Projo Running Blog

Information from the folks from the Mt. Washington Road Race about how to enter the lottery for this year's event:

The 47th annual Mount Washington Road Race will be held this year on Saturday, June 16, at 10 a.m. starting with the familiar cannon blast at the foot of the storied Mt. Washington Auto Road. In the annual “Run to the Clouds,” also informally known as the footrace with Only One Hill, runners will ascend the all-uphill course 7.6 miles to the summit of the highest peak in the Northeastern United States, in the process battling the 11.5 percent average grade and the unpredictable Mt. Washington winds, and generally having the time of their lives.

Entry to the Mt. Washington Road Race is by lottery. Between March 1 and March 15, anyone wanting to enter this year’s race needs to visit the race Web site, www.mountwashingtonroadrace.com, click on “Entry,” and follow the instructions for entering the lottery that determines the starting field.

The size of the Mt. Washington field is limited by the sheer logistical challenge of providing for the runners who make the grueling ascent. These runners need to ride back down the Auto Road, which means that for every three or four runners going up, there needs to be a vehicle and a driver to bring them back down. At the same time, parking space at the summit is limited; thus the restriction on the number of people who can enter the race. (A few runners sometimes run back down the Auto Road after the race, but these are extremely well prepared mountain runners whose legs can handle the high stress caused by the pull of gravity on the downward slope.)

Officially, therefore, the field is closed at 1000 entries.

Prospective entrants fill in the required information on the Web page. On March 16, after the two-week entry period closes, the lottery selection process begins. Applicants are notified by about March 20 as to whether or not they have won places in the field. The entry fee for those who are selected is $36, payable by credit card on line.

Each year, a few places are reserved for runners who are permitted to bypass the lottery and enter without the suspense. These bypass candidates are primarily the elite runners, i.e., those whose previous recent running performances suggest that they may contend for the victory or for one of the top finishing places. Bypasses are also awarded automatically to winners of the numerous separate age-group prizes in the previous year’s race. Any previous winner of the race may enter the race any year, and for free.

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