Lake Martin 100, 50 & 27
The race will be March 16th and 17th, 2024
Registration IS OPEN
On Lake Martin in East Central Alabama, near Alexander City.
The Lake Martin 100, 50 & 27
Race Start - 6:30 AM, March 16th
All three races will start at 6:30 AM. Sunrise is 6:39 AM, sunset is 6:59 PM. At 6:20 AM we will have a short race briefing for all distances. The address is: 17 Russell Farms Road, Alexander City, AL 35010. GPS Coordinates are: 32.764355, -85.945177
Shirt Cutoff is Saturday March 3rd
Please do not wait to register until after March 12th. We must order race shirts on March 13th. You may not get a race shirt
There is NO RACEDAY REGISTRATION
Lake Martin registrations closes March 11th at 11:59 PM. There will be no registration after that date.
Click on the image above to open the Runners Manual PDF
The Lake Martin 100 was designed from the ground up to be the perfect step-up from a 50K to a 50 mile or from a 50 mile to your first 100 mile trial race. Our goal is your success. We promise to do everything in our power to help you accomplish your goal, whether that goal is to run your first ultra, the 27 Mile Fun Run, or to break 21 hours in the 100. We also pledge to make your race experience Fun! The race will be hard. All those beautiful hills become steeper and longer with each successive lap. Those gentle carriage paths become very long about mile 80. But if you have put in enough training miles, you can do it. We will encourage you, push you, help you, and even yell at you if necessary, to get you to the end. We might even let you rest occasionally. If you are ready, you can do it.
For experienced 100 mile runners the lake Martin 100 is no “Walk in the Park.” My Suunto Ambit Vertical GPS watch shows over 14,000 feet of elevation gain. The course is very hilly. There are virtually no trails that could be called flat anywhere on the course. There are also, no big climbs and there are no technical sections at all. Almost all of the hills are less than 100 feet of elevation gain but those small hills are relentless. For those of you that alternate walking and running, you will not need to time the cycles. The hills will tell you where to walk and where to run.
We will start with a few rules form the Lake Martin 100
No Complaining! You chose to run an ultra, now get it done.
No Littering – You will be running on the Russell Forest Trail System, private land owned by the Russell Family of Alexander City, Alabama.
We have the privilege of being the only running event allowed on the trail system that is not a Russell Lands event. Please help us stay in good favor with the Russell Family and help us maintain the natural beauty of the trails.
Be courteous to other trail users. You will be sharing the trails with other hikers, possibly a mountain biker and you may see a few horseback riders. Normally the horses have right-of-way, but for the race weekend, we runners have the right-of-way. Thank the riders for allowing you to pass.
Do Not stash supplies along the trails. There are plenty of aid stations where you can leave everything you will need.
Thank the Aid Station Volunteers. They have given up their weekend to help YOU finish your race.
Above all, Have Fun! Enjoy the experience and beauty of Lake Martin and the Russell Forest Trail System.
If you have a complaint, do not even mention it to volunteers. Find me, and complain.
All decisions of the Race Directors are final. Aid Station Captains have the authority to act as on-location race directors, but the RDs have final say on all decisions.
You may not cut the course. There are NO “bushwhacking” sections, there are not swimming sections. You must stay on the marked trails at all times. It’s your responsibility to know and stay on the course. The course is very well marked. If you do not run the course as marked you will not be considered a finisher.
You must complete the course on foot, with no assistance from vehicles, bicycles or other runners. (Is it really necessary to add this?)
Headphones: Headphones are acceptable while on the trails. Remove your headphones when approaching an aid station. We can’t communicate if you can’t hear us.
Lake Martin has no road sections however runners cross cabin roads several times each lap. Be cautious as you cross a road. Pay extra attention while crossing paved roads.
Young Children ARE NOT ALLOWED in any actual aid station tent at any time. Aid stations will be very busy with runners, volunteers, pacers, and crew members working to get everyone taken care of as efficiently as possible. It’s just not safe.
Medical Assistance: If you require an IV or oxygen at any point during the race, your race is over. (Yes, that includes those little oxygen things you can buy at gas stations.) If you are caught with one of those, you will be immediately disqualified.
If medical personnel determine that you are not physically able to safely continue the race you must stop immediately. Aid Station Captains and Medical Staff decisions are final. Do not argue. That could change a DNF to DISQ!
Dogs are not allowed to run with any runner or pacer at any time during the race. There are no exceptions.
Pets are not allowed in ANY AID STATION tent. If your crew has a pet with it, the dog MUST stay out of the aid station tent.
Here is my Blog Post “How to Finish the Lake Martin 100.”
“DON’T FALL PREY TO THE DECEPTIVE KILLER!”
This post is not just for those running their first Ultra. it’s for every one running Lake Martin for the first time.
Lake Martin 100, 50 & 27 Mile “Preview Run”
Each year we hold a Lake Martin Preview Run, on the course, about one month before the race. Everyone is welcome, even if you do not intend to run the race. It’s a great chance to see the entire course before the race. We will meet Russell Crossroads, location of the Cabin Start/Finish, at 7:30AM. Everyone must fill out a Russell Lands Release before running. Follow the link below to Russell Lands Day Pass and print and fill out the pass. Bring it with you to the run. There is no fee for runners or hikers to use the 100+ miles of trails on the 25,000 Acres of the Russell Forest Trail System.
If you are not familiar with the course, it is a 25 mile loop divided into an 18 mile north loop and a 7 mile south loop. We will run the north 18 mile loop first and return to the cars. Then, we will run the South 7 mile loop. If you do not want to run the entire 25 mile loop, you can stop at the cabins at 18 miles. It's not even necessary to run the full 18 mile section. You can jump out at mile 8 or 12.5, with only a mile run back to the cars. Actually, there are other places you can leave the run, with a mile run or less back to the cars. We do need to maintain about an 18 minute pace to be sure we are off the trails well before dark.
There will likely be two pace groups, a fast group and a slow group. I will led the slow group. The slow group will be a "no-one-left-behind" run. We will regroup at each trail change or road crossing. The fast group will maintain a reasonable pace but may not stop to regroup. If you start in the fast group and are dropped, wait for the slow group. If you don't know the course, it can be very confusing. I will blow off all the trails before the preview run. They get very little use over the winter and sections are totally buried in leaves. We will have water and aid station supplies at Heaven Hill but you will need to carry water with you. More details are on the Lake Martin Webpage and Lake Martin FB Page. (And, my FB page)
Here is a map from McDonald's on Hwy 280 to the Cabin in Russell Crossroads
The address is: 17 Russell Farms Road, Alexander City, AL 35010. GPS Coordinates are: 32.764355, -85.945177
If you prefer, we will caravan/carpool from the McDonald's on Hwy 280 in Chelsea. I will be the the McDonald's about 5:45 AM and we will leave for Russell Crossroads at 6:00 sharp. The address of the McDonald's is 16758 Co Rd 280, Chelsea, AL 35043. Be sure to bring a hydration pack or handheld bottle with you. I will stash water at Heaven Hill, but it's a long 8 miles to HH! We always take a break at HH and again at the Cabin. Bring a few snacks.
Russell Lands has a Trail App that will help you stay on the trails and, at least, know where you are in relation to the cars. (It will NOT help you stay on the course.) You can get the Russell Lands Trail App here: https://russellcrossroads.com/russellforest.html
*** If you plan to join us, please print the Day Pass/Liability Waiver below and bring it with you. Russell Lands Day Pass: https://www.russelllands.com/assets/pdf/RFTA-day-pass-release-and-indemnity.pdf
Here is a YouTube video done by Marathon Runs (Suman Silwal) at the 2022 Lake Martin 100 Preview Run: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JkmVr4Wx9-E
Lodging and Camping near the start of the Lake Martin Races
We are prevailed to be allowed to put on the Lake Martin 100 races in Russell Lands, on the Russell Forest Trail System. We must strictly adhere to all Russell Lands Rules. The Trail System is on 25,000 private owned acres of beautiful timbre property. Fires are strictly forbade anywhere on Russell Lands. We are allowed to have a fire in the Cabin fireplace at the start. That’s it. We have been given permission to use those propane fire pits with lava rocks. We can have one at Heaven Hill and one at the Cabin. Camping on Russell Lands is also strictly forbade. We cannot allow anyone to stay at start Friday Night. Don’t try to sneak in after 10 or 11 at night. Russell Security comes through Russell Crossroads every hour or two. They will make you leave and we get in trouble. Please don’t ask, the answer is NO.
Hotels - There are several hotels in Alexander City. Here is a Google Maps link to the hotels. Hotels in Alexander City
Camping - Camping is available at Wind Creek State Park, 7 miles from the race start. Here is the link: Wind Creek State Park Camping
Wind Creek Cabins - Wind Creek also has several cabins available for rent. Wind Creek Cabins
Airbnb Cabins - Lake Martin is a very large lake with lots of Airbnb Rentals. Airbnb rentals on Lake Martin Please note, Lake Martin has 750 miles of shoreline. Be sure to check the distance from any rental to the race start at Russell Crossroads. What looks like 5 miles may be 25 miles on tiny back roads.
The 25 Mile Course Map
The Elevation Profile is Color-Keyed to the above Course Map.
Follow the link below to view the CalTopo Interactive Lake Martin Course map.
Download the Lake Martin 25 Mile Loop Course GPX File.
