Nashville’s First Trail 50K
TRAIL ULTRA
Saturday, March 6, 2027
Pegram, Tennessee · HardWin Family Farm
50K · 25K · 12K · 12K HardRuck
The Race
Nashville’s first trail 50K.
The race starts on the HardWin family farm at 2150 Sams Creek Road in Pegram and crosses into the Cheatham Wildlife Management Area, roughly 20,810 acres of upland hardwood forest, open fields, gated roads, ATV trails, and gravel roads. Steep ridges, creek bottoms, and a lot of quiet country.
This is a hard course, especially the 50K. We are not saying that to impress you. Read what past runners have written. If you are willing to take the challenge and stay humble, we welcome you. All 50K runners should be capable of finishing in 9 hours.
The Course
Rough cut HardWin trail.
Technical singletrack, rugged jeep roads, and gravel. Creek crossings. Leaf covered rocks and roots. Steep climbs and steeper descents. The 50K runs about half trail and half road, the 25K about 65 percent trail, the 12K about 75 percent trail.
Around mile two you meet the climb everyone remembers. Runners call it FTS Hill. Ask a finisher what it stands for. The people ahead of you look like ants, and it is quicker if you fall down it.
Pick Your Distance
50K · 8:00 AM start
The full tour.
31 miles through the WMA, about half trail and half jeep and gravel roads.
9 hour overall limit · aid roughly every 5 to 6 miles
25K · 9:00 AM start
The rugged mix.
Around 65 percent trail, the rest jeep and gravel roads.
Same hills, half the distance
12K · 10:00 AM start
The short option. Not the easy one.
Around 75 percent trail.
Most trail per mile of any distance
12K HardRuck · 10:00 AM start
The 12K under a weighted pack.
Over 150 lb body weight carries 20 lb dry. Under 150 lb carries 10 lb dry. Weigh in 30 minutes before the start. Weight must be a steel ruck plate, vest blocks, bumper plates, or other items with the weight clearly stamped. No removing weight during the event. Honor system. Do the right thing.
Per standard ruck rules
Cutoffs
| Checkpoint | Time limit |
|---|---|
| 10 mile aid station | 3 hours 20 minutes |
| 20 mile aid station | 6.5 hours |
| Finish | 9 hours |
Cutoffs are hard and enforced. If you arrive after the listed time you will be asked to drop. Please be respectful of race officials, no discussion. You will get transportation back to the start and finish. Aid stations carry water, Gatorade, and snacks.
Since 2013
Fourteen years of results.
The archive runs every year from 2013 through 2026.
2013Zach Miller won the inaugural 50K in 4:26:03. He later described it as his first ultra.
2016David Goggins won the 50K in 4:30:43.
Historical results. Names do not imply endorsement.
The Finish
Enjoy. Don’t worry. Everyone else is in pain too.
Back at the farm there is a finisher cup waiting, for finishers only, hence the name. Pizza and beer, including a pint of fine Jackalope brew. Snacks around the start line and aid stations, water and Gatorade all day. Awards go to the top three men and women in every distance, and every finisher gets an award.
What Runners Say
“There was a great pre-race vibe, and a very tight-knit feel to the groups of runners arriving… Where else are you handed a pint glass at the finish, then guided over to a keg to fill ’er up?”
Scott D., 25K race report
“This was a fun and challenging race with pretty Tennessee scenery and great people… Thankfully the trail was well-marked and turns were extremely well flagged.”
Jen, race recap
The Details
