Hungryland UltraAdventure!
In 2023, we proudly introduced the first 100 mile ultra to be permitted in a Palm Beach County Natural Area: the beautiful and brutal Hungryland 100 in the remote and rugged wilderness of Hungryland Slough Natural Area!
This 100 miler has been a long time coming as we’ve done our due diligence through good trail stewardship, respectful treatment of the natural areas, and mirroring the mission of our race partner, Palm Beach County Environmental Resources Management, by promoting and enhancing these local gems by bringing trail running to protected sites that are rich with both environmental and historical significance. Palm Beach County natural areas are essentially green spaces that have been meticulously restored through removal of non-native and invasive plant species, as well as reintroducing wildlife that had been pushed out to return these areas to their original glory.
Because this is an environmentally sensitive natural area, we have an entrants capacity of just 100! If it sells out, we will go to waitlist! Don’t miss out!
NEW FOR 2025
We changed the loop in 2024 into a 14.3 mile pseudo iron cross. It is a “true” loop with no out-and-backs, no u-turns, and no repeated sections, and we will be keeping it long-term as it is the most diverse and variable terrain and scenery of the entire Hungryland Slough Natural Area! This loop begins and ends in main parking area of Hungryland Slough but covers the entire 3,000 acre site using a network of management roads that wind through wetlands, prairies, swamps, hammocks, and pine flatwoods.
NOTE: due to the unpredictable nature of this natural area, it is impossible to tell what course conditions will be like until about a week before the race, and in the case of 2024, the course went from dry to wet, and back to dry DURING the race! Hungryland Slough can range from wet and muddy to dry and dusty depending on the weather conditions leading up to the race. If you’re not up for adventure into the unknown, this might not be for you. Despite it being flat, it is a tremendously difficult race! No qualifying races necessary, but please register accordingly!
Also new for 2025 is a sub-24 buckle with glitzy, flashy gold and silver! Get one!
Two Timed Choices!
You can register for either of two separate races: the all-new Runner Gunner 6 Hour race is a great choice for speedsters or anyone who wants to get a single loop in! Think of it as a half marathon option with an extra mile. But as the title suggests, you only have 6 hours to traverse the entire 14.3 mile Hungryland loop or face the dreaded DNF!
Or, take on the big daddy - The 33 Hour Jogger Slogger. You have 33 hours to run as many, or as few, loops as you care to. You must run a minimum of one. Your placement and ranking will be placed with other runners who ran the same number of loops as you. For instance, if you only choose to run two loops, you will be ranked with other runners who ran two loops. If you run three loops, you’ll be ranked with other runners who ran three loops.
But here’s the kicker!
You’ll only get credit for finished loops. If you successfully run two loops and go out for a third, but DNF on your third loop, you DNF your race. No credit will be given for your completed loops. Sucks, don’t it? You’ll want to be sure you’re feeling up to another 14.3 mile loop before you start. You may take as long between loops as you like, but the clock doesn’t stop ticking! If you start a loop late in the race and don’t get back to the start/finish before the 33 hours is up, you lose all your loops and will be listed as DNF. It’s savage, but it’s Hungryland.
If you run seven loops, you will get a 100 mile buckle! But you’ll be ranked against anyone else who ran 7 loops as opposed to the 100 mile runners. You may run MORE than 7 loops! There will be a special award for runners running more than 7 loops within the 33 hour time limit in addition to the buckle!
What is Hungryland?
At just over 3,000 acres, Hungryland Slough Natural Area is one of Palm Beach County’s largest natural areas. This 3,004-acre site contains a portion of the historic Hungryland Slough, which flowed to the east into the Loxahatchee Slough and to the west into the Everglades. There are eight native south Florida ecosystems on the site including flatwoods, swamps, hammocks, and prairies. It’s also a rugged and beautiful place with a rich history, though some of it mysterious and contradictory.
The interior of Palm Beach County was occupied long before European settlers came to the area. Groups living within the interior would have relied on tree islands - areas with slightly raised elevation which would have provided abundant edible fruits and seeds like sea grape, as well as attracting wild game. “Hungryland” is a misnomer. Indigenous groups hunting and traveling through the area lived in a resource-rich environment and may have modified the landscape through controlled burns or even expanding the size of the tree islands, though, conversely, some groups claim living off this land during the Seminole War would have been difficult, thus giving way to the name “the hungry land”. Seminoles who fled there and took refuge after the Battle of Loxahatchee in 1838 referred to it as “hungry times.” Post war, European settlers who tried their hand at ranching and citrus farming were equally unsuccessful, so the name stuck.
By the mid 20th century, developers sought to drain the area and create a residential development. Drainage canals were cut through the area in the 1960s, and by the 1970’s more than 1,300 lots were subdivided and sold to more than 900 buyers. But, a slough is essentially a wetland, and wetlands are very good at staying wet. Too wet for development, the suburbia that almost became a reality was abandoned and Mother Nature began to take over, though the grid of scars on the land that were to become streets are still visible on satellite images and still retain the street names assigned to them decades ago.
Palm Beach County began acquiring the site in the mid 1990’s, filling in 12 miles of canals and removing 38 miles of roads. There are still remnants of the unnatural systems imposed on this land to inhabit it, but nature and time have slowly begun healing it and returning it to its original, wild splendor. While the work continues to this day, the progress has been tremendous. Hungryland is now thriving with native wildflowers and birds, deer, bobcat, fox, raccoons, and alligators. Long spans of pine and palm tree-lined corridors that were once to become neighborhood streets are some of the only reminders of what almost was.
Race Description
Much of Hungryland is resting and recovering, but our friends at Palm Beach County Environmental Resources Management have permitted us access to use the miles of service roads and footpaths to create a 14.3 mile loop that will take you through every ecosystem Hungryland has to offer. This loop we’ve created is essentially the “grand tour” of Hungryland offering you a variety of terrains of varying degrees of difficulty. You’ll trek through pine flatwoods, open prairies, and marsh land on the network of management roads that snake their way through the entire 3,000 acre site. You’ll see swamps and open wetlands with big sky views that seem to go on forever, and lush corridors of pine and palm trees offering some shade.
The loop surface is primarily double-track and will include dirt roads, hard packed grassy areas, and softer - but runnable - paths near wetlands and marsh areas. We picked March for this race for two reasons: March is beautiful in south Florida, and it’s also historically the driest month of the year for Hungryland. During the spring and summer, it fills up with water, filling the wetlands, then water levels begin to decrease during the fall and winter. March is the optimum month for this race as we expect the entire loop to be predominantly dry and runnable, though there may be wet sections, and there may dry, sandy sections. We won’t know what effects Mother Nature has bestowed onto the site until very close to race day. If wet sections become impassable, we will likely reroute.
This is a flat race. There is no significant elevation gain/loss worth mentioning. This is about as flat as it gets. If you’re looking for vert, look elsewhere.
The iron cross loop is ran clockwise and will have a full aid station at the start/finish, as well as the now infamous “Beeline Oasis” full air startion at mile 6.75, as well as an “abbreviated” aid station (water/ice) around mile 3, and water/ice/fuel stations around miles 8 and 11. This loop is easy to navigate and will give you a taste of everything Hungryland has to offer. You’ll never go more than 3-4 miles without aid of some sort!
Crews/Pacers/Support
This is a fully supported race! We will have 2 manned aid stations and 3 fluid/fuel/ice stations: one full aid station at the start/finish, one approximately 7 miles into the loop, and fluid stations at approximately 4 and 11 miles into the loop. These aid stations will have all the ultra food fare you’d expect, as well as water, ice, and liquid nutrition. The start/finish aid station will have hot food (after dusk) like noodles, pierogies, bacon, quesadillas, grilled cheese, hot soups (nights can still get a bit nippy in March) and other goodies.
Unmanned, self-serve aid stations with water, fuel, ice, and packaged snacks will be placed between manned aid stations at miles 4 and 11 should you need essentials along your journey.
Pacers are allowed for both 100 milers and any Jogger Sloggers still running beginning at dusk on Saturday and through the night regardless of mileage achieved.
100 mile runners and Jogger Sloggers going long may also set up a small “base camp” near the start/finish to rest and recover between loops.
Refund/Deferral Policy
You may request a full refund for any reason through November 1st, 2024, minus your Ultrasignup fee. You may also opt to have your forfeited registration fee go directly to Palm Beach County’s Natural Areas Program fund as a donation made in your name, or you may choose a full deferral to the 2026 race. No refunds will be issued after November 1st no matter the circumstances. You may also transfer your registration to another person at any time. If there is a waitlist, that person would need to be on it and the transfer can only happen when/if that person’s name is next in line. If the event is cancelled for any reason such as natural disaster, pandemic, closure of the site, etc, no refunds will be issued en masse. A new date will be set and everyone will be deferred to the new date. By registering for this race, you agree to and accept these terms.
Awards Galore!
Yes, OF COURSE the 100 miler will have a big, shiny buckle for all finishers! We’re also offering a spiffy sub 24 hour buckle! In addition to that, we will have custom, premium awards from the one and only Brie from Wicked Skins Athletics for all finishers of all distances, awards for top 3 and overall winners, male and female, and DFL awards!
Our Rules/Their Rules
Our rules: no course cutting or cheating will be tolerated. If you are found to be willfully cheating, you will be disqualified from the race and not invited back to any of our races. ‘Nuff said.
No littering will be tolerated. We aim to leave this site in better condition than before race day! We are big on “leave no trace” so plan packing your trash until you reach an aid station and discarding it there.
Finally, be nice. Be respectful. Appreciate the opportunity to run in such a gorgeous place with beautiful people and treat both with the utmost respect and kindness.
As this is a designated Palm Beach County Natural Area, be advised there shall be no:
- firearms
- removal or disturbance of vegetation
- smoking
- littering
- feeding or harassing wildlife
- bicycles
- horses
- alcohol
- dogs/pets
* please understand there are alligators on this site and dogs closely resemble prey to an alligator. They are not a threat to humans, but dogs are a different story.
Event's current local time: 1:10 PM ET
