Canyon of the Eagles New Year's Trail Challenge · (100K & 50K ULTRA, Marathon, 13.1M Run & Ruck, 10K & 5K • Last Standing)

Start the year with a finish, not a resolution. Ring in 2027 on the Trails of the Canyon of the Eagles

MOUNT UP
"Mount up with wings like eagles; run and not grow weary, walk and not faint."  

Challenge yourself with crystal-clear Colorado River views and limestone bluff trails

A CELEBRATION OF RUNNING

Ring in the New Year with vigor and community spirit, running where eagles soar at this celebratory running event at the Canyon of the Eagles! Challenge yourself with an ultramarathon or another race distance against the beautiful backdrop of the Colorado River.

Watch bald eagles hunt between your laps, stargaze, and start 2027 with an epic challenge in the Texas Hill Country. This two-day event features different race options and caters to both seasoned ultrarunners and first-timers with generous cutoff times for all distances.

100K & 50K EAGLE ULTRAMARATHON

Race Details

Join us for an exhilarating race day where you'll not only challenge your limits but also enjoy a dynamic and ever-changing course layout! The welcoming environment encourages participants of all paces and fitness levels to take on their next running challenge. Adventure awaits on these scenic sun-bleached limestone bluffs and verdant courses.

• Distance: 62.2 and 31.1 miles (looped course design on trails and along the river)
• Cutoff Time: 24 hours
• Elevation: 512 ft gain / 531 ft loss per loop

Need help planning your race strategy? Visit fitfoundation.org/new-year-trail-challenge for our interactive pace calculator and find the perfect pace for your New Year's Day adventure!

Marathon

Marathon Race Details

For those seeking a shorter yet challenging distance, kick off your new year with an epic trail ultrarunning experience that takes you through varied natural scenery!

• Distance: 26.2 miles
• Cutoff Time: 12 hours
• Terrain: Varied natural scenery and trails
• Note: Running/hiking poles are recommended

13.1M Half-Marathon (Day 1 & 2)

The looped course winds through picturesque areas, highlighting river views, and gentle inclines, suitable for both new and experienced runners.

13.1M Ruck Division 

• Weight Requirements: 20 lbs minimum (under 150 lb participants) / 30 lbs minimum (over 150 lb participants)
• Verification: Weights checked at start and finish
• Cutoff Time: 12 hours
• Course: Same scenic 13.1M route

TRAIL 5K &10K: 1ST OR/AND 2ND DAY RUN OR RUCK

Start Your Year on the Right Foot

Kick off your New Year with an invigorating trail run through scenic natural terrain. This 5K adventure combines the energy of a fresh start with the serenity of nature, making it the perfect way to launch your New Year's fitness journey.

Begin your year immersed in nature as you wind through wooded trails, taking in breathtaking vistas. Our well-marked 5K course features natural terrain, offering both challenge and inspiration for runners and hikers of all levels.

Organized in partnership with Healthy Kids Running Series Cedar Park. Proceeds support HKRS Cedar Park youth running programs.

Option: Complete as a run or ruck (weighted backpack) - your choice!

RING IN THE NEW YEAR ON THE TRAILS

Challenge yourself in the beauty of the Canyon of the Eagles - choose your distance and start your year with an achievement!

Day one of the year.
Bell one of the season.

Canyon of the Eagles opens The Gauntlet at noon on January 1st, on the shores of Lake Buchanan. Whatever you told yourself you would do this year, you will already be doing it before the first day is out. You start easier than a standard backyard ultra: 4 miles at 15:00 pace for the first eight hours. The sun goes down before that block does. At 8 PM the loop grows to 5 miles, the pace tightens to 12:00, and the race you signed up for starts moving away from you.

It keeps moving. Sunrise on January 2nd catches you on the 6 mile loop at 10:00 pace, with the limestone bluffs and the river arm of the lake coming back into view and the bald eagles that give the canyon its name working the water while you count loops. Noon on the 2nd is a full 24 hours in, and it is where the loop reaches 7 miles and stops growing.

The Wall opens at 8 PM on January 2nd, in the dark of the second night. From there the loop simply repeats: 7 miles at 8:34 pace, on the hour, for as long as anyone can answer. Whoever is last to stop takes the first name on the Gauntlet board for the year, and everyone chasing the Sole Survivor title spends the next ten months chasing them.

Same bell every hour. Different race underneath it.

Anyone still standing at 8 PM on January 2nd has covered 176 miles and watched the sun go down twice. From that point it stops being a race and becomes a question of who can keep finding 8:34 with less and less left to find it with.

Every runner at a Gauntlet start line already knows how to survive a backyard ultra. That was never the test. The test is what's left of you at hour 33.