Uwharrie 100 Mile Trail Run 2026: Dates, Course & Entry

Event Overview

Listed edition overview
Date	Oct 17-18, 2026
Location	Uwharrie National Forest, near Troy, North Carolina, USA
Format	Fixed-Distance
Terrain	Trail
Region	North America
Distance / duration	102.5 mi
State / area	North Carolina (NC)
Course model	Loop
Edition note	Online registration closed October 10 at 11:59 PM Eastern Time, and the UltraSignup waitlist is closed too. On October 12, UltraSignup listed 39 entrants in the 100-mile race and 63 in the 100K, under the combined cap of 150. The race starts at 6:00 AM on Saturday, October 17.
Elevation gain	17,420 ft (3,484 ft per lap) per the course page; the race's overview page gives about 19,000 ft
Cutoff	36 hours (6:00 PM Sunday). Runners must start their last lap by 11:00 AM Sunday and leave Kelly's Kitchen southbound on the final lap by 3:00 PM Sunday.
Start	6:00 AM Saturday
Field size	Capped at 150 runners across the 100-mile and 100K races. UltraSignup listed 39 100-mile and 63 100K entrants on October 12, 2026.
Highlights	Figure-Eight Forest Loop, 50-Mile Qualifier Required

Course & Terrain

A 20.5-mile figure-eight loop, nearly all singletrack with roots, rocks and boulders, run five times from the Wood Run Trailhead on NC 24/27. The 100K runs three laps of the same loop.

Key course features to know before comparing this race:

Three big climbs per lap, at miles 7.4, 8.4 and 16, with names such as Sasquatch Summit, the Soul Crusher and Hallucination Hill
Crossroads aid station at the center of the figure eight, passed twice per lap
Kelly's Kitchen at the northern tip of the loop on the Uwharrie Trail

Entry & Logistics

Listed qualification and support details
Registration and fees	Check the official event website for current availability, deadlines, prices, taxes, and refund terms.
Qualification	100-mile entrants must have finished a 50-mile race within its time limit; the Uwharrie 40 Mile Mountain Run or the Mount Mitchell Challenge also qualify. No one under 16.
Crew / pacers	Crews can meet runners at the Start/Finish and at Kelly's Kitchen (mile 11.7 of each lap), but not at Crossroads. Pacers may join after two laps (41 miles), one at a time, and may not carry the runner's gear.
Drop bags	Drop bags at all three aid stations: Start/Finish, Crossroads (miles 6 and 15 of each lap) and Kelly's Kitchen (mile 11.7). Bags from remote stations can take up to eight hours to come back; all bags return to the Start/Finish around 6:00 PM Sunday.
Logistics note	Packet pickup is Friday, 4:00–7:00 PM, at the Wood Run Trailhead, about 9 miles west of Troy, with race-morning pickup 4:30–5:30 AM and a briefing at 5:40 AM. Parking is limited to one vehicle per runner. Lodging is in Albemarle, about 12 miles west, or at Uwharrie National Forest campgrounds.

Why This Race Matters

Uwharrie 100 started in 2014 on a training loop used by central North Carolina trail runners, and the race directors call it "simply unrelenting": nearly all singletrack, with three big climbs every lap. UltraSignup lists results for 2014–2019 and 2021–2025, so 2026 is the 12th edition. The race has not been a UTMB Index race since 2024.

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

Men: Matthew Estes, 20:27:04, 2017
Women: Daisy Weill, 26:43:04, 2018

Preparing for a Race Like Uwharrie 100 Mile Trail Run

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 does not mark this as having simpler logistics. Confirm qualification, terrain, support, registration, medical, and withdrawal requirements before planning around it.
100-mile runners who stop after three laps can receive the 100K medal if they finish those laps within 36 hours, but they are listed as DNF in the 100-mile results and cannot win 100-mile awards.
Aid stations carry basic first aid only and no EpiPens; bring your own if you need one.

Event FAQs

What do Uwharrie 100 finishers receive?

Runners who complete the full 102.5 miles within 36 hours receive a Uwharrie 100 belt buckle. Those who finish in under 24 hours also receive a handmade leather belt. The top three men and women in each distance receive awards.

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.

Organizer's 2026 registration listing (UltraSignup) — https://ultrasignup.com/register.aspx?did=133800
UltraSignup 2026 100-mile entrant list — https://ultrasignup.com/entrants_event.aspx?did=133800
Official race overview — https://www.uwharrie100.com/landing
Official start, pacer, drop bag and cutoff information — https://www.uwharrie100.com/general-informaiton
Official course description and elevation — https://www.uwharrie100.com/raceinformation
Official aid station and crew access details — https://www.uwharrie100.com/aidstations
Official packet pickup and lodging information — https://www.uwharrie100.com/pre-race-information
Official awards policy — https://www.uwharrie100.com/awards
Official results page and course records — https://www.uwharrie100.com/results
Multiday Running event directory review scope: October 12, 2026.