Ida Grove, IA, United States · Saturday, August 1, 2026

Fixed Distance 50 mi

Trail of the Dragon 50 Mile

Race completed
80 km Distance
not publishedn/a Climbing
4.0 est Grit · Challenging

Calculated from 80 km alone — the organiser has not published an elevation profile. Read 4.0 as a floor, not a verdict.

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42.3450° N, 95.4717° W© OpenFreeMap © OpenMapTiles Data from OpenStreetMap

What the course asks

Time limit 16 hours 12:00 min/km average. Generous. Walkable throughout for most of the field. Climbing is unpublished, so this pace is a ceiling on the effort, not a measure of it. About average for a 50 mi. Measured against 455 races of the same distance. Cut-off calculator →
Field size ~6 Tiny. You will run alone for most of it.

DUV results for the 2026 edition (50mi) — finishers only. Starters are not published, so the field was at least this big and no finish rate can be given.

Typical conditions, August

Daytime high 29°C
Night low 17°C
Rainfall Showers likely
Daylight 14 h 30 m of light

Regional 2001-2020 average for August — NASA POWER, grid elevation 402 m. Not a forecast.

The Aid Station

Course-specific beta from the community

👟 gear

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

By UltraHub Expert

Gear for this race

Chosen for 80 km of trail.

  • Trail Running Shoes80 km of trail — cushioning that is still there in the last quarter.
  • Race Nutrition80 km of self-supported fuelling between aid stations.
  • Hydration VestsFlask capacity for 80 km, without the bounce.
  • HeadlampsA 16 h limit puts you out there after dark.
  • GPS WatchesBattery life first — a 80 km day outlasts most full-GPS modes.

Salomon

Aero Glide 4 Grvl

$159.95 ★★★★★ 4.5

Asics

Trabuco Max 3

★★★★★ 4.6

Skratch Labs

Sport Hydration Mix

Clean electrolyte drink mix with real fruit flavor. Low sugar.

$20 ★★★★★ 4.5

Salomon

ADV Skin 12

Industry-standard 12L race vest with front flask pockets and minimal bounce.

$180 ★★★★★ 4.8

Nitecore

UT32

Dual-beam trail running headlamp (1100 lumens) with spot and flood beams.

$100 ★★★★★ 4.5

Garmin

Enduro 3

Ultra-endurance GPS watch with solar charging and 300+ hour battery in GPS mode.

$900 ★★★★★ 4.8
All gear guides →

Course Notes

Course consists of 10 mile loops thru the rolling hills of Moorehead Park on well marked and well maintained single track dirt trails and mowed meadow trails.

Similar races

Other 50 mi trail ultras, closest in distance first.