This year is the 150th anniversary of the establishment of the Pony Express which captured the imagination of the country. In 1860 the Pony Express greatly sped up cross-country mail delivery using courageous endurance riders who were “young, good horsemen, accustomed to outdoor life, able to endure severe hardship and fatigue, and fearless.” One hundred fifty years later, 38 endurance runners retraced the hoof prints of history by participating in the 5th annual Pony Express Trail 100-mile and 50-mile endurance runs.
The race runs on the historic Pony Express Trail, in the very remote stretches of western Utah. It passes by five Pony Express station sites along the way marked by huge monuments. Each runner is supported by a crew and staggered starts are used (slower and faster groups) to spread the runners out on the desert floor. They all converge about 50 miles out, with views of expansive salt flats in the distance.