What’s Up in Ultra This Weekend — January 6

We’ve made it to the new year in our What’s Up in Ultra column with more races from our North American UltraRunning Calendar. This weekend we have big events in Southern California, Texas and Illinois, just to name a few.

On the 76-square mile Santa Catalina Island, off the coast of Los Angeles, is the 43rd Avalon Benefit 50-miler and accompanying 50k on Saturday, January 6. Both races start and finish in the bustling hamlet of Avalon and take runners across the entire length of the island, with two loops in between, and collect around 6,600 feet of elevation gain. On a clear day, participants are treated to beautiful vistas of the Pacific Ocean and Southern California coastline with potential bison sightings. Registration is full for this year. Live tracking is here. 

Following up the hilly 50/50, we have the speedy Brazos Bend 100-miler and 100k races in Needles, Texas, on Saturday, which were rescheduled from December. The multiple-loop course purportedly has just one hill and is 99.99% flat terrain. It also features a stout line-up of potential mammal, reptile, amphibian and bird sightings in an enormous 4,897-acre state park along the Brazos River. Read a 2017 race report by Mike Coutu: The Fastest Trail in Texas.

In Crystal Lake, Illinois, the Frozen Gnome 50k features a solo, five-person and two-person relay options. The course includes five 10k laps, making it easy to split up amongst a quintet of friends. While not mountainous, the terrain is rarely flat and accumulates nearly 1,000 feet of gain per loop in the form of dozens of small ascents that are sure to wear out even the most seasoned ultrarunner. While the race is full, they are still looking for volunteers. 

The racing doesn’t stop there. Check out the Harbison 50k in Columbia, South Carolina, the San Tan Scramble 50k in Queen Creek, Arizona, the Wild Azalea Trail Challenge 27/50-miler in Alexandria, Louisiana, the Salem Lakeshore Frosty Fifty 50k in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, the Croom Zoom 50k in Brooksville, Florida, the Just Survive 125-miler in Hobe Sound, Florida, and the No Hands 50k in Auburn, California.   

What’s cooking on your ultra calendar this weekend? If you have another event you’re lining up for that we omitted, be sure to mention it in a comment below and don’t forget to circle back on Sunday, January 7, for results from these races and more in our Ultra Weekend Recap column.