Ultra Running Hub Raleigh, NC, United States · Sunday, April 11, 2027
Mountains to Sea Challenge
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 2026 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, April
Regional 2001-2020 average for April — NASA POWER, grid elevation 124 m. Not a forecast.
Results history
| Year | Race | Finishers | Men's winner | Women's winner |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 50km | 81 | Chance Newton · 04:25:26 | Caroline Moore · 05:18:03 |
| 2025 | 50km | 83 | Jaret White · 04:31:54 | Katherine Plichta · 05:13:26 |
| 2024 | 50km | 97 | Nathan Perry · 04:07:51 | Makenna Pallozzi · 05:25:17 |
| 2023 | 50km | 86 | Jon Ziefle · 04:24:13 | Grace McDermott · 05:15:20 |
| 2022 | 50km | 52 | Adam Pearson · 03:55:13 | Lorraine Young · 04:55:05 |
| 2021 | 50km | 55 | Peter Alexander · 04:30:58 | Meg Rudy · 05:44:46 |
| 2019 | 50km | 78 | Nick Ciolkowski · 04:01:26 | Deborah Guthmann · 04:53:02 |
| 2018 | 50km | 96 | Aaron Kolk · 04:16:42 | Erin Jobe · 04:42:21 |
| 2017 | 50km | 85 | Shan Guo · 04:16:21 | Erin Jobe · 05:04:43 |
| 2016 | 50km | 87 | Shan Guo · 04:22:48 | Erin Jobe · 04:43:43 |
The field has held steady: 83 in 2025, 81 in 2026. 28% of the 2026 field were women.
DUV results for the 2026 edition (50km) — finishers only. Starters are not published, so the field was at least this big and no finish rate can be given.
Course notes
- gear 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 Mountains to Sea Challenge is a 50k trail race held in Raleigh, NC, United States on April 11, 2027. This out-and-back course starts and finishes at Blue Jay Point Park, with a turnaround at the Falls Lake Dam.
With a time limit of 8 hours, the 50k has a cutoff tighter than 84% of 50k cut-offs, allowing a pace of no more than 9.6 minutes per kilometer. The field is bigger than 73% of 50k fields, with 81 finishers in the 2026 edition.
The race has been held 10 times, with the first edition in 2016 and the latest in 2026.
Similar races
Other 50K trail ultras, closest in distance first.