5 Reasons Why You should Register for a 2027 Ultramarathon this Fall
Yes - even with Metro Detroit's "peak running season" for 2026 just around the corner, we've already set our sights on the Huron 100 ultramarathon's next start. Here's our argument why you should register for a 2027 ultramarathon now.
If you were bold enough to click on this article, then congrats - you're interested in accomplishing something that only 0.03% of Americans will ever willingly register for. And if that statistic seems wild, well, guess what: the vast majority of those registrants will not successfully complete the race.
So...with those statistics in mind, what would possess me to register for the Huron 100's "50 Mile" ultramarathon event - a distance that statistically has a DNF ("Did Not Finish") rate of~85%?
Three reasons come to mind:
My experiences watching the life-changing impact of the race as a volunteer.
The opportunity to join the ranks of the "15%" of finishers.
267 days to prepare.
As you probably guessed, the bolded rationale is the main focus of this article. By registering for such a feat roughly 9 months in advance, we're of the humble belief that the likelihood of enjoying a life-changing event AND joining the "15%" increases exponentially. Time can be a runner's best friend while training if approached purposefully, providing you with a massive advantage on beating public enemy #1 in any ultramarathon event: the DNF list.
Registration for the 2027 running of the Huron 100 Ultramarathon opened on September 1st of this month. Partially with the genesis of this article already in mind, I registered that very morning (confirmation included above for accountability).
So, now with my registration for my first ultramarathon shared publicly, you best believe that I will be personally relying on the insights provided within this article for crossing the finish line next June. I hope to see you at the starting line - and finish line - standing next to me.
Let's get into these "5 Reasons" why you should register for a 2027 ultramarathon this fall - and preferably, right now.
1. TIE YOURSELF TO THE "ULTRAMARATHON MAST"
REGISTRATION AS AN INVESTMENT IN COMPLETING YOUR GOAL
Millions of Americans witnessed Matt Damon screaming in blissful agony this summer. Well, technically his character, the Greek hero Odysseus, suffered the soul-wrenching fate of listening to the Sirens' song while being unable to steer his ship towards their lethal rocks.
Why? Odysseus was aware of the fatal nature of the hypnotizing effect of the Sirens' song, so he preemptively ordered his crew to tie him to the mast of his ship. Nonetheless, curious Odysseus still wanted to experience the power of the Sirens' song, regardless of the temporal consequences while bound. Hence, the screaming.
Will you be screaming during an ultramarathon? Hopefully not - or at least they'll be screams of joy. Regardless, the phrase "Tie Yourself to the Mast" in modern context reflects one's resolute commitment to a course of action. By registering early for a "physical odyssey" like an ultramarathon, you will layer your commitment to completing the race with a financial investment in the experience.
In contrast, the longer you delay registering for such a daunting feat, the greater the likelihood of "hearing the Siren's song" luring you off course - both figuratively and literally.
The main reason that greater than 99.9% of Americans will never register for an ultramarathon is largely a symphony of self-limiting beliefs - the ultramarathoner's "Siren's song" - versus actual physical limitations. With each passing day that could have been allocated towards training, the arguments against registration will grow strong, louder, and ultimately make the prospect of an ultramarathon entirely impracticable.
If you aspire to join the rare ranks of an ultramarathon finisher, then join us in tying yourself to the mast by registering today. May your commitment to completing the race drown out the SIren's song of doubt.
Plus, the only way to guarantee a DNF is to never register in the first place.
2. CAPITALIZE ON PEAK RUNNING SEASON RACES
UTILIZE FALL RACING SEASON TOWARDS BUILDING ULTRAMARATHON BASE
Crossing the finish line at the 2025 Detroit Free Press Marathon was one of the most beautiful moments of my life. After a decade of "perpetual training" for a single accomplishment - annotated with a litany of successes, injuries, and the volatility of 10 years of a human life - completing that marathon represented the end of a chapter that defined a third of my life.
Of course I wasn't thinking of any of that as my weary feet shuffled over the finish line. I was just thrilled to get off of my feet and cross "Complete a Marathon" off of ye olde bucket list.
In that phase of my running career, completing a 26.2 mile race was the pinnacle. There were no other registrations on the horizon, and as such I allowed my base mileage to erode quickly thereafter.
Now - nearly a year later and with a base mileage largely restored - I recognize how beneficial those long miles of "peak season" fall running could've been towards a more daunting spring race.
Yes, the body needs ample time to recover after any strenuous event. But there's a nexus between recovery and sustained fitness that can be utilized towards maintaining your established fall base through winter and into spring.
Plus, by partially reframing your fall half-marathon or marathon as a "training run" for your spring ultra, you'll benefit from taking some pressure off of your performance during that singular event. Which in turn might actually boost your performance on race day (that's been my personal experience).
3. ALL ABOUT THAT BASE, BOUT THAT BASE (NO TROUBLE)
FALL REGISTRATION PROVIDES PLENTY OF TIME TO BUILD A SOLID MILEAGE BASE BEFORE TRAINING REGIMEN KICKS OFF
We'd argue that "Base" is the most important word in the sport of distance running - and often the most overlooked.
While we briefly touched on the importance of maintaining a solid base on the last section, let's backtrack a bit for any aspiring ultramarathoners that are either unfamiliar with the concept - or looking to build an ultramarathon-ready base.
For the uninitiated, "building a base" refers to intentional "Zone 2" cardiac training that is the runner's equivalent to building a foundation for a house. More specifically, a runner's base consists of improving the athlete's cardiovascular and muscular systems through consistent runs at a lower intensity - and lower mileage - than a traditional training plan calls for. For an ultramarathon hopeful, think eventual long runs of 6 - 10 miles at a conversational pace.
The key benefit of building up your base is that it slashes your likelihood of an eventual overuse injury significantly. A review of research on runners’ injuries published in the Journal of Sport and Health Science found that the injury incident rate among runners is 40.2%, with a notable 70% of those injuries being from overuse - i.e., doing too much too soon. By taking the time to build a base, a runner can make sure their body has ample time to adapt to the stress of a rigorous training regimen.
With regard to a 50 mile ultramarathon, my current training plan allots for 3 months of strictly-base building. As any experienced runner knows, that amount of time is nothing short of a luxury. During this period, I'll be focusing on the following core pillars of base growth:
Core Focus | Establish consistent, easy-effort weekly mileage without burning out. |
Mileage Volume | Build up to a stable 25 to 35 miles per week. |
Long Run Distance | Keep weekend runs comfortable (60 to 90 minutes or 6 to 10 miles) focusing strictly on time on feet and conversational pace. |
Strength Training | Two lower-body and core strength sessions per week to protect joints. |
Come December, the actual 6-month training plan will kick off - including a mix of running, continued strength training, and (spoiler alert) seasonal cross-training adventures.
4. AMPLE RECOVERY TIME FOR IN-TRAINING INJURIES
REGISTRATION AS AN INVESTMENT IN COMPLETING YOUR GOAL
Two steps forward, one step back. That's how my injury-prone training for the Detroit Free Press Marathon felt, especially throughout the 2025 training season.
After experiencing a debilitating iliotibial ("IT") band injury that resulted in a deferment of my 2024 marathon registration, my recovery started with 5 months of near-total rest from running.
By February of 2025, I ever-so-gently eased my way back into marathon training with the help of my friend Dr. Bryce Groshek of Primary Performance. Increased strength training and flexibility were the core components of the recovery regimen that he prescribed, which were admittedly absent from my previous training program.
My injury never fully-healed over the subsequent 6 months to race day. Especially in the lead up to race day, I tended to push my mileage and pace whenever my knee felt fine - which inevitably resulted in re-aggravating the IT band and pausing my training. Come race day, I threw caution to the wind, set my sole focus on crossing the finish line, and "embraced the suck" of running 26.2 miles on a barely-functioning knee.
Let me be abundantly clear: you do not need to repeat this experience. With approximately 9 months to purposefully train - and assuming that you've taken ample time to build your base - you can mitigate injury risk by building a consistent strength training and flexibility regimen.
In the unfortunate event that an injury does occur, you will also increase your odds of recovery in time for race day by starting your training sooner than later.
5. CROSS-TRAINING ADVENTURES GALORE
ADD VARIETY TO YOUR TRAINING BY EMBRACING THE DETROIT REGION'S 4-SEASON RECREATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES
There's only one clear, potential downside to registering for a race ~9 months in advance: training burn out.
A common side effect of months and months of training for a race that doesn't even occur within the same calendar year. Add in the continued demand to juggle training commitments with work and life demands - as well as the monotony of long miles in familiar locales - and you can fathom why many runners vow never to run farther than a 5K after completing their first ultramarathon.
Fortunately for us living in Metro Detroit, we have the blessing of residing in a four season environment, complete with 365 days of varying recreational opportunities.
As I type these words, we are within the last week of astronomical summer. When the starting gun of the Huron 100 ultramarathon fires on June 12th, it will be roughly one week shy of summer's return.
Put differently, between now and race day, we will have the blessing of three full seasons' worth of cross-training variety. Here is my season-by-season plan for complementing my runs and strength training sessions with low-impact outdoor cross-training:
🍂🍁 Fall: Peak foliage hiking, gravel cycling, open water swimming, and mountain biking.
❄️⛷ Winter: Cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, downhill skiing, and pond hockey.
🌷🌱 Spring: Return of gravel cycling, backpacking, and (once conditions permit) open water swimming and mountain biking.
For those of use inclined to the great indoors - especially during winter - stationary cycling, row machine exercises, and yoga are phenomenal low impact cross-training exercises. Participation in team sports like basketball, soccer, ultimate frisbee, and (for me personally) ice hockey will also benefit your ultramarathon training regimen.
EXPERIENCE THE HURON 100: METRO DETROIT'S WILDEST ROUTE
The Huron 100 consists of two ultra marathon events along its legendary route: a "sprint" 50 Mile race (yes, we're using a very liberal definition of "sprint") and the namesake 100 Mile race. Both events start at Waterloo State Recreation Area and consist of point-to-point races, although the full 100 finishes at Proud Lake State Recreation.
Here's a quick breakdown of each event:
ULTRAMARATHON EVENT | 50 MILE | 100 MILE |
Start Information | June 12th, 7AM at Waterloo State Recreation Area | June 12th, 9AM at Waterloo State Recreation Area |
Elevation Gain (cumulative) | 4,400 ft. | 8,200 ft. |
Parks Crossed | 4 | 9 |
Allotted Finish Time | 15 hours | 32 hours |
Percentage Trail | 93% | 82% |
Finish Information | Country Elementary | Proud Lake State Recreation Area |
For more information on the specifics of the Huron 100, check out their FAQs page.
EXPEDITION+ SUBSCRIBERS SAVE 15% ON REGISTRATION FEES!
Unable to run but want to join the movement? PERFECT - as a 501(c)(3) organization, the Huron 100 Team is looking for dedicated volunteers (like yours truly) to join their ranks on race day!
Expedition Detroit is proud to partner with and promote like-minded organizations like the Huron 100 as part of our new "EXPEDITION+" platform. EXPEDITION+ creates a singular platform for accessing and promoting the entirety of the best of the Detroit region's outdoor tour providers, local outfitters, and impact-driven organizations. If you're interested in learning more information about the benefits of EXPEDITION+ as a subscriber or partner, please contact us at info@expeditiondetroit.com.
Photos utilized within this article have been published with the express prior written consent of the Huron 100.
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