The Longest Night

The Longest Night is an overnight trail and ultra race held at the 120-acre Preserve at Lakewood in Greenville, South Carolina, just before the winter solstice. All participants run on the same 1.5-mile grass loop, featuring wide paths and rolling hills. The distance completed depends on the number of laps a runner finishes: 34 laps for the 50-mile race, 21 for the 50K, 18 for the marathon, 9 for the half marathon, and 4 for the 10K. Each loop must be completed in under 25 minutes, making the race a test of endurance and pace management. The longer races commence around sunset and proceed through the night. The marathon, half marathon, and 10K start before dawn. The course loops back to a barn serving as the start/finish line, aid station, and personal staging area, providing runners a consistent base between laps. This is a lap-by-lap elimination format; failing to meet the pace cutoff results in disqualification. It is also a cup-less event, requiring runners to provide their own cup.