What’s Up in Ultra This Weekend — April 4, 2026

The first weekend in April kicks off with 28 North American ultramarathons on the UltraRunning Magazine race calendar. In this week’s What’s Up in Ultra, we feature events in California, Kansas, North Carolina, South Carolina, Connecticut and Alberta, Canada. If you’re a race director and would like your event to be featured in the calendar, register here.

Featured: American River (Folsom, CA)

Established in 1980, the American River 50 Mile Endurance Run returns to Folsom, California, for its 46th running. The race consistently attracts one of the largest and most competitive 50-mile fields in the country, with runners tackling a point-to-point course that begins near Folsom Lake and finishes in Auburn.

Highlights include a strong, supportive trail running community, well-stocked aid stations, quality swag and finisher medals, and a post-race celebration featuring homemade desserts and beverages. The course is known for its fast, runnable terrain along the American River Parkway, often producing quick times.

You can track your favorite runners via the live tracking link, and tune into the finish line livestream from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. The American River 50 benefits Protect American River Canyons (PARC).

Other West Events:

Pacific

• The Krrbrrr (Palmer, AK)
• Diablo Trails Challenge (Walnut Creek, CA)
• Silver Moon Race – Kings River (Reedley, CA)
• Santa Barbara Tough Enough (Santa Barbara, CA)
• Shotgun Trail Blast (Marcola, OR)
• Crown Stub 100 (Buxton, OR)

Mountain

• Race The Ranch (Granby, CO)
• Running Up For Air – Moab (Moab, UT)

Featured: Rockin’ K (Ellsworth, KS)

Presented by the Kansas Ultrarunners’ Society, the 29th Annual Rockin’ K Trail Runs takes place this Saturday at Kanopolis Lake State Park in Ellsworth, Kansas. The event features a 50k ultramarathon along with several shorter distance options.

The 50k participants will tackle a series of interconnected loop trails, including Horsethief Canyon, Prairie Trail, Alum Creek and the Big Bluff loops primarily on backcountry gravel roads and rugged terrain throughout the park, with a 15-hour cutoff.

Post-race meals will be provided to all runners at the Corral Shelter finish area. Check out the Rockin’ K Trail Runs race website for more information.

Other Midwest Events:

• Save the Drama for your Llama 6 Hour Trail Run (La Porte, IN)
• Muddy Duck (The Fluffy Duck) (Lewis Center, OH)

Featured: The Country Mile (Slater-Marietta, SC)

The Country Mile 48 Hour Run will welcome around 300 runners to Beechwood Family Farm, a working produce farm in Marietta, South Carolina, for a weekend filled with “dirt, distance and some good ol’-fashioned farm fun.”

This two-day endurance event takes place on a 4.1-mile, mostly flat dirt loop and is an ideal setting for runners chasing their first 50k or pushing well beyond 100 miles. The race begins Friday at noon and concludes on Sunday at noon. When runners aren’t on the course, they can pick fresh produce on the farm, enjoy complimentary food and drinks throughout the weekend, and take part in activities like the Saturday Easter egg hunt and kids’ fun run. Free tent camping is available on-site.

Read more about the Country Mile 48 Hour Run on the race website.

Other South Events:

Southwest

• Hells Hills Trail Race (Smithville, TX)
• Do Stop Trail Race (Bremond, TX)
• Beast of the Brazos (Waco, TX)
• Panther City Ultra (Fort Worth, TX)

Southeast

• Lake Martin 100 (Alexander City, AL)
• Croom Trail (Fools) (Brooksville, FL)
• Fort Yargo Ultra (Winder, GA)
• Weymouth Woods 50K (Southern Pines, NC)
• Big Al’s 200 (Franklin, TN)
• Bull Run Run (Clifton, VA)

Featured: Run Across CT 123 (East Thompson, CT)

The inaugural Run Across CT 123 is a unique event that takes runners on a coast-to-coast journey across Connecticut. The point-to-point course spans 123 miles, showcasing some of the state’s most diverse landscapes, including coastal terrain, dense New England forests and suburban streets.

The race begins Saturday, April 4, at 8 a.m. in East Thompson and finishes 123 miles later in Southport. Along the way, runners will pass through 25 towns on a mix of trails, backroads and highways, with approximately 3,840 feet of climbing and 4,450 feet of descent. There will be five checkpoints along the course and a 36-hour cutoff.

Read more on the Run Across CT 123 race website.

Other Northeast Events:

• Mt. Toby Ultra (Sunderland, MA)
• Spring SOMO Timed Trail Races (South Orange, NJ)
• The Long Run – Spring Forward (Wind Gap, PA)

Featured: Hill of a Race (Edmonton, AB)

Hill of a Race is a new 6-hour timed event held on the groomed ski slopes of Rabbit Hill Snow Resort in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. Hosted by the Rivers Edge Running Series, a nonprofit that encourages people to “get outside, enjoy the outdoors and challenge themselves while having as much fun as possible,” this unique race sends participants repeatedly up and down the slopes to see how many laps they can complete within the time limit.

In addition to the 6-hour race, dubbed the “All Day Buffet,” Hill of a Race also offers a 5k “Snack” option and a 10k “À La Carte” distance.

Read more about Hill of a Race on the race website.

No Other Events.

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