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Summer is just around the corner so naturally, our UltraRunning Calendar is starting to heat up. We highlight an old school race in Nevada, a classic 100-miler in Virginia, a mountainous race in New Mexico and in typical fashion, so much more.
The 38th annual Silver State 50k/50-mile race is on Saturday, May 20, and held at the 580-acre Rancho San Rafael Regional Park in Reno, Nevada. Two years ago, the men’s 30-year-old course record was broken by the #5 2022 UltraRunner of the Year David Sinclair. The women’s top time is still held by the legendary Ann Trason from 1994. She used the race as a final tune-up before setting the then Western States’ course record time of 17 hours, 37 minutes and 51 seconds that ultimately stood for 18 years. The 50/50, as it’s affectionately known, has a rich history as one of the oldest trail runs on the West Coast. It was originally started in the backyard of one of the race’s co-founders, Roland Martin, as a way to bring the ultrarunners of northern Nevada and northern California together for a day of adventure on and around the 8,269-foot Peavine Peak. This is an event you should plan to attend at least once in your ultra career. The races are sold out for 2023. Listen to the URM Podcast with race director and columnist John Trent, here.
Fort Valley, Virginia, is home to the 27th running of the Massanutten Mountain Trails (MMT) 100 Mile Run on Saturday. The MMT single-loop course is a very challenging ultra over a demanding, rocky course in the Massanutten Mountains of Virginia’s Shenandoah Valley. The course includes short but rugged mountain climbs that total over 18,000 feet. The race is sold out with 224 entrants. Read a 2015 race report by Dani Seiss here.
Also on Saturday is the rugged Jemez Mountain 50/50 in Los Alamos, New Mexico. Both distances have gained reputations as extremely technical high altitude mountain ultras. The races start at over 7,000 feet and climb to above 10,000 feet in the wild Jemez Mountains that lie to the north of the Albuquerque Basin in the Rio Grande rift. The 50k is sold out with 175 entrants and the 50-miler is full.
Other races to check out on the UltraRunning Calendar include the Keys Ultra 50k/50m/100-miler in Key West, Florida, the Bishop High Sierra 55k/50m/100k in Bishop, California, the Bryce Canyon 50k/60k/100k/100-miler in Bryce Canyon, Utah, the Yamacraw 50k in Stearns, Kentucky, the Quest for the Crest 50k in Burnsville, North Carolina, the Mind the Ducks 12-hour in Webster, New York, the Superior Spring Trail Race 50k in Lutsen, Minnesota, and the Sun Mountain 50k in Winthrop, Washington, all on Saturday, May 20. The Cruel Jewel 100 kicks off in Blue Ridge, Georgia, on Friday, May 19 at noon.
We know you might be racing somewhere else this weekend. If so, let us know What’s Up in Ultra in your world? As always, check back for results on Sunday in our Ultra Weekend Recap and subscribe to our Thursday weekly newsletter to keep in the loop with everything from UltraRunning Magazine.