Damascus, VA, United States · Saturday, September 4, 2027

Fixed Distance 50 mi

Iron Mountain 50 Mile Trail Run

339 days away

80 km Distance

2,600 m Climbing

7.9 Grit · Hardcore

36.6337° N, 81.7837° W © OpenFreeMap © OpenMapTiles Data from OpenStreetMap

What the course asks

Climbing rate 33 m / km Rolling. Moderate undulations. Requires consistent effort across varying grades.

Time limit 12 hours 9:00 min/km average. Comfortable. Room to walk the climbs and stop at aid. Among the tightest 50 mi cut-offs we track. Measured against 471 races of the same distance. Cut-off calculator →

Field size ~27 Small. Long stretches with nobody in sight.

DUV results for the 2024 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, September

Daytime high 24°C

Night low 12°C

Rainfall Showers likely

Daylight 12 h 53 m of light

Regional 2001-2020 average for September — NASA POWER, grid elevation 843 m. Not a forecast.

Results history

Year	Race	Finishers	Men's winner	Women's winner
2024	50mi	27	Benton Estes · 09:23:26	Lauren Pope · 09:56:55
2023	50mi	39	Jonathan Frey · 08:47:44	Kimberly Bundy · 09:38:31
2022	50mi	34	William Lee · 08:19:23	Lauren Clifford · 09:46:24
2021	50mi	39	Sean Cate · 08:22:37	Mary Shannon Johnstone · 09:52:14
2019	50mi	64	Jack Kuenzle · 07:27:13	Rachel Spaulding · 09:17:39
2018	50mi	56	Shaun Pope · 07:28:34	Laura Duffy · 10:31:26
2017	50mi	87	Caleb Denton · 07:04:05	Alondra Moody · 08:40:09
2016	50mi	82	Caleb Denton · 07:22:59	Elizabeth Minnick · 09:15:23
2015	50mi	77	Jordan Chang · 07:34:25	Alexis Thomas · 09:32:40
2014	50mi	56	Jordan Chang · 07:27:12	Alexis Thomas · 09:16:30

The field shrank 31% between 2023 (39) and 2024 (27). 26% of the 2024 field were women.

DUV results for the 2024 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

⛰️ terrain

This is a rolling course. Expect fast, runnable sections where rhythm is key.

By UltraHub Expert

👟 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 with 2,600 m of ascent.

Trail Running Shoes 33 m of climb per kilometre — grip and rock protection before cushioning.
Race Nutrition 80 km of self-supported fuelling between aid stations.
Hydration Vests Pole attachment and chest-strap stability on steep ground.
Trekking Poles 2,600 m of ascent to walk up.
Headlamps A 12 h limit puts you out there after dark.

Asics

Trabuco Max 3

★★★★★ 4.6

Adidas

Terrex Agravic Speed Ultra

RunRepeat found the Adidas Terrex Agravic Speed Ultra to be perfect for midfoot and forefoot strikers, while iRunFar noted that the shoe feels incredibly effici…

★★★★★ 4.5

Maurten