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The fourth weekend of May includes 45 North American ultramarathons on the UltraRunning Magazine race calendar. In this week’s What’s Up in Ultra, we feature races in Oregon, Ohio, Florida, Pennsylvania and Alberta, Canada. If you’re a race director and would like your event to be featured in the calendar, register here.
Featured: Smith Rock Classic (Terrebonne, OR)
The third running of the Smith Rock Classic features 50-mile and 50k ultramarathons on the trails of Central Oregon’s iconic Smith Rock State Park. Runners will set off from Skull Hollow Trailhead and run toward the park and back, where they’ll enjoy expansive views of the central Cascade Mountains, as well as the towering basalt cliffs that make Smith Rock one of the best climbing destinations in the country, before heading back out to the Crooked River Grasslands. The 50k runners will run a single loop with 4,500 feet of elevation gain, while 50-mile participants will run two 25-mile loops with 7,500 feet of elevation gain. Read more on the Smith Rock Classic website.
Other West Events:
Pacific
- Cinderella Trail – Spring (Oakland, CA)
- Calero Trail Run – Spring (San Jose, CA)
- Pacifico Ultra (Palmdale, CA)
- Run The Rim (Arnold, CA)
- Spence Mountain Run (Klamath Falls, OR)
- Echo Valley Runs (Chelan, WA)
- Lake Tye Challenge (Monroe, WA)
Mountain
- North Fork 50 Mile/50K (Pine, CO)
- Weld Your Mettle Running Festival (Windsor, CO)
- Twisted Fork Trail Festival (Park City, UT)
- Connor’s Claims Ultra (Stockton, UT)
- Salt Lake Foothills 50k (Salt Lake City, UT)
- Coldwater In Your Veins (North Ogden, UT)
- Backyard Ultra of Northern Utah (Mantua, UT)
Featured: Mohican Trail Run (Loudonville, OH)
The Mohican Trail 100, aka MO100, returns to Mohican State Park May 30-31, 2026, for its 37th season. The classic Midwest race features 100-mile and 50-mile options that take place on 95% trails through the beautiful 5,000-acre Mohican Memorial State Forest. The 100-mile race, a UTMB and Western States qualifying event, features 12,500 feet of climbs and descents over two long and two short loops, while the 50-miler tests runners with 6,000 feet of climbs over one long and one short loop. The 100-mile runners have 32 hours to finish the race and earn their MO100 buckles. Live race results will be available here.
Other Midwest Events:
- Elsa Chicken Plucker Backyard Ultra (Charleston, IL)
- The Full Mo (Sheridan, IN)
- The Sticks (Norton, KS)
- Yankee Springs Trail Run (Middleville, MI)
- The Midwest Ultra Track Classic (Warrensburg, MO)
- Ragnar Trail Ohio Individual (Nashport, OH)
- Hargus Lake Trail Race (Circleville, OH)
- Dormie Challenge: 12-Hour and 6-Hour Ultra Marathon (Stevens Point, WI)
Featured: Lake to Ocean 100K (Port Mayaka, FL)
Lake to Ocean is a point-to-point 100k that takes runners from Port Mayaka to Hobe Sound Beach, Florida, on the Ocean to Lake hiking trail. The unique event takes runners deep into the Florida wilderness, far removed from the crowds, where they’ll traverse remote single-track trails through vast prairies, open pine flatwoods and wetlands, ancient dunes and cypress swamps teeming with alligators, birds and other wildlife. Participants have 18 hours to complete the race and earn their coveted finisher’s buoy. Learn more in the Lake to Ocean Facebook group.
Other South Events:
Southwest
- Hotfoot Hamster (Buckeye, AZ)
- Death by 5k Albuquerque (Albuquerque, NM)
Southeast
- 1.8 Atalanta AMRAP (Rogers, AR)
- Momentus Backyard Ultra (Monroe, NC)
- High Noon Showdown (Enoree, SC)
- Kettlefoot (Mountain City, TN)
Featured: Worlds End Ultramarathons (Forksville, PA)
Established in 2015, the Worlds End Ultramarathon has two ultramarathon events, 100k and 50k, set on the scenic trails of Loyalsock State Forest and Worlds End State Park in Pennsylvania’s Endless Mountains. Runners can expect rugged single-track trails and rolling terrain that meanders deep into forests and gorges, featuring spectacular overlooks, waterfalls and rock formations. The 100k runners will have 19 hours to navigate a course with 12,000 feet of elevation gain to earn their 2027 Western States 100 qualifiers. The 50k runners have 12 hours to complete a course with 12,000 feet of gain and loss. After the race, runners are invited to hang out for a post-race party and a chance to further explore the park. Check out the official Worlds End Ultramarathon race website.
Other Northeast Events:
- Chesterfield Gorge Ultra (West Chesterfield, MA)
- MCW The Tatum Classic (Middletown Township, NJ)
- Cayuga Trail (Ithaca, NY)
- Hoof It on the Hill (Cherry Creek, NY)
- Coz’s Backyard Ultra (Holland Patent, NY)
- Rabid Raccoon 100 (Beaver Falls, PA)
- South Ridge Trail Challenge (Allison Park, PA)
Featured: Blackfoot Ultra (Edmonton, AB)
Celebrating 23 years of “trail running and community,” Blackfoot Ultra returns this weekend to Cooking Lake-Blackfoot Provincial Recreation Area in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. The event features three ultramarathon distances: 100k, 50-mile and 50k, as well as a 25k and a kids’ race. All ultra-distance competitors will run a clockwise 25k loop course with 1,000 feet of elevation gain per lap, with 50-milers running a small out-and-back section as well. Blackfoot Ultra hosted the Canadian 100k Trail Championships in both 2007 and 2014. Read more on the Blackfoot Ultra race website.
Other Events in Canada & Mexico:
- Run for Water Trail Races (Abbotsford, BC)
- Sooke Hills 50k/25k (Sooke, BC)
- Run Comfy Numb Trail Race (Whistler, BC)
- Great Mansfield Outdoors (Mansfield, ON)
- Whitehorse Sunshine Shuffle Backyard Ultra (Whitehorse, YT)
Email corys@ultrarunning with questions about adding your event to the UltraRunning Magazine calendar.