Highball to Thurmond Ultra 50 Miles 12.75h

Race completed

80 km Distance

not publishedn/a Climbing

4.0 est Grit · Challenging

Calculated from 80 km alone — the organiser has not published an elevation profile. Read 4.0 as a floor, not a verdict.

36.3665° N, 80.9284° W © OpenFreeMap © OpenMapTiles Data from OpenStreetMap

What the course asks

Time limit 12.75 hours 9:34 min/km average. Comfortable. Room to walk the climbs and stop at aid. Climbing is unpublished, so this pace is a ceiling on the effort, not a measure of it. Tighter than 80% of 50 mi races. Measured against 471 races of the same distance. Cut-off calculator →

Field size ~33 Small. Long stretches with nobody in sight.

DUV results for the 2026 edition (50mi) — finishers only. Starters are not published, so the field was at least this big and no finish rate can be given.

Typical conditions, May

Daytime high 23°C

Night low 12°C

Rainfall Showers likely

Daylight 14 h 08 m of light

Regional 2001-2020 average for May — NASA POWER, grid elevation 500 m. Not a forecast.

Results history

Year	Race	Finishers	Men's winner	Women's winner
2026	50mi	33	Nick Amos · 07:00:04	Bobbi Scott · 09:34:02
2026	50mi	22	Josh Lapp · 09:28:56	Holly Langenkamp · 12:33:25
2025	50mi	30	John Blasingame · 07:31:21	Michaela Tosone · 08:17:41
2025	50mi	16	David Conrad · 10:42:17	Myah Haid · 11:39:03
2024	50mi	27	Caleb Bowen · 06:23:49	Katie Felton · 09:15:45
2024	50mi	23	Adam Kline · 09:48:50	Rachel Scheitrum · 11:54:10
2023	50mi	34	John Taylor · 08:55:44	Kaitlin Kmec · 09:58:09
2023	50mi	24	Timothy Suhr · 08:32:50	Mae Barker · 08:52:06
2022	50mi	47	Keith Gruchacz · 07:39:59	S. Tanis Coaching · 08:36:29

21% of the 2026 field were women.

DUV results for the 2026 edition (50mi) — finishers only. Starters are not published, so the field was at least this big and no finish rate can be given.

The Aid Station

Course-specific beta from the community

👟 gear

With trail terrain, choose a shoe with moderate cushioning for optimal performance.

By UltraHub Expert

Gear for this race

Chosen for 80 km of trail.

Trail Running Shoes 80 km of trail — cushioning that is still there in the last quarter.
Race Nutrition 80 km of self-supported fuelling between aid stations.
Hydration Vests Flask capacity for 80 km, without the bounce.
Headlamps A 12.75 h limit puts you out there after dark.
GPS Watches Battery life first — a 80 km day outlasts most full-GPS modes.

La Sportiva

Prodigio Pro

RunRepeat found the La Sportiva Prodigio Pro to have a secure, locked-in fit due to its premium upper, and also praised the shoe's energetic ride, particularly…

$225 ★★★★★ 4.6

Brooks

Catamount 3

RunRepeat found the Brooks Catamount 3 to have a cozier upper that enhances the overall fit, though breathability and durability could be better. iRunFar noted…

★★★★★ 4.5

Skratch Labs