The Golden 6 Hour

The Golden 6 Hour is a timed trail race held in Cle Elum, Washington, on October 10, 2026, starting at 10:00 a.m. The single format is a 6-hour event organized by Walla Trails: you cover as many loops as you can before the clock runs out, and your total distance is your result.

Six hours is the friendliest entry into ultrarunning. There is no cutoff pressure and no set distance, so you can run steadily, walk the climbs and stop when you are satisfied, whether that is a half marathon, a marathon or your first 50K. The format also works as a controlled long training run for runners preparing for a longer fall ultra, and the late-morning start makes for a relaxed travel day. Cle Elum sits on the eastern slopes of the Cascades, so October brings cool temperatures and colorful larches. Train with 12 to 16 weeks of progressive mileage, a long run each weekend building to three or four hours of running and walking, and repeated practice eating and drinking on a loop so you can refuel at every pass through the aid station.