LOST 118 Mile Endurance Run

LOST 118 Mile Ultramarathon is held during the full moon weekend each February and is run along the Lake Okeechobee Scenic Trail (“LOST”) surrounding Lake Okeechobee. Everyone starts in Clewiston at 7am. The races includes a 118-mile full loop and a 100K half loop with individual and relay options for both distances. The full loop finishes where it began and the half loop is run point-to-point finishing in Okeechobee.

The route is atop the 118 mile Herbert Hoover Levee surrounding Lake Okeechobee, originally built for flood control. At 35 feet tall, runners will have stunning views of the Lake’s calm waters and scenic grassy islands. Scheduled on a full moon weekend every February, a headlamp may not be necessary while on the levee.

Lake Okeechobee is the second largest lake wholly within the United States and is the largest in Florida. It covers 730 square miles and spans five counties – Glades, Okeechobee, Martin, Palm Beach, and Hendry. The Lake is home to all sorts of wildlife including alligators, osprey, pelicans, raccoons, wild hogs, white tail deer and a variety of both resident and migrating birds and waterfowl.

The running surface of the LOST trail is 10-foot wide paved asphalt with a few miles of crushed dual track. There are 22 designated crew access points but there are several other points of contact for runners who want more frequent support.

There are places along the course where runners will leave the levee and run along the roadway. These road sections are usually short and are necessary to cross bodies of water such as the Miami Canal, St Lucie Canal, Taylor Creek, Kissimmee River, and Caloosahatchee.

On these sections, all runners must run facing traffic, wear appropriate road running safety gear (reflective vests, blinky lights, headlamp) and be exceptionally vigilant and careful. Crew is responsible to make sure their runner is alert and wearing appropriate safety gear.