Did You Know? 100-Mile Ultra Run Takes Place in Russell Forest

Why in the world would anyone want to run non-stop for 100 miles, through the woods, in the darkness of night? Welcome to the Ultra-Running world.

Every weekend around the world, ultra-runners gather and run, and run, and run some more. Some runners love an extra challenge and choose to run the “Hotter ‘N Hell Trail Race” in the heat of July, some will go west to Devil’s Elbow, MO for the Ultra Sweaty Santa Run, and some will choose to come from all over the country to Lake Martin for the Lake Martin 100!

At Russell Lands, we welcome the runners to our neck of the woods and thought it might be interesting to answer some of the questions we receive:

How  many years has the race been held?
The Lake Martin 100 is in its sixth year.

How long does it take to run 100 miles?
In 2016, Karl Meltzer ran it in 16 hours 56 minutes and 57 seconds, he holds the record for the fastest to complete the Lake Martin 100.

Do runners stop during the night to sleep?
No, the runners run non-stop from 6:45am Saturday morning until they finish. To become a finisher in the 100 you must complete the run in 32 hours or less.

Is the 100-mile run the only run?
No, there is a 50-Mile uUltra and a 27-Mile Fun Run. Both runs need to be completed in 18 hours or less.

Why would anyone want to run that far at one time?
While we can’t answer that question, David Tosch, Race Director, might be able to tell you! He can be found during the race at the Artist Cabin at Russell Crossroads where he and his wife, Mary Jo, will be cheering all of the runners on as they pass by the cabin at least four times during the run.

For those who may not know, in 2017, the Lake Martin 100 was named the Best 100-Mile Race in North America, and the 50-Mile was named the Best North American Ultra.  On Saturday March 23 at 6:45am, runners in the 100-Mile, 50-Mile, and the 27-Mile Fun Run will start at the Artist Cabin in Russell Crossroads.,

For those interested in participating or learning more about the rules of the race, a good resource is the racer’s manual, found online at southeasterntrailruns.com/lake-martin-100.