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We have a big weekend of ultramarathon action on deck, with a whopping 55 races taking place throughout North America. This week’s What’s Up in Ultra features races in Utah, Quebec, Minnesota and Michigan.
Wasatch 100
We begin in Kaysville, Utah, for one of the oldest 100-milers in the US and a Grand Slam of Ultrarunning event, the Wasatch 100. First run in 1980, the point-to-point course journeys through the heart of the rugged Wasatch Mountain Range where runners will attempt to navigate more than 24,000 feet of elevation gain, 23,000 feet of descent, and altitudes that reach over 10,400 feet above sea level. The race begins Friday at East Mountain Wilderness Park and finishes on Saturday at Soldier Hollow in Wasatch Mountain State Park, Utah. Along the way runners will face a variety of terrain, including game trails, dirt roads, scree fields, waist-high grass and more, while also dealing with the potential for extreme weather and the chance of encountering bears, mountain lions, moose, porcupines and rattlesnakes. Participants have 36 hours to complete the course to earn their coveted finisher’s buckle and Hardrock 100 qualifier.
Superior 100
Our next stop takes us to northeast Minnesota for another classic ultra event, the Superior Fall Trail Races (100-mile and 50-mile ultra distances). Established in 1991, the Superior 100 has earned a reputation as being one of the most challenging and beautiful 100-mile races in North America. The race begins on Friday at Gooseberry Falls State Park and ends on Saturday at the Caribou Highlands Lodge on Lutsen Mountain. The point-to-point course takes runners along the Superior Hiking Trail in the remote Sawtooth Mountain Range where they’ll have to tackle relentless hills, technical trails, and 17,350 feet of elevation gain and loss. For their efforts, participants will be rewarded with stunning views of Lake Superior and the vast natural landscape. The Superior Trail Race annually donates a portion of the proceeds to support the Superior Hiking Trail Association. Read more about the 50-mile race here.
Ultra-Trail Harricana
Heading across the border, we land in Quebec, Canada, for the Ultra-Trail Harricana™ of Canada (UTHC). Now in its 12th season, this popular event includes three ultra distances (125k, 80k and 65k), several shorter races, and annually attracts over 3,500 runners from across the world. The premier event, the highly competitive UTHC 125k race, takes place in the remote Charlevoix region of the Canadian wilderness (a UNESCO World Biosphere Reserve) where runners will enjoy amazing scenery, an abundance of wildlife and single-track trails that traverse mountains, lakes, rivers and boreal forests before finishing at the Grand-Fonds Ski Resort. The point-to-point course features four mountain summits, 13,800 feet of elevation gain, and over 15,000 feet of descent. Runners have 29 hours to complete the race and 26 hours to earn their Western States 100 qualifier. Read more about all the race distances here.
Wildcard: Run Woodstock
In this week’s wildcard race, where we feature an event you may not be familiar with, we travel to Gregory, Michigan, for the Run Woodstock. The three-day festival has four ultra distances (100-mile, 100k, 50-mile and 50k) and several sub-ultra distances, including a kid’s race and “Bohemian Beverage Mile.” All ultra events take place on the 16.6-mile pink course, with over 1,500 feet of climbing per loop. Participants in the 100-mile (Western States 100 qualifier) and 100k races have 30 hours to finish, while 50-mile and 50k runners have 14 hours. In addition to running, the groovy festival allows runners to unleash their inner hippy with great music, nature hikes, campfires, yoga, moonlight swims and the chance to meet and hang out with some great folks. Proceeds from the race benefit Washtenaw Promise, whose mission is “to empower children in the Washtenaw County community who are facing serious obstacles, to help raise their potential for success in the family, in school and in their world.”
Other great events this weekend include Pine to Palm (Ashland, OR), Mogollon Monster 100 (Pine, AZ), Finlayson Arm (Victoria, BC), Lost Soul Ultra (Lethbridge, AB), Rebecca Mountain (Sylacauga, AL), Wy’east Wonder (Parkdale, OR), TARC Fall Classic (Carlisle, MA), Devil on the Divide (Empire, CO), Megunticook Trail Festival (Camden, ME), Tantalus Triple Trek (Oahu, HI), Hawk Hundred (Lawrence, KS), Pine Creek Challenge (Wellsboro, PA), GOAT Run (Port Angeles, WA) and Hurricane 100K (Hurricane, WV).
Check out the full list of events here.