What’s Up in Ultra This Weekend — April 19

The third weekend of April features 38 races on the UltraRunning Magazine race calendar. In this week’s What’s Up in Ultra, we travel to California, Indiana, New Mexico, Pennsylvania and Ontario. If you’re a race director and would like your event to be featured on the calendar, register here.

Featured: Mendocino Coast 50k (Mendocino, California)

First run in 2016, the Mendocino Coast 50k takes runners on a scenic tour of some of Northern California’s best coastal trails. Beginning and ending in at Big River State Park in Mendocino, race participants will have 9.5 hours to run a 33-mile loop course with 5,000 feet of elevation gain and descent. Along the way, they’ll navigate picturesque trails that pass alongside dramatic cliffs, secluded beaches, the Big River, enchanting redwood forests and a waterfall, before celebrating at the finish line with cold beer, tasty food and great music. The Mendocino Coast 50k is Mendocino County’s first ultramarathon. Read more.

Other West Events:

Pacific

• Horseshoe Lake Trail Run (Palo Alto, CA)
• Sierra Azul Trail Challenge Run (Los Gatos, CA)
• Squak Mountain 50K Trail Run (Issaquah, WA)
• Run with the Goats (Kennewick, WA)
• Last Fool Standing, 24 & 12 hour Runs (Poulsbo, WA)

Mountain

• Rattler Trail Race (Colorado Springs, CO)
• Rock Hawk (Castle Rock, CO)
• Spitfire Ultra Trail Challenge (Menan, ID)

Featured: Knobstone 50 (Borden, Indiana)

The inaugural Knobstone 50 kicks off Saturday in Borden, Indiana. While it’s easy to assume that Indiana’s trails are flat, the Knobstone 50 is anything but, with over 10,000 feet of elevation gain over the 50-mile point-to-point course. Runners will start in the Deam Lake State Recreation Area and travel northward to Delaney Creek Park on the Knobstone Trail, Indiana’s longest natural surface footpath. Often referred to as the “Little AT” (Appalachian Trail) due to its rugged trails and topography, the Knobstone Trail will test runners of all skill levels with steep climbs and descents, exposed ridgelines, technical rocky sections and multiple creek crossings. Runners have 17 hours to complete the race. Read more.

Other Midwest Events:

• • Loud Thunder 50 (Illinois City, IL)
  • FlatRock 101K/50K (Independence, KS)
  • Dirty 30 Gravel (Saranac, MI)
  • Trail Mix (Rockford, MN)
  • Storm the Park (Altura, MN)
  • Tour de Dodge (Dodgeville, WI)

Featured: Capitan Mountain 34 Hour (Capitan, New Mexico)

Hosted by the good folks at Yeti Trail Runners, the Capitan Mountain 34-Hour Endurance Run is a timed event held in Capitan, New Mexico, the birthplace and burial site of Smokey Bear. First held in 2024 to commemorate Smokey’s 80^th birthday, the race returns for its second edition. Runners will start at 6 a.m. on Friday and run as many four-mile loops as they can complete within the 34-hour time frame. Entrants who achieve 80 miles will receive a special Smokey’s 80th birthday buckle, while those hitting the 100-mile mark will earn the Smokey buckle and a 100-mile buckle. Capitan Mountain 34 is a “no DNF” event, with a focus on community over competition and helping fellow runners go as far as they’ve ever gone before. Read more.

Other South Events:

Southwest

• Vortex Ultra Experience – The “Vue” (Sedona, AZ)
• Coyote Trail Run (Cleburne, TX)
• Merus Marathon and Ultra (Claude, TX)

Southeast

• Funest 50k (Mulberry, FL)
• Double Top Stone Anvil (Chatsworth, GA)
• Loop The Hooch (Suwanee, GA)
• Herzog 100 (Smithland, KY)
• Leatherwood (Ferguson, NC)
• Weymouth Woods 50K (Southern Pines, NC)
• Uforea (Troy, NC)
• Knock on Woodstock (Greenville, SC)
• Stillhouse 100k (Soddy-Daisy, TN)
• 24 Hour – Adventure Trail (Triangle, VA)
• Froggy Mountain Sweet Sixteen 50k (Galax, VA)

Featured: Hyner Trail Challenge (Hyner, Pennsylvania)

The popular Hyner Trail Challenge (50k ultra distance) is back for its 19^th running this weekend. The low-key event takes place in the small village of Hyner, located along the West Branch of the Susquehanna River in North Central Pennsylvania. The 50k participants will be challenged by a rugged but beautiful course that takes them through the Pennsylvania Wilds with five major climbs totaling over 6,500 feet of vertical gain. Race highlights include the views from high atop Hyner Mountain, incredible single-track trails complete with stunning vistas and stream crossings and an old-school trail running vibe. The 500 registered 50k runners have 10 hours to complete the course for an official finish. Read more.

Other Northeast Events:

• Traprock 50 (Simsbury, CT)
• TARC Don’t Run Boston (Milton, MA)
• Sri Chinmoy Ten-, Six-, and Three-Day Races (Queens, NY)
• Shore2Shore (East Islip, NY)

Featured: Foxtail Rail Trail Race (Dundas, Ontario)

One of the quickest ultra courses in Canada, the Foxtail Rail Trail Race (50k) takes place on the flat and fast Hamilton-to-Brantford Rail Trail in the Dundas Valley Conservation Area in Dundas, Ontario, Canada. First held in 2019, the race is a memorial for Paul Turkstra, the RD’s cousin, who passed away before his time due to cancer. The 50k entrants will navigate the 25k course twice, beginning at the Dundas Valley Trail Center, running out to the Opossums’ Landing aid station, and then turning around and heading back. Along the way, they’ll be treated to a rich natural environment complete with lush forests, several creeks and ponds, and an array of plants, birds and wildlife. Read more.

Other Events in Canada and Mexico:

• The Last One Won (Tecate, Tijuana Baja California)