that met or exceeded their goals, the feeling was no less sweet - Jeff Snyder