On the Thursday before Labor Day Weekend, ultramarathoners will once again descend on Fred Deadman Park in Manchester, Tennessee. Led by a contingent of wheezing geezers, over a hundred of America’s finest foot warriors will circle the famed Deadman Mile for days on end in September.
All runners 41 and over will be allotted a number of hours equal to those hard-earned years of age in which to accumulate as many miles as possible. All the kids, 40 years, and below, will compete over the final 40 hours of the race. The winner will be the runner with the most miles accumulated by the finish. In contrast to most ultras, where the old guys must settle for a place at the rear, if they can make the time limit at all, the ARFTA is dominated by the super veterans of the sport. In 2025, 1 participant 90 +, 12 participants 80+, and 35 participants 70 years old and over competed in this event. Randy Ellis 73, and Steve Troxel 66, completed more than 200 miles! We had 63 participants completing over 100 miles were 70 and older! This is one race where the older guys are right in the running up until the very end. The footspeed may have diminished with the passing of the years, but the fires of competition still burn bright.
Of course it is not the competition which has made this event an instant classic. It is the stories. In the perfect setting of a one mile loop through the park, today’s ultrarunners have the opportunity to spend time with the legends and heroes of the long ago past of the sport. And the old guys and gals have the opportunity to rekindle old friendships (and rivalries) and to rehash the old days. The stories they have to tell are not tales immortalized on the internet, instead they exist only in the memories of those who were there. For all the hundreds of miles that are logged, and the fierce battles sometimes waged for position, it is the celebration of life atmosphere that has made the ARFTA a must-do event. Fathers and mothers sharing miles with daughters and sons as well as grandparents sharing miles with grandsons and granddaughters; these are moments too special to miss.
We rent most of the park for the duration of the event, and among the features of the race are: Ice is provided for purchase at the ICE HOUSE on the premises for $3.00 per bag. Usually set up next to the building not far from the start/finish area. Hot meals served every 6 hours (this is not aid station food, but fine southern cuisine catered by the local Cracker Barrel.) Additional meal plans may be purchased for crew members. The meals come prepackaged for each individual with whatever is on the menu that day. A mealtime rush is not necessary as you may take it with you to your tent or eat at the pavilions. A friendly reminder to allow the aid station volunteers time to set it up before you stop by to grab and go. We do not have the facility to set up multiple options or dietary needs.
There are real indoor bathrooms located on the course (the value of which cannot be overstated in a multiday run!) There will also be portapotties next to the building after you pass the start/finish line and two on the backside of the loop.
Accommodations are available at a full range of motels within 1 mile of the park, for crews, or runners wishing to sleep in a “real bed.” Ample TENT camping is available on site, with prime camping spots situated around the Deadman Mile.
This is a small park with limited parking. The course is in the parking lot as well as through the park. We have the pavilions reserved but not the whole park itself. Locals come enjoy the park throughout the event. Baseball and tennis is also going on at the same time. They have been very graciuos each year and share with us!
With that being said. RV Campers! We are asked every year about campers. A camper is allowed in the back parking area near the back ball field. See the map attached to this site. IF YOUR CAMPER FITS IN ONE PARKING SPOT THEN IT IS ALLOWED. The standard parking space is 8.5 feet wide by 18 feet long to give you an idea of the size.
There is plenty of camping space to set up a tent and all of your supplies. Not on the course itself but close to it!
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Best “first” 100 miler
Start time equals how many hours you are allowed run so large miles can be accomplished without worrying about cut off times!!! And Cracker Barrel every 6 hours at the … MORE
Start time equals how many hours you are allowed run so large miles can be accomplished without worrying about cut off times!!! And Cracker Barrel every 6 hours at the aid station! Awesome!
Hardest race i've ever done.
This was a fun event. Crazy too! Lazarus Lake & his family organizes this event. Your time limit is based on your age, with the exception of those under 40 … MORE
This was a fun event. Crazy too! Lazarus Lake & his family organizes this event. Your time limit is based on your age, with the exception of those under 40 who get 40 hours. Everyone finished at noon on Labor day so your start time was backed up from there. (I started at 8pm on Saturday). The oldest participant in 2019 was 87 years old. He completed over 100 miles. Several others hit 200 miles. The course is a 1 mile loop through Fred Deadman park. The course was partially shaded and where it wasn’t, it was brutal. I ran most of my miles at night and slept during the hottest part of the day. My goal was to complete 50 miles the first night, then continue after rest and food. But that proved to be difficult. Ended up with a swollen left foot which made running impossible. I walked the last 22 miles in spurts. Had I had more time, I definitely could’ve completed 100 miles, but regardless, I did as much as my body would allow.
Rubbing elbows with the Legends
My head is so full of pleasant memories that I don't know where to begin. I picked this race for my first 100 mile finish attempt because of the long … MORE
My head is so full of pleasant memories that I don’t know where to begin. I picked this race for my first 100 mile finish attempt because of the long cutoff, and I wasn’t disappointed. The premise of this timed ultra is that you get to run the same number of hours as your age. This seems fair because runners naturally slow down as they age. What I learned at this race is that they may slow down, but they don’t necessarily stop. This race seemed more like a family reunion than a race. I was a little intimidated at first as I didn’t recognize many of the names, but I felt very accepted by the veterans. It looked like the majority of the participants either camped out in tents along the course, or camped out inside on cots that were set up in the dining area. I reserved a motel room for Saturday and Sunday, but this meant that I was losing time going back and forth from the course. Full meals were served every 6 hours with plenty of comfort food, and I couldn’t believe how much I was able to eat and still run. Surprisingly, instead of feeling full and uncomfortable, I found that I had much more energy after I ate. The timing was impeccable, with two independent timing systems used. We wore one chip on our bib and another on an ankle bracelet, so there was no worries about missing a lap from the total count. This seemed like more of a social run than a race, but I’m sure the top runners on the leader board were duking it out. The part that I appreciated the most was the friendliness and helpfulness of the veterans. Most of them will go out of the way to help you, even if it means they have to slow down or stop their own race. Yes, there were some that went into their “pain cave”, but I suppose everyone has their moments. I was afraid that once I finished this race that I wouldn’t want to do another 100 mile attempt again, but I think I fell in love with such longer timed ultras. I was thrilled to have completed a total of 105 miles, and am looking forward to setting many more distance PRs.