Even with winter hanging on here in the Pacific NW (we woke up to snow on the ground at URM’s HQ in Bend), March races around the country are pushing forth. Below are some highlights for the weekend of March 12, but as always, you can check out our complete UltraRunning Calendar for nearly two dozen more events.
In the Marin Headlands just north of the Golden Gate Bridge, Inside Trail brings us the Marin Ultra Challenge 50k/50m races on Saturday March, 12. Starting on the black sands of Rodeo Beach, the two courses loop through the majority of the stunning coastal trails gathering roughly 6,000 and 11,000-feet respectively of elevation gain. Our very own Erika Hoagland and Dean Karnazes (both previous podcast guests, residents of Marin County and finishers of the race) are toeing the line in the 50-miler. In the 50k race, the 2021 #4 UltraRunner of the Year Brittany Peterson of Pocatello, Idaho, is slated to kick off her 2022 campaign and last weekend’s third-place finisher at Way Too Cool, Ryan Becker of Telluride, Colorado, appears to be taking full advantage of his trip to California and is on the start list. The 50-mile race has a $1,800 prize purse split among the podium finishers.
Grand Rivers, Kentucky, is where we find one of two of the oldest ultras on the calendar this weekend, with the 32nd Annual Land between the Lakes 60k/50m event. Beginning Saturday morning along the shoreline of Kentucky Lake, and then proceeding into the Land Between the Lakes National Recreation Area, this course offers spectacular views of both Lake Barkley (Cumberland River) and the Kentucky Lake (Tennessee River).
Also in its 32nd year are the Bel Monte 50k/50m races in the Blue Ridge Mountains near Waynesboro, Virginia, boasting beautiful views and bountiful climbing. This out-and-back style course is very challenging and purportedly one of the best the East Coast has to offer.
Back on the West Coast, we have the relatively new Siuslaw Dunes 50k in Florence, Oregon. The coastal trails traverse a wild tapestry of terrain, including ancient open sand dunes, old growth rainforest, stream fords and remote ocean beaches. Starting and finishing at historic Honeyman State Park, the gateway to the Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area and Siuslaw National Forest, the anticipation is high for this second edition event put on by Daybreak Racing.
Additional races found on our UltraRunning Calendar include the Dirty Duo 50k in North Vancouver, British Columbia, the Seneca Greenway Trail Marathon & 50k in Gaithersburg, Maryland, the Prickly Pear 50k in San Antonio, Texas, the Antelope Canyons Ultras 55k/50m/100m races in Page, Arizona, all starting on Saturday, March 12, as well as The Drift 100 in Pinedale, Wyoming, kicking off on Friday, March 11.
What’s up in Ultra in your part of the country this last full week of our official winter? Are you kicking off spring with something fun, too? Drop a link and comment below so we can follow along.