Welcome to the What’s Up in Ultra weekend that straddles two years on our UltraRunning Calendar. We come out of nearly full hibernation mode and find races scattered across the country from California, to Texas, Florida and a handful of places in-between.
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The New Year’s Day in San Francisco, California, has undoubtedly one of the best views an ultra course has to offer on Saturday, December 31. With 6, 12 and 24-hour options to race you can even run into 2023 if you want. The course is a one-mile, relatively flat loop along with 60% crushed gravel and 40% asphalt path along the popular promenade and around the lagoon at Crissy Field with vistas of the Golden Gate Bridge, Angel Island, Alcatraz and the San Francisco Bay. Registration is still open here on RunSignup.
In Sugar Land, Texas, on Friday, December 30, we have the 10th Snowdrop Ultra 55-hour race. The course is a flat, .69745-mile USATF certified loop on crushed gravel and paved walkways. Run it solo or as a team relay, either way your registration benefits the Snowdrop Foundation, which raises funds and builds hope for kids battling cancer in the greater Houston area.
Triangle, Virginia, plays host to the Red Eye 50k on Sunday, January 1. The course consists of three, 10-mile loops with a short loop at the beginning to make it 50k in the 16,000-acre Prince William Forest Park, part of the Chopawamsic Recreation Area. Registration is free for this ultra, limited to 120 participants and the Race Directors say, “If you don’t like the recommended course, just run anywhere you want to – this is not a real event.” Register here.
More team relay fun can be found in Fort Walton Beach, Florida, at the 7th Annual Round the Bay Relay and Ultra on Saturday, December 31. Located on the beautiful Emerald Coast of Northwest Florida, the race begins on Okaloosa Island and traverses the scenic towns of Destin, Niceville, Valparaiso and Shalimar and before returning to Fudpucker’s on Okaloosa Island for post-race fun. The last few years over 70 teams and 300 runners have participated in this Sunshine State end of year bash.
Across the Years in Phoenix, Arizona, has been going on all week, the Tuscobia Winter Ultra 80/160-miler in Park Falls, Wisconsin, on Friday, the HTC Recover from the Holidays 50k in Huntsville, Alabama, the Resolution Run 6/12-hour in Travelers Rest, South Carolina, Trail of Fears Backyard in Jackson, Tennessee, and the Go Big 50/100k/100/260-miler in Hilo, Hawaii, are all starting on Saturday, December 31.
Where is ultrarunning taking you to end 2022 and begin 2023? Leave a comment below with what we missed this weekend and also what you’re excited about next month so we can be sure to include it in future columns.