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In this week’s What’s Up in Ultra, we drop in on the second oldest 50k in Alabama, try and outpace the Grim Reaper in Georgia, run with buffalos in Utah and explore the legend of Rattlesnake Dick in California.
Alabama Classic
We start down south in Pelham, Alabama, for the 23rd running of the Oak Mountain 50k, the second oldest 50k in the state. Part of the Pinhoti Trail Series, the race takes place in Oak Mountain State Park, Alabama’s largest state park, where runners will experience a diverse ecosystem of dense forests, lakes, streams and rocky cliffs. Race highlights include running by Peavine Falls and two climbs up Double Oak Mountain. This is a challenging point-to-point course with 3,900 feet of climbing and plenty of rocks and roots to keep you on your toes. Learn more about the Pinhoti Trail Series here.
Georgia Death March
Next, we head to the rugged mountains of north Georgia for the 12th running of the Georgia Death Race. The point-to-point race of roughly 74 miles begins in Vogel State Park and ends in Amicalola Falls State Park. On their journey, runners will battle over 14,000 feet of climbing, technical trails, potentially brutal weather and some demotivational warnings from the RD that “you are not almost there”—all while carrying a cumbersome, one-pound railroad spike that must be tossed into a wooden coffin at the end of the race for runners to receive their engraved GDR finisher’s spike.
Where the Buffalo Roam
Out west in Syracuse, Utah, we look in on the 19th running of the Antelope Island Buffalo Run. Taking place on Antelope Island, the largest island within the Great Salt Lake, participants in the three ultra distances (50k, 50 miles and 100 miles) will experience varied trails that include rocky single-track, sandy beaches and steep climbs and descents up the island’s central peaks. The race offers the chance to encounter a wide variety of wildlife that live on the island, including bighorn sheep, antelope, multiple species of birds and of course, buffalo!
Wildcard
For this week’s Wildcard Race (where we feature an event you may not be familiar with), we venture to California for the inaugural Rattlesnake Dick 50k. The name of this race immediately caught my attention (and somewhat hesitantly) I clicked the link to find out more about the event and how it got its name. The Rattlesnake Dick 50k is an-out-and-back race with a net elevation gain of 4,700 feet. The race begins in Cool, California, travels along the American River, and turns around at Rattlesnake Bar before returning to the finish. As far as how the race got its name, I learned that Rattlesnake Dick, aka Richard Barter, aka the Pirate of the Placers, was an outlaw and stagecoach robber of the 1850s who terrorized the area and gained his nickname because he was elusive and dangerous like a rattlesnake. Legend has it that $40,000 of Rattlesnake Dick’s stolen gold is still hidden in the California hills, just waiting for ultrarunners to find.
What event are you running this weekend? Please leave a note in the comments below, and be sure to check out all upcoming events on the Ultrarunning Magazine race calendar.