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In this week’s What’s Up in Ultra, we drop in on an “old school” Pacific Northwest gem, run three days in the Arkansas woods, explore the trails along Alabama’s largest man-made lake and spend 24 hours in Missouri running for a good cause.
PNW Classic
We start in Fairhaven, Washington, for the 30th running of the Chuckanut 50k. One of UltraRunning Magazine’s Old School Ultras, the event attracts a large field of elite as well as amateur runners looking to test themselves on the challenging yet stunningly scenic Pacific Northwest trails. The race starts and finishes with a smooth and runnable 10k, with the meat of the race taking place in the middle 30k where runners will climb over 5,000 feet while traversing the technical trails up and down the Chuckanut Mountain ridge. This is certain to be another fast and highly competitive race so be sure to check back Sunday for our Ultra Weekend Recap to see who comes out on top.
Arkansas Gathering
Taking place in the rugged Ozark Mountains, the Three Days of Syllamo stage race brings runners together for a weekend of camping, music, food, good times and of course, trail running. Established in 2005, the stage race is broken down into three days with a 50k on Friday, 50 miles on Saturday, and 20k on Sunday. Runners can race any of the distances, with the majority of entrants running all three events for a total of 94 miles. Named after the Syllamo Trail System, the routes change each year but always take place on challenging and rocky single-track trails with plenty of steep climbs, creek crossings, and between 150-200 feet of gain on average per mile.
Lake Loops
Next, we head to Central Alabama for the Lake Martin 100 (100-mile and 50-mile races). Consisting of a 25-mile loop divided into a 18-mile north loop and a 7-mile south loop, the Lake Martin 100 races take place on rolling trails throughout the Russell Forest Trail System near the shores of Alabama’s largest man-made lake. The 100-mile runners will run four loops with around 14,000 feet of elevation gain, while the 50-mile runners will run two loops with 7,000 feet of climbing. This is an excellent race for those trying to complete their first 100-miler, with a highly-supportive cast of volunteers out there helping runners achieve their goals.
Wildcard
For this week’s Wildcard Race (where we feature an event you may not be familiar with), we venture to Cape Girardeau, Missouri, for the Howard Aslinger Memorial Endurance Run. First started in 2010, the 12 and 24-hour timed events raise money for scholarships to help individuals with disabilities further their education. The races take place on flat, paved paths around Arena Park. The 24-hour run kicks off Friday night, with two 12-hour events taking place (Friday night race, and Saturday day race). You can learn more about the Howard L. Aslinger Memorial Scholarship Foundation here.
What event are you racing this weekend? Please leave a note in the comments below and good luck!