Races
Hellbender 100
Camp Grier. Black Mountains. Graybeard views toward Mt Mitchell. Twenty thousand feet on the 2026 Helene alternate. Graduate level east coast suffering.
100 mi+13,036 ft-13,052 ft39 hours1,527 ft to 5,244 fttech 5/10Checkpoints per race bookHardrock qualifierBlack MountainsHelene alternate courseMay
Distance100 mi
Gain+13,036 ft
Loss-13,052 ft
Altitude1,527 ft to 5,244 ft
Technicality5/10
Air40°F to 75°F
- Start1,660 ft
- High5,244 ft
- Low1,527 ft
- Finish1,644 ft
Field, 2022 · 3-year samplescraped
Starters33
Finish rate55%
Median34:42
Fastest26:15
Geometryderived
Steepest drop1,207 ft-10.8% over 2.1 mi
Night miles38 misunset near 18:00 local
Course records
Men21:27:53Sam Haagenson
Women26:09:39Alyson Kirk
The cruxGraybeard Mountain and 3,000 foot climbs repeated (near mile 65)
Course DNA
The Course
Hellbender 100 runs 100 mi through Old Fort, North Carolina. +13,036 ft gain and -13,052 ft loss. Surfaces skew 75% trail / 15% gravel / 10% paved greenway. Graybeard Mountain and 3,000 foot climbs repeated. High point near 5,244 ft. Low near 1,527 ft. May temps run 40°F to 75°F. The course rewards patience early and punishes rushed descents after mile 50.
The Work
Train for 13,036 feet of climbing across 100 mi. Back-to-back long runs on trail. Practice power-hiking grades above 15 percent. 39 hours total means limited margin: rehearse fueling every 45 to 60 minutes and downhill eccentric work weekly. Technicality 5/10. Build a block that simulates the crux near mile 65.
Kit
May in Old Fort, North Carolina: plan for 40°F to 75°F. Mandatory shell if rain is in forecast. Headlamp with spare batteries if 39 hours pushes past dark. Poles help on sustained climbs above mile 25. Vest capacity for 2 liters minimum. Shoes matched to 75% trail: lugs for mud, rock plate if the course turns technical after mile 50.
Race Day
Hold effort through mile 25. The field often splits on the first big climb after mile 50. Graybeard Mountain and 3,000 foot climbs repeated near mile 65 is where time is won or lost. Walk the steep pinches. Run the flats and gentle downhills. Crew at major aids: socks, calories, ice if hot. Transitions under 5 minutes when possible. Final third is 33 miles of fatigue management. Finish with reserve for the last descent.
Results
Hellbender 100 finish lines.
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Sources (3)
- Field stats (2022): https://ultrasignup.com/results_event.aspx?did=88488
- Course record (M): https://ultrasignup.com/results_event.aspx?did=62478
- Course record (F): https://ultrasignup.com/results_event.aspx?did=48718