Mountain Masochist Trail Run 2026

The Mountain Masochist Trail Run, an ultra in the Blue Ridge Mountains, began in 1983 as David Horton’s 50-mile point-to-point race. It has also featured 100K and 50K distances. A limit of 300 runners is in place, with no prize money. A 12-hour time limit is enforced through aid station cutoffs. The course includes roads, jeep trails, and singletrack. It ascends from approximately 600 feet to a peak of 4,034 feet before concluding in Montebello, Virginia. Runners encounter 16 water stops, typical fall mountain weather, and a race atmosphere influenced by Horton’s 25 years as director, followed by Clark Zealand’s 15 years, and now the co-directing team of Tim Spaulding, Jordan Cooter, Brenton Swyers, and Michael Newhall.