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Welcome to November on our North American UltraRunning Calendar. In a month when you might think ultrarunners start looking toward more traditional winter activities, this is actually a deep weekend—to the tune of 58 races. There’s a classic 100-miler in Northern California on a portion of the Western States course, a point-to-point and rugged 100-miler in Alabama, 25 spots up for grabs at the 2023 Leadville 100 in the Lone Star State, and so many more we can’t possibly cover them all here.
The 21st running of the Rio Del Lago 100 Mile Endurance Run in Granite Bay, California, is on Saturday, November 5. Also known as the “Jewel of the Sierra Nevada Foothills,” the Rio course is rolling and covers some of the infamous Western States trail. The scenery consists of spectacular views along Folsom Lake and the American River. New this year is a 50k distance. There are 186 spots available in that race and 112 spots remaining in the 100-miler. Check out the participants list here and follow along with race day live tracking here. Read Rio Del lago’s Course of Legends by UltraRunning gear editor Donald Buraglio and listen to the UR Podcast with Erika Hoagland, the 2019 Rio Del Lago Champion and Course Record holder.
In Sylacauga, Alabama, we have the 15th Annual Pinhoti 100 also on Saturday, November 5. A point-to-point race starting in Heflin on the pristine Pinhoti single-track trail, runners will make their way over the highest point in Alabama (Cheaha Mountain) while navigating technical terrain, through creeks and across beautiful ridge lines of the Talladega National Forest. The course consists of 81 miles of single track, 17 miles of jeep roads and 4 miles of pavement, finishing at Lake Howard. The race is currently full with 225 entrants. Live tracking is here. Read: Moths to a Flame by UltraRunning contributor Gary Dudney.
Want to race the Leadville 100 next August? Grab one of the 25 automatic entries at Saturday’s Austin Rattler Run 50k in Smithville, Texas. The Rattler rambles its way through Texas hill country on single track, fire roads and granite formations. The 50k course consists of three, 10-mile loops with challenging terrain, scenic views and 60% single-track trails. Celebrate your finish in true Austin style with live music, food trucks and beer at the laidback, lakeside post-race party. Registration on RunSignup for the 50k is full, but you can try your hand at a sub-ultra distance or the accompanying mountain bike race if that’s your thing.
Additional races on our UltraRunning Calendar this weekend include, but are not limited to, the Antelope Island 50k in Syracuse, Utah, on Friday, November 4. On Saturday, November 5, choose from the Whispering Grace 100-miler (and accompanying 50/100k) in Massillon, Ohio, the Norris Dam Hard Trail Race 50k in Norris, Tennessee, the Silver Falls 50k in Silverton, Oregon, and the Rim to River 100 in New River Gorge, West Virginia. Sunday, November 6, check out the Firesquatch 50k in Lewis Center, Ohio, and the Stony Creek Marathon 50k in Utica, Michigan.
Are you racing somewhere else this weekend? Drop a note below and let us What’s Up in Ultra in your world so we can follow along. Check out our Ultra Weekend Recap from Sunday if you missed it, and be sure to subscribe to our Thursday newsletter so you can keep up to date with all the news in the ultrarunning world.
2 comments
Tomorrow is the 40th running of the classic Beast Coast ultra, Mountain Masochist 50 (MMTR). New RD Tim Spaulding has grand plans for this venerable race, including the second year of a 50k option and movement to making it TrailSisters Approved. It starts and finishes off the Blue Ridge Parkway in Montebello, VA and crosses the AT in several spot on gorgeous singletrack and runnable fire roads. Created by David Horton, MMTR is always a fun reunion of hardy east coast ultrarunners.
It was a dark, wet and slippery one! I ran it (and finished!) for the first time, and we had rain for the first 7 hours, with fog for the next 2 hours. Cleared up towards the end, just in time for those making the 13-hour cutoff. But the aid stations were bright spots — everyone was so helpful and friendly and encouraging. Really well executed, marked and staffed race. And they are not joking when they say it’s for masochists….
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