13 Ultras You Should Run
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Races & Places:
Where to Run

Ultra Races You Should Do
Ready to commit to your first ultra? Consider one of these 13 races--all relatively easy ways to push beyond 26.2

PUBLISHED 03/10/2008

Strolling Jim 40-Mile Run
Wartrace, Tennessee
May 3, 2008
Scenic road course with some hills
tynesweb.com/sj40

Ice Age Trail 50
La Grange, Wisconsin
May 10, 2008
Options: 50-K, 50 miles
Forest trails with rolling hills
iceagetrail50.com

Pineland Farms Trail Challenge
New Gloucester, Maine
May 25, 2008
Options: 25-K, 50-K, 50 miles
Up and down course on grass and gravel trails through forest and farmland
mainetrackclub.com

Mt. Hood Pacific Crest Trail (PCT) Ultramarathon
Mt. Hood, Oregon
July 26, 2008
Out-and-back 50-mile course on the PCT has 5,200 feet of climbing.
pctultra.com

The North Face Endurance Challenge
Washington, D.C.
September 6, 2008
Options: 50-K, 50 miles
One of four qualifiers for a December 2008 final in San Francisco
thenorthface.com/endurancechallenge

Heartland 100
Cassoday, Kansas
October 11, 2008
Options: 50 or 100 miles
Scenic course through tallgrass and open range
ksultrarunners.org

Le Grizz Ultramarathon
Kalispell, Montana
October 11, 2008
Distance: 50 miles
Scenic gravel/paved course winds along the Hungry Horse Reservoir.
cheetahherders.com

Chicago Lakefront 50/50
Chicago
November 1, 2008
Options: marathon, 50-K, 50 miles
Mostly paved course along out-and-back segments of the lakefront running path
chicagoultra.org

Helen Klein Ultra Classic
Sacramento
November 1, 2008
Options: 30-K, 50-K, 50 miles
Scenic, mostly flat 25-mile asphalt bike trail along the shores of the American River
ultrarunner.net/hkracelisting.html

JFK 50 Mile
Washington County, Maryland
November 22, 2008
Options: 50 miles
The nation's largest ultramarathon follows the Appalachian Trail and C&O Canal.
jfk50mile.org

Over the Hill Track Club's High Desert 50-K
Ultramarathon & 30-K
Ridgecrest, California
December 7, 2008
Options: 30-K, 50-K
Loop on rolling singletrack and jeep roads through desert and sand
othtc.com/ultra/index.htm

Rocky Raccoon
100-Mile Trail Run
Huntsville, Texas
February 7, 2009
Options: 50 miles, 100 miles
Flat, fast course loops on soft dirt trails through pine forest.
tejastrails.com/Rocky.html

Mississippi 50 Trail Run
Laurel, Mississippi
March 2009
Options: 20-K, 50-K, 50 miles 12.5- and 6.1-mile loops on spongy dirt trails and fire roads through pine forest
ms50.com