As with many historical races, course changes throughout the years have sometimes made it difficult to accurately compare finishing times for the purposes of records. The original course length was 101.9 miles with 20,610’ of elevation change, while the modern course is 100.2 miles and 19,930’, and contains 7 miles of road running. On paper, it would seem fair to say the original course was more difficult. However, many seasoned AC runners argue that the hotter weather during the August date combined with the degradation of trails, decreased tree cover and the addition of new, technical trails due to fire, drought and wilderness designations have actually made the course more comparable than one might think based purely on mileage