Trail Running calendar near Sterling 2025-2026

The Yellowbrick Backyard Ultra is a unique endurance running event held at Kinsey Park in Peoria, Illinois. Featuring a whimsical Wizard of Oz-themed setting, the race takes place on a scenic 100% single-track trail with no roads or water crossings, surrounded by local wildlife. The format is a "las..

The Hickory Knolls Trail Run, held at Hickory Knolls Nature Area in St. Charles, Illinois, offers 5K and 10K individual races plus a 10K two-person relay. The course features a scenic, approximately 3-mile loop of grass, dirt, and gravel trails with a mix of flat sections and hills, set in a diverse..

The Schuetzen NEIN! Endurance Run is a challenging 9-hour trail running event held in Davenport, Iowa, at Schuetzen Park. Participants run a demanding 0.85-mile loop featuring 125-150 feet of elevation gain, with dirt and chipped rock single-track trails, stairs, and some grass sections. Runners can..

The Pinetum Mind Games Endurance Event, held at Lowell Park in Dixon, Illinois, is a unique endurance challenge featuring 6, 12, and 24-hour running or relay options. Participants run, walk, or crawl around a 0.411-mile loop known as the Pinetum, testing their mental toughness in a fun, supportive a..

The Chupacabra Trail Races take place in Dixon, Illinois, featuring night trail running on a 5-mile loop course composed of grass, gravel, dirt, and 30% single track. Participants can choose from distances of 5, 10, or 15 miles, or join a three-person relay team. The race starts just before sunset,..

The Mines of Spain Trail Races, held at the EB Lyons Nature Center in Dubuque, Iowa, offer 4-mile, 7-mile, and half marathon trail runs through scenic and challenging terrain. Participants experience diverse trails including dirt single and double tracks, prairie grass paths, rocky technical section..

The New Glarus Woods Trail Run is an annual event that celebrates outdoor fitness and community spirit, taking place in New Glarus, Wisconsin. This year marks the 6th edition of the run, which is part of the Savanna Trail Run Series. The event features multiple race options, including a 1 Mile Fun R..

ScoCo50 is a trail running event held at scenic Scott County Park in Long Grove, Iowa, offering 50K, 10-mile, and 5-mile race distances. The course features a mostly dirt and grass trail loop of about 10 miles with approximately 950 feet of elevation gain per loop, winding through wooded and prairie..

The Gristmill Grind 10K is a challenging trail race held annually at Franklin Creek State Park in Franklin Grove, Illinois. Known as one of the most difficult 10Ks in the area, the course features technical trails with approximately 800 feet of elevation gain, multiple hills, and four creek crossing..

Last Dot Standing is a unique endurance running event held at Belleville Community Park in Belleville, Wisconsin. Participants alternate running 4.2-mile legs between Belleville and Dot's Tavern, a historic local tavern, with one hour to complete each segment. The race continues hourly until only on..

The Tiger 10 Miler is an annual trail race held in Byron, Illinois, featuring a challenging 10-mile course through the scenic Byron Forest Preserve and Nardi Equine Prairie. Participants receive a custom finisher's medal, a race shirt, and have the chance to win awards in various age categories. The..

The 4sta Hike is an annual trail running event held at Loud Thunder Forest Preserve near Andalusia, Illinois, along the Mississippi River. Participants run a challenging 1-mile loop featuring smooth single track, rocks, roots, downed trees, and steep gradients up to 48%. The course offers two option..

Hindsight Ultra Trail Runs, held in Dixon, Illinois, offers a grassroots ultra running experience with distances of 25K, 50K, 100K, and 100 miles. The course features a 7.85-mile loop combining roughly 50% singletrack, 30% grassy meadows, and 20% gravel paths, with about 6,200 feet of elevation gain..

The Swiss Valley Trail Races, held in Peosta, Iowa, offer runners three distance options: 5.2 miles, 25K, and 50K. Set within the scenic Swiss Valley Nature Preserve, the course features rugged terrain, creek crossings, and steep inclines, with each 5.2-mile loop climbing approximately 875 feet. The..

The Hennepin Hundred is a premier ultramarathon held in Sterling, Illinois, featuring 100-mile, 50-mile, 50K, and 100-mile team relay races. The event takes place along the scenic, flat, and fast Hennepin Canal State Trail, Illinois' longest multi-use trail, stretching from Sterling to Colona near t..

The Farmdale Trail Run, held October 11-12, 2025, takes place at Farmdale Reservoir near East Peoria, Illinois. This premier trail event offers multiple distances including a 10K, half marathon, 30-mile, 50-mile, and 100-mile ultramarathon. The course features miles of single-track trails, service r..

The Mines of Spain 100 is a challenging Midwest trail ultramarathon held in Dubuque, Iowa, set in the scenic bluffs, prairies, and forests of the Driftless Region along the Mississippi River valley. The event offers two distances: 100 miles (five loops) and 100 kilometers (three loops) on a roughly..

The Miner 49er is an endurance running event held in the scenic Mines of Spain near Dubuque, Iowa. It features two race distances: a 25K and a 50K, with the 50K being a double loop of the 25K course. Runners experience approximately 2,200 feet of elevation gain on the 25K and 4,400 feet on the 50K...

The Frozen Gnome is a challenging winter trail running event held in Crystal Lake, Illinois, at Veteran Acres park. Featuring a triple black diamond-rated course, the race offers a 50K ultra run, a 10K race, and relay options for teams of two or five. The course consists of a scenic 10K single-track..

The Skunk Ape 806/314 Trail Race is a unique endurance event held at Lowell Park in Dixon, Illinois. Scheduled for March 21, 2026, it features two main race distances: 33.75 miles to be completed in 8 hours and 6 minutes, and 13.5 miles in 3 hours and 14 minutes, along with a relay option. The cours..