Pinhoti 100

Event Overview

Course & Terrain

Point-to-point forest course from Pine Glen Campground near Heflin to the Sylaward Trailhead area near Sylacauga.

Key course features to know before comparing this race:

• Talladega National Forest
• Predominantly Pinhoti Trail singletrack with jeep-road and brief paved sections
• Crossing Cheaha Mountain, Alabama’s highest point, around mile 40
• The switchback climb to the Pinnacle aid station (mile 76.4) and exposed Horn Mountain beyond it
• Finish at Lake Howard on the Sylaward Trail outside Sylacauga

The route is mostly forest singletrack with sustained climbing, descending, roots, rocks, jeep roads, and a small amount of pavement. The organizer counts 83 miles of singletrack, 17 of jeep road and 2 of pavement, with just over 14,000 feet of climbing and as much descent over rocks, through creeks and along ridgelines. The Pinhoti Trail is marked with blue blazes and turkey-track signs; the Chinnabee Silent Trail and Skyway loop sections carry white blazes, but the race lines the entire route with blue flags and arrow signs fitted with reflectors for night running. The climb over Cheaha Mountain comes around mile 40, and the switchback ascent to the Pinnacle near mile 76 falls after dark for nearly everyone. Sentries staff the paved road crossings.

The organizer says 15 of the race’s first 17 years were rain-free; 2015 brought rain all day and night, and 2020 was misty most of the day. It lists a record high of 83°F (1975) and a record low of 24°F (1967), and runners have met 27°F with 20–30 mph gusts on Horn Mountain, just past the Pinnacle aid station. NOAA’s 1991–2020 November normals are a 65°F high and 41°F low at Anniston and 65°F and 38°F at Talladega. The 6:00 AM start needs a headlamp for about the first 45 minutes, and sunset comes around 4:45 PM, so the night lasts more than 13 hours.

Entry & Logistics

Why This Race Matters

Todd Henderson of Sylacauga started the Pinhoti 100 in 2008 to give Alabama runners a 100-miler close to home, and he and Jamie Henderson direct it as part of the Pinhoti Trail Series, which began with the Mount Cheaha 50K in 2006. The race has been held every year since, and 2026 is the 19th edition. It is a true one-way journey along the Pinhoti Trail through Talladega National Forest, crossing Cheaha Mountain, Alabama’s highest point. Karl Meltzer won it three times (2009, 2011 and 2017), Jeff Browning won in 2018 in 16:30:35, and David Riddle’s 16:24:15 from 2016 is still the fastest time on record. A finish qualifies for the Western States lottery.

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

• Men: David Riddle, 16:24:15, 2016
• Women: Jacqueline Merritt, 19:04:46, 2016

Preparing for a Race Like Pinhoti 100

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

• Runners who want a one-way Southeastern mountain 100 on real singletrack
• Experienced 100-milers ready for 14,000 feet of climbing inside 32 hours
• Western States applicants who need a qualifier at the very end of the window

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.
• Start and finish are separated by a long course
• November forest conditions and darkness affect footing and layers
• Every aid station has a hard cutoff: arrive late or leave after the posted time and your race is over (Adams Gap at mile 57.1 closes at 12:13 AM Sunday).
• Aid gaps of 7 to 8 miles between Morgan Lake, Blue Mountain and Cheaha Lake, and again from Bulls Gap to Watershed, call for two bottles or a pack.

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