This race is all about the love of running. It is not glamorous. You do not receive any shiny bling. There is no fancy expo or crazy post party. But you test the limits of your endurance. It is as much a mental test as it is a physical test. It is HOT, it is LOUD, it is DARK, and it is usually WET.

I have participated in LUR's Hotter Than Hell for the past three years. It is a night-time trail race. I run the 10hr option which begins at 8 p.m. and ends the next morning at 6 a.m. The race director added a 4 hr option recently as well. You receive a nice quality t-shirt and a finisher's mug if you complete a minimum of 32 miles. The course is a 4 mile loop consisting of mainly single track dirt trail located in the Fountainebleau State Park in South Louisiana. The course is mainly flat with some rolling sections, but the vertical gain is negligible. The park is located near Lake Pontchartrain and the course circumvents a swampy area. The race is professionally timed and there is a large digital display located at the start of the loop keeping a running total of laps and time for each runner. The race director keeps one fully stocked aid station with all your favorite fuel such as candy, pb&j and fruit as well as sodas, water, and endurance drink.

The goal of the race is to run as many 4 mile loops in the 10 hr period that you can with the minimum target of eight for 32 miles. This race will test your limits. First, it is hot. July in South Louisiana is no laughing matter. The humidity is off the charts. Additionally the air can be stagnate as most of the trail is ran in thick canopy cover. There were only two short sections of the course that took you into the open. I will see plenty of night creatures, which will help you find some energy at 2 a.m. when you are dead on your feet, and the spiders begin spinning their new webs pre-dawn. One participant swears they saw an alligator near the trail. The swamp can be very loud in some sections (think every form of animal and bug sounding off at once), but also eerily quiet in others. The key to the race is planning your hydration and fuel intake. If you neglect either you will bonk.

This really is one of my favorite races of the year because it does test your toughness. The race director crew and the other runners are all good people to spend 10 hrs with on the trail. Overall it is a great experience for a no fuss race.

Distance: 50K (32 mi.)
Race Time: 7:47:27

CHEERS!

**Housekeeping note: this race is put on by a local ultra running group & sign up is through ultrasignup.com. The link is to the group's facebook page as there is no official website.**