Ultra Running Hub Escondido, CA, United States · Saturday, October 17, 2026
Lake Hodges Trail Fest 50K
Calculated from 50 km alone — the organiser has not published an elevation profile. Read 2.5 as a floor, not a verdict.
What the course asks
DUV results for the 2025 edition (50km) — finishers only. Starters are not published, so the field was at least this big and no finish rate can be given.
Typical conditions, October
Regional 2001-2020 average for October — NASA POWER, grid elevation 584 m. Not a forecast.
Results history
| Year | Race | Finishers | Men's winner | Women's winner |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 50km | 157 | Nicolas Susee · 03:56:27 | Sammi Groce · 04:14:17 |
| 2024 | 50km | 182 | Timothy Wheeler · 03:58:09 | Jenna Bullbrook · 04:26:03 |
| 2023 | 50km | 171 | Sheldon Watanabe · 03:36:53 | Caroline-Claudia Erhart · 04:19:41 |
| 2022 | 50km | 116 | Andrew Falkiewicz · 03:52:33 | Elizabeth Tenuto · 04:27:34 |
| 2021 | 50km | 118 | Andrew Falkiewicz · 04:01:00 | Sofie Blicher · 04:51:00 |
| 2019 | 50km | 176 | Darren Thomas · 03:29:55 | Kelly Wilson · 04:35:44 |
| 2018 | 50km | 133 | Leo Ortega · 03:46:24 | Jennifer McDaniel · 05:00:56 |
| 2017 | 50km | 152 | Ken Pliska · 03:38:10 | Carolyn Tallman · 04:35:48 |
| 2016 | 50km | 190 | Pablo Salmeron · 04:10:48 | Pamela Keller · 05:14:02 |
| 2015 | 50km | 134 | Michael Dixon · 03:53:08 | Erin Burhans · 04:53:49 |
The field shrank 14% between 2024 (182) and 2025 (157). 29% of the 2025 field were women.
DUV results for the 2025 edition (50km) — 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
With trail terrain, choose a shoe with moderate cushioning for optimal performance.
Gear for this race
Chosen for 50 km of trail.
- Trail Running Shoes 50 km of trail — cushioning that is still there in the last quarter.
- Race Nutrition 50 km of self-supported fuelling between aid stations.
- Hydration Vests Flask capacity for 50 km, without the bounce.
- GPS Watches Battery life first — a 50 km day outlasts most full-GPS modes.
Overview
The Lake Hodges Trail Fest 50K is a trail race held in Escondido, CA, with a fixed 50-kilometer distance. With 10 editions since 2015, the race has a field size larger than 87% of its 2662 50k peers.
Runners face a strict 8-hour time limit, which translates to a 9.6 minutes per kilometer cutoff pace. This limit is tighter than 80% of 1022 comparable 50k races, leaving less margin for error. The course is described as very runnable, with the single significant climb of Raptor Ridge encountered twice.
Similar races
Other 50K trail ultras, closest in distance first.