Runners tackle over 40,000 feet of elevation gain at the Cocodona 250 in Arizona. Photo Scott Rokis

What’s Up in Ultra This Weekend — May 3

Drew Dinan
Drew Dinan

Sponsored By

The first weekend of May features 65 races on the UltraRunning Magazine race calendar. In this week’s What’s Up in Ultra, we visit ultramarathons in Arizona, Ohio, Tennessee, New York and British Columbia. Let’s hit the trails and see what’s on deck this weekend.

Featured: Cocodona 250 (Black Canyon City, Arizona)

One of the premier long-distance ultramarathon events, Cocodona 250, kicks off Monday, May 5 in Black Canyon City, Arizona. Known for being the most diverse point-to-point 200+ mile footrace in America, Cocodona takes runners on an epic point-to-point adventure showcasing Arizona’s rich history, incredible scenery, and rugged and challenging trails. The 250-mile participants will have 125 hours to make it to Flagstaff, Arizona, while having to navigate over 40,000 feet of elevation gain and 35,600 feet of descent. In addition to the 250-mile race, Cocodona also includes the Sedona Canyons 125-mile race, the Mingus Traverse 82-miler and the Flagstaff Crest 39. Live tracking for all events can be found here, and if you haven’t had a chance, be sure to check out The Chase, a film about the highly competitive 2024 Cocodona 250. Read more.

Other West Events:

Pacific

Mountain

Featured: Outrun 24 (Kirtland, Ohio)

The 13th running of the Outrun 24-Hour Trail Race begins on Friday in Kirtland, Ohio, just 30 minutes east of Cleveland. Described as a race for “beginners and veterans alike,” the timed event takes place in the Lake Metroparks Chapin Forest Reservation, where participants will run as many as 1.00244-mile USATF-certified loops as they can before the clock runs out. Race highlights include running in a beautiful forest setting with unique rock formations and mature beech, maple, oak, tulip and hemlock trees, a well-supported aid station, on-site camping, a custom medal for all entrants, and a 100-mile buckle for anyone who completes 100 miles or more. Race proceeds benefit Citizens of Lake County Metroparks. Read more.

Other Midwest Events:

Featured: Strolling Jim™ (Wartrace, Tennessee)

A 2024 UltraRunning Magazine Old School Ultra, the 47th annual Strolling Jim™ 40-mile ultramarathon takes place this weekend in Wartrace, Tennessee. Created in 1979 by Barkley Marathons founder Gary Cantrell (aka “Laz”) and named after the first Tennessee Walking Horse World Grand Champion, Strolling Jim, the competitive race is the second oldest continuously held ultra in the United States and attracts runners every year for the camaraderie, old-school vibe and scenic course through Tennessee’s rolling countryside. Participants will start on Saturday and run approximately 41.2 hilly road miles with over 3,000 feet of elevation gain. All finishers will receive a medal and will also compete for a colored finisher shirt that reflects their finish time—sub-7 hours (red shirt), sub-6 (blue shirt), and sub-5 hours (the coveted gold shirt). Read more.

Other South Events:

Southwest

Southeast

Featured: Rock the Ridge (New Paltz, New York)

Rock the Ridge is a 50-mile ultramarathon and fundraiser that takes place in the beautiful Shawangunk Mountains of New York’s Hudson Valley, just 90 minutes north of New York City. First run in 2013, the race benefits Mohonk Preserve, which protects over 8,000 scenic acres and includes 70 miles of carriage roads and 40 miles of recreation trails. The 50-mile ultra is run on the preserve’s historic carriage roads that highlight the area’s natural wonders, including lush forests, dramatic cliffs, ponds and streams. This is a great event for runners looking to finish their first 50-miler due to the generous cutoff time (18 hours), closely spaced aid stations, highly supportive volunteers, wide trails and a manageable 4,600 feet of elevation gain. Read more.

Other Northeast Events:

Featured: Wildhorse Traverse (Kelowna, BC)

The Wildhorse Traverse 50k race takes participants on a trail running adventure through British Columbia’s rugged Okanagan region. The point-to-point race begins at Bertram Creek Regional Park and leads runners on a scenic journey south to Manitou Park in Naramata, on the eastern shore of southern Okanagan Lake. Along the way, they’ll have to tackle technical single-track trails with close to 1,900 meters of climbing, but will be rewarded with stunning panoramic views and a true wilderness experience. Runners have 10 hours to complete the course and will be welcomed back to Naramata with a finish line celebration, handmade pizza, curry and cold beer. Read more.

Other Events in Canada and Mexico:

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

Drew Dinan traded the tropics of the Florida Keys for the trails of Bend, OR. Once living the Jimmy Buffett lifestyle, working on fishing boats and owning only a single pair of flip flops, he now has way too many running shoes in his closet and never hears the end of it from his loving wife. He is on a constant quest to find the best happy hours, likes to complain when it’s cold outside, and one day hopes to travel the country writing reviews on chicken wings.

More from UltraRunning

Ultra Weekend Recap — June 7, 2026

What’s Up in Ultra This Weekend — June...

REVIEW: Hydration Belts

The Art of Ultrarunning w/ Ian Sharman

Twisted Fork: Fast Times on Muddy Trails

Ultra Weekend Recap — May 31, 2026

Close