The Longest Night (50mi - 50k - 26.2 - 13.1 - 10k)

Upstate Race Series  /  Upstate Trail Series  /  Upstate Ultra Series The Longest Night 50 MI–50K–26.2–13.1–10K A backyard elimination race, run from dusk to dawn

Sat, Dec 19 2026

6:00 PM start

Lakewood Nature Preserve Greenville, SC

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A 1.5-mile loop extending from a central barn, run through the longest night of the year, on a lap schedule that requires every loop under 25 minutes. Four laps is a 10K. Nine is a half. Eighteen is a marathon. Twenty-one is a 50K. Thirty-four is fifty miles. It begins at six in the evening and does not care what time you would normally go to bed.

Runner Feedback  

Race Day Details

Saturday evening into Sunday, December 19–20, 2026 at Lakewood Nature Preserve, 220 Lakewood Drive, Greenville, SC 29607. Get directions.

4:30 PM

Packet pickup opens Begins at 4:30 PM inside the barn, 90 minutes prior to the start. All packet pickup is done right on site, and you pick up your own.

6:00 PM

All races start The Longest Night — 50 Mile (34 laps), 50K (21 laps), Marathon (18 laps), Half Marathon (9 laps), and 10K (4 laps) on a 1.5-mile loop

On course

A wide grassy loop The course extends 1.5 miles from the central barn on wide grassy trails, run as a loop.

Time limit

Under 25 minutes a lap All runners must adhere to the posted lap schedule, completing each lap in under 25 minutes. The full lap-by-lap schedule is below.

7:45 AM Sun

Final lap Every lap sets off on the clock below, 25 minutes apart, from six on Saturday evening to a quarter to eight on Sunday morning.

Finish

Under the stars When you finish, don't disappear into the dark — stick around for music and a post-race hangout where the celebration continues under the stars, with good tunes and good people.

After

Results and photos Live results post to the RunSignUp results page as each runner finishes. Free event photos are usually up within 48–72 hours on our Facebook page.

 

Course or Race Highlight

Running through the night changes the whole shape of an effort. The loop is short and the trails are wide and grassy, so navigation is never the problem — the problem is the hours between midnight and dawn, when the field has thinned out, the temperature has dropped, and the only thing keeping you on schedule is the fact that you said you would be.

The barn is the whole world for the night: packet pickup, the aid station, hot soup and broth, and the place everyone regroups between laps. When you finish, don't disappear into the dark — stick around for music and a post-race hangout where the celebration continues under the stars, with good tunes and good people.

The Course

The course extends 1.5 miles from the central barn on wide grassy trails, run as a loop. All runners must adhere to the posted lap schedule, completing laps in under 25 minutes.

View the course map  

Lap Schedule

Every lap sets off on the clock below, 25 minutes apart, from six on Saturday evening to a quarter to eight on Sunday morning. There are no early starts — if you finish a lap ahead of schedule, you wait for the next one with everyone else. Your distance ends on its final lap, marked here.

Saturday evening

Lap	Sets off	Note
Lap 1	6:00 PM	All races start
Lap 2	6:25 PM
Lap 3	6:50 PM
Lap 4	7:15 PM	10K final lap
Lap 5	7:40 PM
Lap 6	8:05 PM
Lap 7	8:30 PM
Lap 8	8:55 PM
Lap 9	9:20 PM	Half marathon final lap
Lap 10	9:45 PM
Lap 11	10:10 PM
Lap 12	10:35 PM
Lap 13	11:00 PM
Lap 14	11:25 PM
Lap 15	11:50 PM

Sunday morning

Lap	Sets off	Note
Lap 16	12:15 AM
Lap 17	12:40 AM
Lap 18	1:05 AM	Marathon final lap
Lap 19	1:30 AM
Lap 20	1:55 AM
Lap 21	2:20 AM	50K final lap
Lap 22	2:45 AM
Lap 23	3:10 AM
Lap 24	3:35 AM
Lap 25	4:00 AM
Lap 26	4:25 AM
Lap 27	4:50 AM
Lap 28	5:15 AM
Lap 29	5:40 AM
Lap 30	6:05 AM
Lap 31	6:30 AM
Lap 32	6:55 AM
Lap 33	7:20 AM
Lap 34	7:45 AM	50 Mile final lap

 

Parking

Barn parking holds 150 spots, first come first served. Once that fills, use the field lot adjacent to the barn, and after that participants may park along the road. Your registration covers the facility reservation cost to host the event.

 

Aid Stations

One central aid station at the barn, which is also the start/finish hub — you reach it every 1.5-mile lap.

Available snacks

Hot soup and broth (veggie)PicklesChipsCandyFig Newtons

Hydration

WaterCokeGinger ale

Wildly Charged is our official hydration sponsor — look for the orange 5-gallon jugs at aid stations.

Cup-less event — please bring your own hydration vessel.  

What's Included

✓	Hot Soup and Broth All Night Veggie, and exactly what you want at 3:00 AM in December.

✓	Custom Race Bib Your badge of the journey.

✓	Chip Timing & Live Results Track your effort, splits included.

✓	Race Branded Finisher Medal To commemorate the triumph.

✓	Custom Race Tattoo Wear the moment proudly.

✓	Event-Themed Giveaways A little extra swag for finishing strong.

✓	Race Stickers Keep the memory riding shotgun on your bottle, cooler, or laptop.

✓	Post Race Vibes and Media Coverage Complimentary professional race photos capture the grit and the glory — hang around at the finish line and celebrate.

From past races. See all race photos

 

Race Awards

Finish and You Have Beaten the Night

This is a backyard elimination race run against a lap schedule rather than against the field. Every finisher earns a medal. Shirts are ordered and shipped separately.

Age Group Awards (Male & Female)

The 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place finishers in each of 15 age categories will earn an age group medal — a custom piece to add to your finisher's lanyard at the end of the event.

Series Recognition

This race counts toward season-long age group recognition in these two series:

Upstate Trail SeriesUpstate Ultra Series Age Group Categories

0–9 10–12 13–16 17–19 20–29 30–34 35–39 40–44

45–49 50–54 55–59 60–64 65–69 70–79 80+

 

Giving Back

This race supports Pickens County Meals on Wheels Liberty-based volunteers who deliver hot meals and a friendly visit to homebound seniors across Pickens County. They host their own race too: 5K Glow Run. Visit Pickens County Meals on Wheels5K Glow RunDonate

Every Upstate Race Series event is part of the Upstate Giving Series, which connects our 30 races with 30 nonprofit organizations serving communities across the Upstate. Your registration and any donation you add at checkout go to work close to home — you are not just running a race, you are funding the work of a neighbor. Upstate Giving Series.

 

Groups & Teams

SAVE $5 GROUPS OF 5+ RUN CLUBS & CREWS Run it with your crew. Your club is probably already here. Join it when you register and save when your group hits 5. 1 Find your club 50+ Upstate run clubs are preloaded. 2 Join at sign-up Pick it during registration, or start your own crew. 3 Hit 5 runners Everyone in the group saves $5. Early sign-ups get it back automatically. ALREADY ON THE LIST Upstate Running ClubRockers Run ClubWR@DRunning for BrewsSwamp CommonersHub City RunnersDouble Stamp Run Club+ 44 more Find your clubRegister with your crew

The Upstate Running Club welcomes all local and regional running clubs to our events — the more the merrier. Calling all running clubs and social run groups: Upstate Race Series welcomes crews of all kinds to join the fun. Whether your squad is full of weekend warriors, sunrise chasers, or runners motivated by the promise of a cold drink at the finish, we've got an event for you.

Sign up, share with friends and local running clubs, and cash in on race discounts and refunds when your team, run club, or band of misfits hits 5 runners or more.

 

Good to Know

Are dogs allowed on the course? Yes, just on a leash. Are headphones or earbuds allowed? Yes — rock out. Can someone else pick up my packet for me? No. All packet pickup is done right on site, so they are welcome to collect it when they arrive. Don't be late. Is there race-day registration? Yes, but this race will and has sold out. Where are the start and finish lines? Right at the barn. Is there gear check or somewhere to leave personal items? Your gear can go with your personal aid station setup, either inside or outside the barn. Are there restrooms near the start/finish? Four of them, right on site. Can I bring a portable firepit, table, tent, or cooler? Yes, all are fine — just make sure the firepit is above and off the ground. Are pacers allowed? No. With so many runners registered, we are unable to have anyone on course who is not participating. Will I get a medal or a shirt? Medal, yes. Shirts are ordered and shipped separately. What happens if there's bad weather? Upstate Race Series races run rain or shine. In the event of lightning, extreme heat, or hazardous winter conditions, we'll post an update on this page and email registered runners as early as possible. Entry fees aren't refunded for weather delays — see Managing Your Registration below. Can spectators come watch? Spectators are welcome. Runner parking fills up race morning — if you're only here to cheer, plan for overflow parking nearby. You'll see your runner pass by every lap. When will results and photos be available? Live results post to the RunSignUp results page as each runner finishes. Free event photos are usually up within 48–72 hours on our Facebook page — we'll tag the album so it's easy to find.  

Managing Your Registration

Everything about your entry lives in your RunSignUp profile. Sign in, find this race under your upcoming events, and make the change yourself — there is no need to email us first. From there you can:

✓	Transfer your entry to another runner

✓	Switch to a different distance at this race

✓	Transfer your entry to a different Upstate Race Series event

✓	Update your personal details — name, address, emergency contact, shirt size

✓	Manage add-ons, store items, and apparel purchases

All entries are final. We do not offer refunds or deferrals — but every option above stays open to you right up to race day, so a change of plans does not have to mean a wasted entry. Manage my registration

Let's Stay Connected

Follow along, gear up, and keep up with everything Upstate Race Series

This race Register Course map Directions Race groups Results Race photos Race apparel Manage my registration Series & giving Upstate Trail Series Upstate Ultra Series Upstate Giving Series Pickens County Meals on Wheels 5K Glow Run Donate Upstate Race Series UpstateRaceSeries.com Info@UpstateRaceSeries.com Instagram @upstateraceseries Facebook: Upstate Event Management Apparel store