Emerald Coast Ultra

Emerald Coast Ultra takes place in Pensacola, Florida, on December 12, 2026, with four options all starting at 5:00 AM: the 50 Mile (80.5 km), the 50K (31 miles), and relay versions of both. No elevation gain is listed for any of the distances.

Ultras of this length are decided by pacing and fueling rather than speed, and a 5:00 AM start means the first hours are run in the dark, so a headlamp and a plan for what you eat and when both matter. The 50K is a reasonable step up for runners who already race marathons comfortably, and 16 to 20 weeks with back-to-back long runs on the weekend is a sensible build; the 50 Mile asks for more time on feet still. The relay formats split the distance across a team, which makes the day accessible to runners not ready to go the whole way alone.