Furnace Creek 508 is an ultramarathon

Ultramarathon

An ultramarathon is any sporting event involving running longer than the traditional marathon length of .There are two types of ultramarathon events: those that cover a specified distance, and events that take place during specified time...

 bicycle

Bicycle

A bicycle, also known as a bike, pushbike or cycle, is a human-powered, pedal-driven, single-track vehicle, having two wheels attached to a frame, one behind the other. A person who rides a bicycle is called a cyclist, or bicyclist....

 race that takes place annually each October since 1989 in Southern California

California

California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...

. Its route starts in Santa Clarita, California

Santa Clarita, California

Santa Clarita is the fourth largest city in Los Angeles County, California, United States and the twenty-fourth largest city in the state of California. The 2010 US Census reported the city's population grew 16.7% from the year 2000 to 176,320 residents. It is located about northwest of downtown...

 (25 miles north of Los Angeles

Los Ángeles

Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...

), goes northeast to the northern terminus of Death Valley

Death Valley

Death Valley is a desert valley located in Eastern California. Situated within the Mojave Desert, it features the lowest, driest, and hottest locations in North America. Badwater, a basin located in Death Valley, is the specific location of the lowest elevation in North America at 282 feet below...

, traverses Death Valley in the southern direction, crosses Mojave Desert

Mojave Desert

The Mojave Desert occupies a significant portion of southeastern California and smaller parts of central California, southern Nevada, southwestern Utah and northwestern Arizona, in the United States...

 and ends at Twentynine Palms, California

Twentynine Palms, California

Twentynine Palms is a city in San Bernardino County, California, United States. It was previously called Twenty-Nine Palms...

. The race is named after the total length of its course (508 miles) and the location of its midpoint (near Furnace Creek, California

Furnace Creek, California

Furnace Creek is a census-designated place in Inyo County, California, United States. The population was 24 at the 2010 census, down from 31 at the 2000 census. The elevation of the village is below sea level....

).

Route

• Santa Clarita, California
  Santa Clarita, California
  Santa Clarita is the fourth largest city in Los Angeles County, California, United States and the twenty-fourth largest city in the state of California. The 2010 US Census reported the city's population grew 16.7% from the year 2000 to 176,320 residents. It is located about northwest of downtown...
  
   (start)
• Antelope Valley
  Antelope Valley
  The Antelope Valley in California, United States, is located in northern Los Angeles County and the southeastern portion of Kern County, California, and constitutes the western tip of the Mojave Desert...
  
  
• California City, California
  California City, California
  -2000:According to the census of 2000, there were 8,385 people, 3,067 households, and 2,257 families residing in the city. As of 2006 the city's population grew 8.9% from 12,106 to 13,219. California City outpaced rivals Palmdale and Lancaster, making the city the 12th fastest growing city in...
  
   (82 miles)
• Trona, California
  Trona, California
  Trona is an unincorporated community in San Bernardino County, California. In 2000 it had a population of 2,742. Trona is at the western edge of Searles Lake, a dry lake bed in Searles Valley, southwest of Death Valley. The town takes its name from the mineral trona, abundant in the lakebed.It is...
  
   (152 miles)
• Panamint Valley
  Panamint Valley
  The Panamint Valley is a long basin located east of the Argus Range and Slate Range, and west of the Panamint Range in the northeastern reach of the Mojave Desert, in eastern California, United States.-Geography:...
  
  
• Townes Pass
• Furnace Creek, California
  Furnace Creek, California
  Furnace Creek is a census-designated place in Inyo County, California, United States. The population was 24 at the 2010 census, down from 31 at the 2000 census. The elevation of the village is below sea level....
  
   (252 miles)
• Death Valley
  Death Valley
  Death Valley is a desert valley located in Eastern California. Situated within the Mojave Desert, it features the lowest, driest, and hottest locations in North America. Badwater, a basin located in Death Valley, is the specific location of the lowest elevation in North America at 282 feet below...
  
  
• Salsberry Pass
• Shoshone, California
  Shoshone, California
  Shoshone is a census-designated place in Inyo County, California, United States. Shoshone is located on the Tonopah and Tidewater Railroad east of Epaulet Peak, at an elevation of 1585 feet . The population was 31 at the 2010 census, down from 52 at the 2000 census.The town was founded in 1910...
  
   (325 miles)
• Baker, California
  Baker, California
  Baker is a census-designated place located in San Bernardino County, California, USA. As of the 2010 census, the town had a total population of 735.Baker was founded as a station on the Tonopah and Tidewater Railroad in 1908,...
  
   (382 miles)
• Kelso, California
  Kelso, California
  Kelso is a ghost town and defunct railroad depot in the Mojave National Preserve in San Bernardino County, California, USA. It was named after a railroad worker who won a contest to have the town named after him...
  
   (416 miles)
• Amboy, California
  Amboy, California
  Amboy is an unincorporated town in San Bernardino County, in California's Mojave Desert, west of Needles and east of Ludlow on historic Route 66. It is roughly 60 miles northeast of Twentynine Palms.-Geography:...
  
   (450 miles)
• Twentynine Palms, California
  Twentynine Palms, California
  Twentynine Palms is a city in San Bernardino County, California, United States. It was previously called Twenty-Nine Palms...
  
   (finish)

Participants and results

In 2006, Furnace Creek 508 saw its largest number of entrants yet, at 179 (75 solo and 104 in teams). In order to be declared an "official finisher", an entrant must cross the finishing line within 48 hours (46 hours for relay teams). The official finishing rate is usually on the order of 60% for solo cyclists and approaching 100% for relay teams. Median finishing time is around 36 hours.

Among solo competitors, current overall records are 27:15:21 (men) and 28:46:34 (women).

Trivia

At 508 miles (817.5 km) of length and 36000 feet (10,972.8 m) of elevation gain, Furnace Creek route is roughly comparable to four typical mountain stages of Tour de France

Tour de France

The Tour de France is an annual bicycle race held in France and nearby countries. First staged in 1903, the race covers more than and lasts three weeks. As the best known and most prestigious of cycling's three "Grand Tours", the Tour de France attracts riders and teams from around the world. The...

 ridden back-to-back.

Furnace Creek 508 is one of the main qualifying events for the Race Across America

Race Across America

The Race Across America, or RAAM, is an ultra marathon bicycle race across the United States that started in 1982 as the Great American Bike Race....

.