The Hitchcock Experience — 100 Mile

Event Overview

Course & Terrain

Five approximately 20-mile trail loops through Hitchcock Nature Center in Iowa's Loess Hills.

Key course features to know before comparing this race:

• Hitchcock Nature Center
• Five returns through the same hilly loop system
• The Loess Hills Lodge start/finish, which the race calls the Beacon of Hope/Despair
• Black Diamond aid station at mile 11.5 of each lap, the one crew point out on the loop
• A private-land section of trail opened to runners only on race weekend

Short, steep climbs and descents accumulate heavily across five loops on the ridges of the Loess Hills, landforms built from wind-blown silt that is 200 feet deep or more in places. The surface runs from singletrack to fire-road-width trail with a small amount of maintenance road, and each lap includes a stretch of private land that is open to runners only on race weekend. The organizer lists approximately 4,928 ft of elevation change per loop, the same figure it gave when the loop was 12.5 miles long. The course is marked with 36-inch reflective PVC stakes, orange ribbon and colored arrow signs placed so the next marker is always in sight, and two-way sections are signed where they begin and end.

NOAA's 1991-2020 normals for Omaha's Eppley Airfield give December an average high of 37.7°F, an average low of 19.8°F and 5.8 inches of snow for the month. The organizer warns that December weather in the Midwest is unpredictable and can change from day to day, and recommends layers, wet- and cold-weather gear, spare shoes and screw shoes for traction on icy trail. A headlamp is required kit: the 100 starts in the dark at 5 a.m. and most finishers run through the full December night.

Entry & Logistics

Why This Race Matters

The Hitchcock Experience is the December ultra of GOATz, the Omaha trail-running group, held at Hitchcock Nature Center in Iowa's Loess Hills about 30 minutes northeast of Omaha. UltraSignup results begin in 2015, and 2026 is the race's 12th year; the 2020 edition was lost to COVID. The weekend has an unusual shape: the 100 starts at 5 a.m. Saturday, the 50-milers set off at 9 p.m. into the night, and the "101K The Hard Way" pairs the morning half marathon with the night 50. Fields are small, and one runner has owned the women's race: Jodi Semonell of Omaha has won it nine times. Proceeds go to the nature center.

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

• Men, current five-lap course (since 2024): Jefferey Pratt, 19:56:13, 2025
• Women, current five-lap course (since 2024): Jodi Semonell, 24:16:23, 2024
• Men, fastest on any Hitchcock 100 layout: Cory Logsdon, 17:59:09, 2017
• Women, fastest on any Hitchcock 100 layout: Jodi Semonell, 23:01:37, 2017

Preparing for a Race Like The Hitchcock Experience — 100 Mile

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.

Best Fit

• Midwest runners looking for a December 100 with a 34-hour limit
• Runners who like a small field and a crewed base every 20 miles
• Strong hikers on short, steep climbs (poles are allowed)

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 does not mark this as having simpler logistics. Confirm qualification, terrain, support, registration, medical, and withdrawal requirements before planning around it.
• Repeated steep hills create more cumulative load than the location may suggest
• December conditions can alter footing and layers
• The Lodge is the only drop-bag stop and the Oasis has no crew, so plan each 20-mile lap's layers, food and water before you leave the Lodge.
• 100-milers who stop after 50 miles are listed as "dropped to 50" with an unofficial 50-mile time; drops get no buckle and are not eligible for awards.

Event FAQs

Related Preparation

• Compare verified US 100-mile races
• Compare this race in the full 2026 calendar
• Open the 100-Mile format guide
• Open the Fixed-Distance format guide
• Compare all race formats
• Use the timed-race pace calculator
• Plan checkpoint arrivals and cutoff buffers
• Print a pace band for your goal time
• Estimate race calories and plan fueling
• Build a crew and drop-bag plan
• Build a race-specific gear checklist