Ottawa, KS, United States · Saturday, March 27, 2027

Fixed Distance 50 mi

Prairie Spirit 50 Mile Trail Ultra Race

145 days away

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.

38.6156° N, 95.2678° W © OpenFreeMap © OpenMapTiles Data from OpenStreetMap

What the course asks

Time limit 28 hours 21:00 min/km average. Generous. Climbing is unpublished, so this pace is a ceiling on the effort, not a measure of it. Among the most forgiving 50 mi cut-offs we track. Measured against 483 races of the same distance. Cut-off calculator →

Field size ~47 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, March

Daytime high 13°C

Night low 1°C

Rainfall Mostly dry

Daylight 12 h 23 m of light

Regional 2001-2025 average for March — NASA POWER, grid elevation 302 m. Not a forecast.

Results history

Year	Race	Finishers	Men's winner	Women's winner
2026	50mi	47	Kevin McCormick · 06:33:51	Kayla Straub · 06:31:16
2025	50mi	48	Henry Rokusek · 05:57:22	Kayla Straub · 07:03:38
2024	50mi	52	Samuel Holland · 06:19:41	Kayla Straub · 07:11:13
2023	50mi	43	Marcus Tubbs · 07:38:18	Carrie Grant · 07:55:06
2022	50mi	40	Daniel Gibson · 07:45:35	Jenna Henry · 06:47:09
2021	50mi	106	Ryan Burch · 06:14:35	Christine Burns · 07:25:26
2019	50mi	60	Maksym Chepeliev · 06:03:57	Bethany Praska · 07:28:50
2018	50mi	42	Daniel Gibson · 07:45:35	Jenna Mutz · 06:47:09
2017	50mi	25	Eric Tripp · 07:20:36	Jennifer Valentine · 07:38:06
2016	50mi	41	Scott Hill · 08:03:46	Ruth Loffi · 09:25:33

The field has held steady: 48 in 2025, 47 in 2026. 32% 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.

Course notes

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

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 28 h limit puts you out there after dark.
GPS Watches Battery life first — a 80 km day outlasts most full-GPS modes.

Salomon

Aero Glide 4 Grvl

$159.95 ★★★★★ 4.5

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

Spring Energy

Awesome Sauce

Real food gel with 180 calories. Rice-based with natural flavors.

$4 ★★★★★ 4.6

Salomon

ADV Skin 12

Industry-standard 12L race vest with front flask pockets and minimal bounce.

$180 ★★★★★ 4.8

Petzl

NAO RL

1500-lumen reactive lighting headlamp with 15-hour runtime. Automatic brightness adjustment.

$150 ★★★★★ 4.7

Garmin

Enduro 3

Ultra-endurance GPS watch with solar charging and 300+ hour battery in GPS mode.

$900 ★★★★★ 4.8

All gear guides →

Overview

With a 28-hour limit for an 80-kilometer distance, this out-and-back trail race in Ottawa, KS features a cut-off more generous than 96% of 50mi peers and tighter than only 4%. That allows a pace down to 21 minutes per kilometer, removing typical pacing pressure across the crushed limestone and town asphalt paths heading south to Garnett and back.

The event has built a 10-edition history since 2016, placing its starting numbers right in the middle of the discipline: its field is bigger than 49% of 50mi races and smaller than 51%. The 2026 race saw 47 finishers across the line.

Similar races

Other 50 mi trail ultras, closest in distance first.