Glacier Hills Ultra 50K

Glacier Hills Ultra 50K is held in Canton, South Dakota, on November 7, 2026. Three trail formats are on the program: a 50K (31 miles), a 30K (18.6 miles) and a 20K (12.4 miles). The name hints at the glacial, rolling terrain of the area, which delivers plenty of short climbs rather than long mountain ascents.

This is a good venue for a first ultra: the 50K is manageable in profile, and the shorter formats give you flexibility if you want to race with friends of different abilities. November in South Dakota can be cold and windy, so plan clothing layers you can adjust and test them on training runs. Build toward the 50K with 16 weeks of progressive long runs, one hill session per week to handle the constant undulations, and a couple of runs on frozen or muddy ground to get used to unpredictable footing.