What’s Up in Ultra This Weekend — December 30

After a pause for the holiday weekend on our UltraRunning Calendar, we’re back to close out 2023 with a bang. Our database boasts nearly two dozen events crisscrossing the country, but we’ve highlighted a self-supported 80/160-miler in Wisconsin and timed events in San Francisco, Arizona and Georgia.

Starting off in northern Wisconsin on Friday, December 29, is where we find a long-distance, winter weather race at the Tuscobia Winter Ultra. This self-supported run, bike or ski event held on the Tuscobia State Trail (a former cross-state railway) in Park Falls, Wisconsin, has two distances to choose from: 80 or 160 miles. The 160-mile race is a qualifying event for the Iditarod Trail Invitational and the winner will be provided with a $1,400 paid entry into the Alaskan race in 2024. Registration is closed. 

In San Jose, California, we have the New Year’s One Day 6/12/24-hour and 100-mile races. The course is a USATF-certified 1-mile paved loop around Cottonwood Lake in Hellyer County Park and includes a fully stocked aid station at the start/finish of each loop. Register on RunSignup here.

Down in Phoenix, Arizona, at Across the Years, athletes can choose from 6/12/24/48/72-hour, 6-day, 100-miler, 200-miler and a last person standing event. As indicated by the race’s name, this desert bash will roll well into 2024 with the 6-day commencing on Wednesday, January 6. The race route at the state-of-the-art Camelback Ranch is a USATF-certified loop measuring a bit over a mile and consisting of 85% dirt paths and 15% asphalt, averaging 10-20 feet in width, making it very runner friendly. Check out the live results over the coming days. Read My First 100 at Across the Years by Peyton LaFiette.

Finally, in Lithia Springs, Georgia, at Sweetwater State Park, celebrate New Year’s Eve at Year of the Yeti – a 6.5-hour event starting at 6 p.m. on Sunday, December 31, and finishing at 12:30 a.m. on Monday, January 1. Runners will traverse single and double-track trails with some road sections over a 1.67-mile loop. A midnight toast will be held to ring in 2024, along with a live DJ spinning records to keep the music going. This is a social event without overall awards, but runners will receive a special Yeti medal. Register here.

Not to be missed this weekend (and on Monday, January 1)  are the Red Eye 50k in Triangle, Virginia, Resolution Run 3/6/12-hour in Travelers Rest, South Carolina, the HTC Recover From the Holidays 50k in Huntsville, Alabama, Snowdrop Ultra 55-hour in Sugar Land, Texas, The Revenuer’s Run 4/8-hour in New Carlisle, Ohio, the Guale Preserve Endurance Run 3/6-hour in Saint Simons Island, Georgia, and the Round the Bay Relay and Ultra 36.8-miler in Fort Walton Beach, Florida.  

We can’t possibly cover them all, so please keep us in the loop about What’s Up in Ultra in your community this final weekend of the year by leaving a comment below.