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The New Year kicks off with 18 North American ultramarathons on the UltraRunning Magazine race calendar. In the first What’s Up in Ultra of 2026, we feature events in California, Wisconsin, Florida, and New York. If you’re a race director and would like your event to be featured in the calendar, register here.
Wishing everyone an amazing 2026 both on and off the trails!
Featured: Del Dios Trail Race (Escondido, CA)
The 11th annual Del Dios Trail Race, also known as “the Race of the Gods,” kicks off Sunday, January 4, at Lake Hodges in sunny Escondido, California. The popular winter trail running event offers multiple distances, including a 50k ultramarathon, half-marathon, 10k and 5k. On course, 50k participants can expect a mix of dirt service roads and single-track trails, picturesque views of one of San Diego’s most beautiful lakes and rolling terrain with a total elevation gain and loss of just under 3,000 feet. Learn more about the Del Dios Trail Race here.
Other West Events:
Pacific
- Hacienda Hills Run – Winter (San Jose, CA)
- Lost Coast 55K (Whitethorn, CA)
Mountain
- No other events
Featured: Tuscobia Winter Ultra (Park Falls, WI)
The Tuscobia Winter Ultra is a self-supported, human-powered, run, bike or ski event, designed for those hardcore endurance athletes that don’t mind bone chilling cold, snowy and icy conditions, hours alone in the darkness, no outside aid from crew, and the likelihood that if you DNF, you’re ride back to the nearest checkpoint is on a snowmobile rather than a warm truck. Those choosing the ultrarunning competition will tackle either an 80-mile point-to-point course or the more demanding 160-mile out-and-back route on the Tuscobia and Wild Rivers State Trails in northern Wisconsin. 80-mile runners have 37 miles to complete their race, while 160-mile participants have 65 hours to finish and qualify for the Iditarod Trail Invitation. Read more about the race here.
Other Midwest events:
- Yankee Springs Winter Challenge (Middleville, MI)
Featured: Croom Zoom (Brooksville, FL)
Established in 2011, the Croom Zoom trail runs take place on the canopied trails of Croom Park in Central Florida’s Withlacoochee State Forest, Florida’s second largest state forest, and named one of the “10 Coolest Places in North America” by the World Wildlife Fund. Participants in the 50k ultramarathon will run three 10-mile loops through oak hammocks and shaded single-track trails that feature classic old Florida scenery and around 400-500 feet of elevation gain and loss per loop. All pre-registered runners receive a Croom Zoom tee shirt, and all finishers take home a custom finisher award. Read more.
Other South Events:
Southwest
- The Resolution Run (Run Waco, TX)
Southeast
- Atlanta Fat Ass 50K (Lithia Springs, GA)
- Wild Azalea Trail Challenge (Alexandria, LA)
- Salem Lakeshore Frosty Fifty (Winston-Salem, NC)
- Resolution Run (Simpsonville, SC)
- Vista View 360 (Davie, FL)
- Willis River (Cumberland, VA)
- The Great Scorpion Trail Run (Meridian, MS)
- Just Survive 125 (Hobe Sound, FL)
- Wekiwa Springs Ultra (Apopka, FL)
Featured: MHRRC Recover from the Holidays 50k (Staatsburg, NY)
What better way to recover from the holiday season of cookies and eggnog than by joining the Mid-Hudson Road Runners Club for the Recover from the Holidays 50k? The free, no-pressure event takes place at Norrie Point in Staatsburg, New York, on a 5k out-and-back road course. The main group starts at 9 a.m., and participants can choose to run as many laps as they like or complete all 10 laps to complete the full 50k. It’s a relaxed, community-focused way to kick off the new year and get the legs moving in 2026. Registration is still available here.
Other Northeast Events:
- GAC FA50 (Topsfield, MA)
No events this weekend.
Email corys@ultrarunning with questions about adding your event to the UltraRunning Magazine calendar.