Morganton, NC, United States · Saturday, September 19, 2026

Fixed Distance 50K

Table Rock 50 km Ultra

3 days to go

50 km Distance

1,000 m Climbing

4.0 Grit · Challenging

35.7454° N, 81.6848° W© OpenFreeMap © OpenMapTiles Data from OpenStreetMap

What the course asks

Climbing rate 20 m / km Rolling. Moderate undulations. Requires consistent effort across varying grades.

Field size ~186 Mid-sized. Company early, well spread out by halfway.

DUV results for the 2025 edition (50km) — finishers only. Starters are not published, so the field was at least this big and no finish rate can be given.

Typical conditions, September

Daytime high 27°C

Night low 15°C

Rainfall Showers likely

Daylight 12 h 19 m of light

Regional 2001-2020 average for September — NASA POWER, grid elevation 447 m. Not a forecast.

The Aid Station

Course-specific beta from the community

⛰️ terrain

This is a rolling course. Expect fast, runnable sections where rhythm is key.

By UltraHub Expert

👟 gear

With trail terrain, choose a shoe with moderate cushioning for optimal performance.

By UltraHub Expert

Gear for this race

Chosen for 50 km of trail with 1,000 m of ascent.

Trail Running Shoes20 m of climb per kilometre — grip and rock protection before cushioning.
Race Nutrition50 km of self-supported fuelling between aid stations.
Hydration VestsPole attachment and chest-strap stability on steep ground.
Trekking Poles1,000 m of ascent to walk up.
GPS WatchesBattery life first — a 50 km day outlasts most full-GPS modes.

La Sportiva

Prodigio Pro

RunRepeat found the La Sportiva Prodigio Pro to have a secure, locked-in fit due to its premium upper, and also praised the shoe's energetic ride, particularly…

$225 ★★★★★ 4.6

Adidas

Terrex Speed Ultra

★★★★★ 4.5

Spring Energy

Awesome Sauce

Real food gel with 180 calories. Rice-based with natural flavors.

$4 ★★★★★ 4.6

Nathan

VaporKrar 12L

12L race vest co-designed with ultra champion Rob Krar, with insulated bladder pocket.

$170 ★★★★★ 4.6

LEKI

Ultratrail FX.One

Ultra-light carbon folding poles (135g each) designed for mountain ultra racing.

$200 ★★★★★ 4.6

COROS

APEX 2 Pro

GPS running watch with 75-hour GPS battery, topo maps, and training metrics.

$500 ★★★★★ 4.7

All gear guides →

Course Notes

Start and finish at Steele Creek Park. This is a difficult course. There are water crossings, long, steep climbs, and much of the course is on technical trail.

Similar races

Other 50K trail ultras, closest in distance first.