What’s Up in Ultra This Weekend — June 28, 2025

It feels like just yesterday that I was lined up at the start of the 2024 Western States Endurance Run. I’d be lying if I said I’m not a little envious of the runners who get to make the journey from Olympic Valley to Auburn, California, this Saturday. The energy from the volunteers and spectators out on the Western States course is unlike anything I have ever experienced in a trail race before. Good luck to everyone racing this weekend, including those toeing the line in Olympic Valley.

In this week’s What’s Up in Ultra, we feature ultramarathons in California, Ohio, Florida, New York and British Columbia. You can view all 39 of this weekend’s races in the UltraRunning Magazine race calendar. If you’re a race director and would like your event to be featured in the calendar, register here.

Featured: Western States Endurance Run (Olympic Valley, California)

The 52^nd Western States Endurance Run 100-miler kicks off Saturday in Olympic Valley, California. The 369 participants in this year’s race will have 30 hours (24 hours for a silver buckle) to complete a point-to-point course that begins at Palisades Tahoe and finishes on the track at Placer High in Auburn, California. Along the way, they’ll have to navigate the scenic high-country trails topping out at an elevation of 8,750 feet, conquer steep climbs and quad-pounding descents totaling over 18,000 feet of gain and 23,000 feet of loss, and survive the potentially extreme temperatures in the canyons, often hitting well over triple digits on race day. While this year’s race is anyone’s to win, some of the top names to look out for include Kilian Jornet, Rod Farvard, Adam Peterman, David Roche, Vincent Bouillard and Daniel Jones for the male elites, and Fu-Zhao Xiang, Eszter Csillag, Emily Hawgood, Marianne Hogan, Riley Brady, and Tara Dower for the female elites. Check out the full list of entrants here and let us know your race predictions in the comments.

Other West Events:

Pacific

• Wy’east Wonder (Parkdale, OR)
• SISU 24 PNW (Enumclaw, WA)
• Tiger Peak Challenge (Issaquah, WA)
• The Yeti 100 Mile Endurance Run-Washington (North Bend, WA)
• Hellz Bellz Ultra (Yacolt, WA)

Mountain

• John Cappis 50K Fat Ass (Silverton, CO)
• To Bone and Back (Idaho Falls, ID)
• Yellowstone 50K Trail Race (West Yellowstone, MT)
• Copper Kings 100 (Butte, MT)
• Running with the Devil (Las Vegas, NV)

Featured: Buckeye Trail (Brecksville, Ohio)

The 31^st annual Buckeye Trail 50k takes place on Sunday, June 29, at Oak Grove Picnic Area in Brecksville, Ohio, just south of Cleveland. Recognized as the oldest 50k in the state, the race sends runners on an out-and-back course that travels south on the Buckeye Trail through the Cuyahoga Valley National Park, turns around at Pine Lane Trailhead near Peninsula, and then heads back to the finish at Brecksville Reservation. The 50k participants have 10 hours to tackle 2,500 feet of elevation gain on single-track rolling trails complete with plenty of rocks, roots and stream crossings. Read more.

Other Midwest Events:

• • Comlara 12 Hour Sunrise-Sunset, 6 Hour, 3 Hour and Hour of Power Trail Run (Hudson, IL)
  • Fort4Fitness Summer Sunset Relay (Fort Wayne, IN)
  • Trail Golf Endurance Challenge (Valparaiso, IN)
  • Vulture Vista Ultra (Greencastle, IN)
  • Night Hawk (Lawrence, KS)
  • Hell on Gravel Run (El Dorado, KS)
  • Two Hats One Mile (Big Rapids, MI)
  • Dawg Gone Long Run (Waynesville, OH)
  • Firefly Dusk to Dawn Trail Race (Lewis Center, OH)
  • Black Hills 100 (Sturgis, SD)
  • Dawn to Dusk Endurance Run (Green Bay, WI)

Featured: Toxic Trail 37 (Port Mayaca, Florida)

The Toxic Trail 37-mile race is a road ultramarathon that travels west to east across the state of Florida, beginning in Port Mayaca and ending at Stuart Beach. Now in its sixth edition, the race was created to bring awareness to the trail of discharge that flows from the Lake Okeechobee locks to the Atlantic Ocean. Runners will have access to aid stations every 5 to 7 miles but must have a plan in place to stay cool and hydrated in the sweltering southern Florida summer heat. Read more.

Other South Events:

Southwest

• Capt’n Karl’s – Muleshoe Bend (Marble Falls, TX)
• Eastern Legend (Grapeland, TX)

Southeast

• Night Howler 50 (Hoover, AL)
• Wing of the West Urban Ultra (Deltona, FL)
• Etown Trail Classic (Elizabethtown, KY)
• Hollis Hills Farm Revival (Ellenboro, NC)
• Cacapon 12 Hour Challenge (Berkely Springs, WV)

Featured: Many On The Genny (Castile, New York)

The eighth running of the Many On The Genny will begin on Saturday at Letchworth State Park in Western New York. Renowned as the “Grand Canyon of the East,” the park features 14,427 acres of pristine nature that surrounds a deep gorge carved out by the swift currents of the Genessee River. Race participants will have 14.5 hours to complete a 45-mile “ish” loop course with upwards of 6,000 feet of elevation gain. Along the way, they’ll run on “single track, fields, foot bridges and bridle paths” on both sides of the famous gorge, pass by dramatic cliffs and waterfalls, and get to experience a genuine old-school, community-focused ultramarathon event. Race proceeds benefit trail building and maintenance in the park. Read more.

Other Northeast Events:

• Centurion Ultra Trail Event (Stratford, CT)
• Brooksvale 12-Hour (Hamden, CT)
• On The Rocks Trail Runs (York, PA)
• Hell Hath No Hurry (Pittsburgh, PA)
• Mt. Sparta 24HR Challenge (Pittsfield, VT)

Featured: Tackle the Toad (Nelson, British Columbia)

Tackle the Toad 50k trail race begins and ends at Morning Mountain Regional Park in Nelson, BC. Race highlights include epic single-track trails with breathtaking alpine vistas and views of nearby Kootenay Lake, over 2,200 meters (7,200 feet) of elevation gain and five fully stocked aid stations. A portion of each registration in this year’s event will be donated to the Nelson Cycling Club, a local nonprofit founded in 1995 that “has worked tirelessly to improve and maintain all the multi-use trail systems throughout the Nelson community.” Read more.

Other Events in Canada and Mexico:

• Top of The World Ultra – 50k, 28k & 15k (Sun Peaks, BC)

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