The Endless Mile

Results: 2026

Separate official result lists contain 52 classified runners in 72 hours, 28 in 48 hours and 30 in 24 hours. One 48-hour DNS is excluded. The 72- and 24-hour lists are linked in Sources; counts are not combined across races.

Source: UltraSignup — 2026 Endless Mile 48-hour results. Checked October 29, 2026.

Event Overview

A 72-hour, 48-hour, and 24-hour festival on a certified, paved, lighted 1.00203-mile loop at Veterans Park.

Course & Terrain

Certified paved park loop with direction changes every six hours and repeated access to aid and personal supplies.

Key course features to know before comparing this race:

• Paved, lighted 1.00203-mile loop past lakes and woods in Veterans Park
• Direction change every six hours at the timing-mat cone
• Round-the-clock aid station with made-to-order grill food
• 100-mile and 200-mile buckles for solo runners

Smooth asphalt path past wooded sections and several lakes, with very little elevation change. The path is lit, but there are dark gaps between light poles, so the organizer recommends a headlamp. Every six hours runners circle a cone at the timing mat and reverse direction, and that lap can make a normal aid-station stop awkward. HuTag ankle chips record every lap, with backup chips on the bibs, and runners should check the TV monitor at the timing tent each time through. When time runs out mid-lap, runners stop, receive a marker, and the partial lap is measured and added to their distance.

NOAA’s 1991–2020 climate normals for the Birmingham airport station give October an average high of 76.0°F, an average low of 53.9°F and 3.34 inches of rain. The organizer warns that October in Alabama can bring anything from hot sun to cold rain and wind, and advises layers and a rain shell for the nights; the aid station adds popsicles and ice on hot days.

Format & Support (as run)

Why This Race Matters

The Endless Mile is the fixed-time race of Southeastern Trail Runs, the Birmingham trail series founded by Marye Jo and David Tosch and run since 2025 by Josh and Kelsey Drum. Its USATF-certified 1.00203-mile paved loop in Alabaster’s Veterans Park makes distances eligible for records, and the organizer says several state age-group records have been set there. UltraSignup’s results go back to 2016, with 24- and 48-hour races; the 72-hour arrived in 2023. Women have won the 72-hour outright three times: Lori Lyons in 2023, Letha Cruthirds in 2024 and Jennifer Cecil in 2026. Zack Jordan’s 213.339 miles in 2025 is the longest distance anyone has covered at the event.

Historical benchmark notes in the directory record (verify current records with the linked official sources):

• 72-hour men: Zack Jordan, 213.339 miles, 2025
• 72-hour women: Jennifer Cecil, 211.832 miles, 2026 (published result; previous best Letha Cruthirds, 206.866 miles, 2024)
• 48-hour men: Ed Ettinghausen, 188.062 miles, 2020
• 48-hour women: Melissa Fritz, 159.515 miles, 2021
• 24-hour men: Jeff Hogeland, 118.744 miles, 2025
• 24-hour women: Janice Anderson, 111.987 miles, 2020

Preparing for a Race Like The Endless Mile

The 48-hour race guide covers the format as a whole. These guides go deeper:

• 48-hour races explained: Rules, pacing, sleep decisions, fueling and crew support.
• How to train for a 48-hour race: Durable movement, sleep planning, foot care and fueling practice.
• Sleep strategy for multiday races: An individual sleep plan with safe locations and clear stop criteria.
• Second-night survival guide: Sleep, crew checks and caffeine decisions for the second night.

Best Fit

• Runners attempting a first 100 miles with aid every mile
• Multiday runners chasing a 200-mile buckle in the 72-hour
• Masters runners: David Mickelsen (67) and Letha Cruthirds (71) both passed 200 miles in 2024
• Runners after USATF-certified distances or state age-group records

Planning Notes

• Start conservatively and use flexible process checkpoints for effort, walking, food, fluid, alertness, and symptoms instead of forcing one hourly distance target.
• Prepare several rest options before race week. Stop for sleep or assessment if alertness, coordination, or safe decision-making deteriorates.
• Repetitive surfaces can expose fit, friction, and loading problems. Check in when symptoms or conditions change, and use only footwear already tested for the course.
• The directory marks this as having comparatively simpler logistics. That editorial label is not a safety rating; verify cutoffs, terrain, support, crew access, and withdrawal procedures.

Event FAQs

Related Preparation

• Browse the curated 24-hour race calendar
• Compare this race in the full 2026 calendar
• Browse the 24-hour race calendar
• Browse the 48-hour race calendar
• Open the 48-Hour format guide
• Compare all race formats
• Use the timed-race pace calculator
• Estimate race calories and plan fueling
• Build a crew and drop-bag plan
• Build a race-specific gear checklist