The Red Dirt Ultra is run on the beautiful Sandstone Trail in Kisatchie National Forest, near historic Natchitoches, Louisiana. This trail is a 31 mile loop. The 50k’ers will do one loop, the 100k’ers two loops, and the 100 milers will do a short out and back, followed by three …
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The Red Dirt Ultra is run on the beautiful Sandstone Trail in Kisatchie National Forest, near historic Natchitoches, Louisiana. This trail is a 31 mile loop. The 50k’ers will do one loop, the 100k’ers two loops, and the 100 milers will do a short out and back, followed by three loops.
We invite all of you to spend time in the beautiful and historic Natchitoches, Louisiana, while you are here. The city is full of beautiful historic bed and breakfasts as well as a quaint downtown district on the Cane River. The Cane River Historical Park is a must see for you history buffs, and is just minutes from the race site.
This is a beautiful and challenging trail. There are a few spots of loose sand, but they are few and far between. The majority of the trail is hard packed sand – great to run on! There are a few stream crossings from the natural springs in the area, but there are easy ways around these so you don’t have to get your feet wet. But, the chance to spend a few minutes soaking your feet in the ice cold water might be welcome late in the race. There are a few decent climbs on the trail, but these are followed by long, smooth downhills.
The first half of the trail is where the majority of the climbs are, the second half is much easier terrain to run. Keep in mind, these are piney woods, so while you are surrounded by trees, there may not always be cover from the sun. Plan accordingly.
Just past the 21 mile trail marker is “Spa 21” where you can stand in knee deep, ice cold spring water should you choose. Take my word for it, it feels FANTASTIC.
The overall cutoff for the race is 32 hours, or 2:00 pm on Sunday. This is a FIRM cutoff time. Once you guys are finished racing, our volunteers still have to sweep the course and pick up course markings, etc. No one will be allowed to start their last loop after 2 a.m. If you make the cutoff to start the third loop, the second hard cutoff comes at AS#3, 18 miles or so into the trail. You will have to make it through AS#3 on your final loop by 8:40 a.m. to be allowed to continue on the trail. This will give you 5 hours 20 minutes to finish the last 13 miles. Believe me, if at this point we have to pull you from the trail, you will probably be glad to end the suffering. This again is a SOLID cutoff. By this point, our volunteers have been out there taking care of you guys for a very long time and they will be ready to pack it up and go home.
Sunday rolling cutoff times for 100 milers. This is when these aid stations will be shut down.
Aid Station #1 – 3:40 a.m.
Aid Station #2 – 6:10 a.m.
Aid Station #3 – 8:40 a.m. – If you do not reach this aid station by this time, you will not be allowed to continue.
Aid Station #4 – 11:30 a.m.
Start/Finish Cutoff – 2:00 p.m. for all distances. No buckles will be handed out after the 2:00 cutoff. No exceptions.
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Great race, great folks, fun times
I've done all 3 distances of this race. This is a great first 100 miler in my opinion. It's not too technical since it's mostly UTV trails in the National … MORE
I’ve done all 3 distances of this race. This is a great first 100 miler in my opinion. It’s not too technical since it’s mostly UTV trails in the National Forest. It’s a 31 (29 by my watch) mile loop so it’s a big ask for pacers and crew. But the RD will help them get where they need to be. There are excellent camping options nearby but the closest hotel is 45 minutes away. Post race refreshments and amenities are excellent! They have a lady who will wash, rub and lubricate your feet when you finish. New RD next year…hope she adds a 1/2 marathon.
Great support and well organized race
The 50K option of this race is run on a single 50K loop through the Long-leaf pine forests of Kisatchie National Forest. The trail allows ATVs and horses, so becomes … MORE
The 50K option of this race is run on a single 50K loop through the Long-leaf pine forests of Kisatchie National Forest. The trail allows ATVs and horses, so becomes very rutted and eroded with numerous wet spots that become muddy. There are also some short sections with loose, white sand. The race support and organization were second to none though. The aid stations were well-supplied with a range of beverages and ultra fare, including one that had bean burrito wraps and quesadillas. Most of them also had PB&J sandwiches, along with Gatorade, water, Coca-cola, and ginger ale. The best part was at the finish where they had their own branded Red Dirt Ultra beer and plenty of delicious Louisiana gumbo. The weather was pleasant this year and dry, although the trail was pretty wet. The bling included long-sleeved cotton shirts and a nice medal with the silhouette of Louisiana. The soft trail was easy on the feet, but you did have to watch out for a few roots and rocks in places. Overall, it turned out to be an enjoyable morning run in the National Forest.