In 2017, the Jupiter Ridge Sand Spur was the first ultramarathon to be permitted in any Palm Beach County Natural Area. We are proud to once again offer a “first” – the first 100 mile ultra to be permitted in a natural area – as we introduce the Hungryland 100 to the Florida trail and ultra community in the remote and rugged wilderness of Hungryland Slough Natural Area!
This 100 miler has been a long time coming as due diligence has been done through good trail stewardship, respectful treatment of the natural areas, and mirroring the mission of our race partner, Palm Beach County Environmental Resources Management, by promoting and enhancing these local gems by bringing trail running to protected sites that are rich with both environmental and historical significance. Palm Beach County natural areas are essentially green spaces that have been meticulously restored through removal of non-native and invasive plant species, as well as reintroducing wildlife that had been pushed out to return these areas to their original glory.
Because this is an environmentally sensitive natural area, there is a capacity limit of 125 entrants! If it sells out, there will be a waitlist! Don’t miss out!
Race Description
Much of Hungryland is resting and recovering, but Palm Beach County Environmental Resources Management have permitted us access to use the miles of service roads and footpaths to create a 20 mile loop that will take runners through every ecosystem Hungryland has to offer. The 20 mile loop is essentially the “grand tour” of Hungryland offering you a variety of terrains of varying degrees of difficulty. You’ll trek through pine flatwoods, open prairies, and marsh land on the network of management roads that snake their way through the entire 3,000 acre site. You’ll see swamps and open wetlands with big sky views that seem to go on forever, and lush corridors of pine and palm trees offering some shade.
The loop surface is primarily double-track and will include dirt roads, hard packed grassy areas, and softer – but runnable – paths near wetlands and marsh areas. We picked March for this race for two reasons: March is beautiful in south Florida, and it’s also historically the driest month of the year for Hungryland. During the spring and summer, it fills up with water, filling the wetlands, then water levels begin to decrease during the fall and winter. March is the optimum month for this race as we expect the entire loop to be predominantly dry and runnable, though there may be wet sections. If wet sections become impassable, we will likely reroute.
This is a flat race. There is no significant elevation gain/loss worth mentioning. This is about as flat as it gets. If you’re looking for vert, look elsewhere.
There is one long (but very pretty) out-and-back within the loop, and a couple of short sections that use the same trail to get out into the site and return to the start/finish. Of the 20 mile loop, only approximately 20% is repeated – once going one way and once coming from the opposite direction.
The Specifics
Because we are using a 20 mile loop, we are offering 3 distances to choose from: a 100 miler, a 40 miler, and a 20 miler. All distances will use the same loop and begin at the same time.
– 100 milers will complete 5 loops, cutoff is 33 hours
– 40 milers will complete 2 loops, cutoff is 14 hours
– 20 milers will complete 1 loop, cutoff is 8 hours
These are generous cutoff times as we want this to be an inclusive race for both competitive trail runners as well as walkers/hikers, and folks doing their first 100 miler, or leveling up from a half marathon to a 20 miler, or from a 50k to a 40 miler.
* Hungryland is a wild area that is both under active regeneration maintenance, as well as subject to changes to trail conditions due to weather. We expect it to be primarily dry, but we reserve the right to make changes to the course to protect the site AND our runners should the need arise.
This race will be professionally and accurately timed by the awesome team at Trailhead Ultras, including some form of tracking as well as live updates throughout the entire race!
This is a fully supported race! There will be 3 manned aid stations: one at the start/finish, one approximately 7 miles into the loop, and one approximately 14 miles into the loop. These aid stations will have all the ultra food fare you’d expect, as well as water, ice, and liquid nutrition. The start/finish aid station will have hot food like noodles, pierogies, grilled cheese, hot soups (nights can still get a bit nippy in March) and other goodies.
Unmanned, self-serve aid stations with water, fuel, ice, and packaged snacks will be placed between manned aid stations should you need essentials along your journey.
Pacers are allowed for 100 milers only. They can join you as early as your 4th and/or 5th loop (mile 60 to finish) – no pacers allowed for 40 and 20 mile runners. You’re on your own.
100 mile runners may also set up a small “base camp” near the start/finish to rest and recover between loops.
Awards Galore!
Yes, OF COURSE the 100 miler will have a big, shiny buckle for all finishers! In addition to that, we will have custom, premium awards from the one and only Brie from Wicked Skins Athletics for all finishers of all distances, awards for top and overall finishers, masters and grandmasters, and DFL awards!
Rules
Our rules: no course cutting or cheating will be tolerated. If you are found to be willfully cheating, you will be disqualified from the race and not invited back to any of our races. ‘Nuff said.
No littering will be tolerated. We aim to leave this site in better condition than before race day! We are big on “leave no trace” so plan packing your trash until you reach an aid station and discarding it there.
Finally, be nice. Be respectful. Appreciate the opportunity to run in such a gorgeous place with beautiful people and treat both with the utmost respect and kindness.
As this is a designated Palm Beach County Natural Area, be advised there shall be no:
– firearms
– removal or disturbance of vegetation
– smoking
– littering
– feeding or harassing wildlife
– bicycles
– horses
– alcohol
– dogs/pets
* please understand there are alligators on this site and dogs closely resemble prey to an alligator. They are not a threat to humans, but dogs are a different story.
What is Hungryland?
At just over 3,000 acres, Hungryland Slough Natural Area is one of Palm Beach County’s largest natural areas. This 3,004-acre site contains a portion of the historic Hungryland Slough, which flowed to the east into the Loxahatchee Slough and to the west into the Everglades. There are eight native south Florida ecosystems on the site including flatwoods, swamps, hammocks, and prairies. It’s also a rugged and beautiful place with a rich history, though some of it mysterious and contradictory.
The interior of Palm Beach County was occupied long before European settlers came to the area. Groups living within the interior would have relied on tree islands – areas with slightly raised elevation which would have provided abundant edible fruits and seeds like sea grape, as well as attracting wild game. “Hungryland” is a misnomer. Indigenous groups hunting and traveling through the area lived in a resource-rich environment and may have modified the landscape through controlled burns or even expanding the size of the tree islands, though, conversely, some groups claim living off this land during the Seminole War would have been difficult, thus giving way to the name “the hungry land”. Seminoles who fled there and took refuge after the Battle of Loxahatchee in 1838 referred to it as “hungry times.” Post war, European settlers who tried their hand at ranching and citrus farming were equally unsuccessful, so the name stuck.
By the mid 20th century, developers sought to drain the area and create a residential development. Drainage canals were cut through the area in the 1960s, and by the 1970’s more than 1,300 lots were subdivided and sold to more than 900 buyers. But, a slough is essentially a wetland, and wetlands are very good at staying wet. Too wet for development, the suburbia that almost became a reality was abandoned and Mother Nature began to take over, though the grid of scars on the land that were to become streets are still visible on satellite images and still retain the street names assigned to them decades ago.
Palm Beach County began acquiring the site in the mid 1990’s, filling in 12 miles of canals and removing 38 miles of roads. There are still remnants of the unnatural systems imposed on this land to inhabit it, but nature and time have slowly begun healing it and returning it to its original, wild splendor. While the work continues to this day, the progress has been tremendous. Hungryland is now thriving with native wildflowers and birds, deer, bobcat, fox, raccoons, and alligators. Long spans of pine and palm tree-lined corridors that were once to become neighborhood streets are some of the only reminders of what almost was.
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