Ghost Train 30-Hour Ultramarathon 2026: Dates & Course

Event Overview

Listed edition overview
Date	Oct 17-18, 2026
Location	Camp Tevya, Brookline, New Hampshire, USA
Format	Fixed-Distance
Terrain	Trail
Region	North America
Distance / duration	100 mi within 30 hours (15-mile out-and-backs)
State / area	New Hampshire (NH)
Course model	Out-and-back
Edition note	Sold out: UltraSignup says the 30-hour race’s waitlist, capped at 175, filled in early May, and October 2 was the last day to join from the waitlist. Registration closed October 12. The race starts Saturday, October 17 at 9:00 AM ET; Camp Tevya opens for camping setup Friday at 3:00 PM, and campers must complete the 2026 camping form first.
Elevation gain	About 300 ft per 15-mile out-and-back
Cutoff	30 hours (hard cutoff at 3:00 PM Sunday; no finishing times after that). Only completed out-and-backs count, and at least 15 miles is needed for a finish time. Laps 1–6 are 15 miles; lap 7 is 10 miles to reach 100; later laps return to 15 miles.
Start	9:00 AM Saturday
Field size	Capped at 400 runners, with a 175-person waitlist
Highlights	No DNF After 15 Miles, Flat Rail Trail

Course & Terrain

Granite Town Rail Trail, a former railroad bed between Camp Tevya in Brookline and the Milford DPW, 7.5 miles each way. Mostly flat packed dirt, gravel and pine needles, with about 1 mile of pavement per lap through Camp Tevya, one rooty, rocky hill, four road crossings and two tunnels.

Entry & Logistics

Listed qualification and support details
Registration and fees	Check the official event website for current availability, deadlines, prices, taxes, and refund terms.
Support model	Three aid stations: Camp Tevya, the Milford DPW and the Power Lines station in between (about 4 miles from Camp Tevya and 3.5 miles from Milford). Tailwind and real food such as soup, grilled cheese and quesadillas, with gluten-free, dairy-free, vegetarian and vegan options; volunteer bike patrollers carry basic first aid.
Crew / pacers	Crews may help only at Camp Tevya and the Milford DPW; Power Lines has no crew or spectator access. Pacers are allowed after 30 miles or after dark, whichever comes first, and for the whole race for runners 60 and older or with a disability. Pacers don’t register, and only one may run with a runner at a time.
Drop bags	One bag can stay at Camp Tevya and another can be sent to the Milford DPW. Milford bags come back to Camp Tevya after 1:00 PM Sunday.
Logistics note	Parking and bib pickup open at 7:00 AM Saturday, and there is no race-day registration. No vehicles may use the Camp Tevya road during the race, there are no showers or running water, and everyone must leave camp by 4:00 PM Sunday. There is no shuttle between the two ends.

Why This Race Matters

Ghost Train bills itself as New Hampshire’s original 100-mile and 30-hour race. The Brookline and Milford Conservation Commissions run it as a trail fundraiser that has raised more than $350,000 since the first race in 2009; 2026 is the 18th edition.

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

Fastest 100-mile men’s time: Alexander Jinks, 13:29:19 (2018).
Fastest 100-mile women’s time: Lila Gaudrault, 15:34:50 (2024).
Farthest distance: 130 miles, by Andy Godzinski (28:47:07) and Scott Warren (29:03:03) in 2024.

Preparing for a Race Like Ghost Train 30-Hour Ultramarathon

The 100-mile race guide covers the format as a whole. These guides go deeper:

Walking strategy for ultramarathons: When and how to walk by terrain, effort and cutoffs.
Crew and aid-station strategy: Crew tables, aid stops, drop bags and runner preferences.
Gut training for ultrarunners: A six-week practice sequence for race-day fueling.
Tapering for ultramarathons: Plan the taper and race week around your own recovery.

Planning Notes

Treat intermediate cutoff gates as part of the course. Build enough margin for aid stops and late-race slowdown, and verify every current gate in the official rules.
Train for terrain-specific fatigue. Technical trails and mountain courses demand downhill durability, hiking efficiency, and reliable night lighting.
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.
Your seventh out-and-back must turn at the marked 100-mile turnaround. If you run the full 15 miles, the extra 5 miles will not count.
Partial out-and-backs are not counted, so time your last lap against the 3:00 PM Sunday cutoff.
Expect about 13 hours of darkness and cold overnight temperatures.
No pets and no open flames at Camp Tevya, the Milford DPW or anywhere on the course.

Verification & Sources

Verification scope: the listed edition's date, location, format, and available logistics were checked against the event-specific official sources below during the directory review dated October 12, 2026. Organizers can revise details after review.

Official Ghost Train homepage and 2026 race basics — https://sites.google.com/site/ghosttrainrailtrailrace/
Official 30-Hour Ultramarathon page — https://sites.google.com/site/ghosttrainrailtrailrace/2013-basic-race-information/ultra-race
Official course description — https://sites.google.com/site/ghosttrainrailtrailrace/the-course
2026 Ghost Train Handbook, version 1.1 — https://drive.google.com/file/d/1nAf3XeYoiESPVJqD7gno64D_B1fP9hd_/view
Race director’s October 9 email to 2026 runners — https://sites.google.com/site/ghosttrainrailtrailrace/runner-emails/email-2026-oct9-registration-all
Official waitlist information — https://sites.google.com/site/ghosttrainrailtrailrace/2013-basic-race-information/ghost-train-waitlist
Official records page — https://sites.google.com/site/ghosttrainrailtrailrace/the-records
Organizer’s 2026 UltraSignup registration — https://ultrasignup.com/register.aspx?did=133447
Official rules and race details — https://sites.google.com/site/ghosttrainrailtrailrace/handbook
Official results — https://sites.google.com/site/ghosttrainrailtrailrace/race-results-all-years
Multiday Running event directory review scope: October 12, 2026.