What’s Up in Ultra This Weekend — August 30, 2025

The final weekend of August includes 38 races on the UltraRunning Magazine race calendar. While UTMB events are currently taking place across the pond, this week’s What’s Up in Ultra, features ultramarathons in Colorado, Iowa, Tennessee, Maine and Québec, Canada. If you’re a race director and would like your event to be featured in the calendar, register here.

Featured: Rock Hawk Trail Races (Castle Rock, CO)

The Rock Hawk Trail Races 50k takes place in Castle Rock, Colorado, 30 minutes south of Denver. Now in its second year, the race winds through the trail systems of Phillip S. Miller Park and Ridgeline Open Space. While the course doesn’t have any major climbs or descents like many of the state’s big mountain races, it will keep runners on their toes with endless rollers, 3,326 feet of ups and downs, and a max elevation of 6,635 feet above sea level. The 50k participants have 9 hours to complete the course for an official finish. A portion of the race proceeds benefit the Castle Rock trails and open spaces, as well as Aravaipa partner charities. Follow the race live here. Read more.

Other West Events:

Pacific

• Run-de-Vous (San Martin, CA)
• Crystal Springs – Summer (Woodside, CA)
• Millersylvania 50k (Olympia, WA)
• ZERO DARK ULTRA (Spokane, WA)

Mountain

• Grand Traverse Mountain Run (Crested Butte, CO)
• Creede Mountain Run (Creede, CO)
• Front Range Ultra Dayze (Loveland, CO)
• Burning Man Ultra (Black Rock City, NV)
• Dusk to Dawn Relay + Ultra (Wendover, UT)

Featured: Booneville Backroads Ultra (Booneville, IA)

The 2025 Booneville Backroads Ultra, “the original Iowa gravel ultra,” features three ultramarathon races, including 100 miles, 100k and 50k. First run in 2014, the event takes runners through Iowa’s rural countryside and several of the historic covered bridges of Madison County. All events will start and finish at Badger Creek State Recreation Area on mostly rolling gravel roads. The 100-milers will have 32 hours to run three loops (100k course, 50k course and 10k course) with a combined elevation gain of over 6,100 feet. The 100k runners have 18 hours to finish one 100k loop with 3,640 feet of gain and loss, and the 50k entrants have 8.5 hours to complete on 50k loop with 2,175 feet of climbing. Read more.

Other Midwest Events:

• • Temptation 200 Ultras (Forest City, IL)
  • United Center Challenge (Chicago, IL)
  • Chupacabra Endurance 10-hour Run (Westville, IN)
  • Leaky Hourglass Ultra (Half Way, MO)
  • BAD24HR (Watford City, ND)
  • Tuscazoar 100 and 50 miler (Dover, OH)
  • The Blood Run (Lennox, SD)
  • Badgerland Striders 24-12-6 Hour Runs (Delafield, WI)

Featured: A Race for the Ages (Manchester, TN)

“Led by a contingent of wheezing geezers,” ultrarunners of all ages will gather once again at Fred Deadman Park in Manchester, Tennessee, for the 11^th annual A Race for the Ages (ARFTA). The unique event begins on Wednesday, August 27, and concludes on Monday, September 1, during which time participants will see how many loops they can run on the famed “Deadman Mile.” To even the playing field between experienced runners and the young guns with fresh legs, any runner over 41 will have a number of hours equal to their age to complete as many one-mile loops as they can. For example, a 70-year-old entrant will have 70 hours, a 50-year-old runner will have 50 hours and so forth. Any runner under 40 will set off during the final 40 hours of the race. The runner who completes the most laps in the allotted time wins. Each year, ARFTA is home to amazing stories of ageless grit and determination, frequently resulting in performance nominations for UltraRunning Magazine’s Age Group Performances of the Year. Read more.

Other South Events:

Southwest

• Tejas Dirt Festival (Rocksprings, TX)
• Six-O Trail Run (Cleburne, TX)

Southeast

• Zombie Backyard Ultra (Pelham, AL)
• Pinellas Trail Challenge (St. Petersburg, FL)
• Wildcat 100 (Pensacola, FL)
• Labor Day Triple (Winter Park, FL)
• The Yeti Snakebite 50/50 (Lithia Springs, GA)
• Death by 5k Brandon, MS (Brandon, MS)
• Iron Mountain (Damascus, VA)
• The Ring (Massanutten Mountains, VA)

Featured: Last Man Standing Ultramarathon (New Gloucester, ME)

Last Man Standing Ultramarathon kicks off on Saturday, August 30, at Pineland Farms in New Gloucester, Maine. Runners will set off at noon to complete a 4.2-mile loop every hour on the hour until only one participant remains. Each loop features well-groomed single and double-track trails, a small field section and a few rolling hills with 360 feet of elevation gain and loss. Read more.

Other Northeast Events:

• Five Fields Farm Races (Bridgton, ME)
• Black Bear Trail Races (Waterville Valley, NH)
• Sri Chinmoy Self-Transcendence 3,100 Mile Race (New York City, NY)
• Labor Pain (Reading, PA)
• Salt Springs Field, Forest & Falls (Franklin Forks, PA)
• Jay Peak Running Festival (Jay Peak, VT)

Featured: La Chute du Diable (Montréal, QC)

The 10th annual La Chute du Diable, aka “the Devil’s Fall,” includes 75k and 50k ultramarathon races. The race highlights some of the most scenic sections of the National Trail in Mauricie, where runners will traverse mountains, lakes, waterfalls and thick forests, while navigating technical and rocky terrain. Both races feature point-to-point courses that finish at the amphitheater in St-Mathieu-du-Parc, Quebec. The 75k runners must navigate 2,050 meters of climbs and descents, while 50k participants will be tested with 1,300 meters of gain and 1,450 meters of loss. Read more.

Other Events in Canada and Mexico:

• N/A

Email corys@ultrarunning with questions about adding your event to the UltraRunning Magazine calendar.