The Vol State 500K Relay

UPDATE: The 2016 Vol State 500K Relay has been Cancelled!!!

The Vol State 500K has been going on for nearly 30 years. It has traditionally been a solo race in mid-July. That race continues, but now the sinister Lazarus Lake, creator of The Last Annual Vol State 500K, the Barkley Marathons, etc., and Joshua Holmes are putting together this unique race as a 2, 3, or 4 person relay race on April 29th with a 4.5 day cutoff ending at 8pm on May 3rd. The race starts in Missouri and finishes in Georgia while covering a total of 5 states and 314 miles along the way.


The race starts in Dorena Landing, Missouri where runners will ride the ferry across the mighty Mississippi to Kentucky where they will run for approximately 14 miles before entering Tennessee for the next 290 miles before dipping down into Alabama and finishing in Georgia atop Sand Mountain at 'The Rock.'


Team Sizes
2 person (157 miles per runner, min. 34.9mi day/runner)
3 person (104.7 miles per runner, min. 23.3mi day/runner)
4 person (78.5 miles per runner, min. 17.4mi day/runner)


There will be plenty of time for runners of all levels as most teams will be working around the clock. Each team can drive for themselves or will be allowed a max of 1 driver and 1 crew.


This is a rustic and rural race that will stick to many of the same traditions of the solo race. This race is NOT for beginner runners and, although a relay, is nothing like a Ragnar Relay. Teams will be able to divide the segments up as they see fit as long as each segment is a minimum of at least 5 miles. After the first 200 miles the minimum segment lowers to just 3 miles.


CUTOFF: 4.5 days. The race starts on April 29th (Fri) at 8:30am and will finish May 3rd (Tuesday) at 8:30pm.


All runners/teams will receive VS500K relay shirts, hats, other swag along with finisher's medals. Those that win or place will receive trophies.


The race entry cost is discounted for Vol State 500K vets (those that have finished the 314 mile solo LAVS run) and members of Run It Fast®. Contact runitfast@gmail.com for discount code.

Vol State 500K Course Route

314 Miles from Missouri to Georgia View course map

Event's current local time: 1:43 AM ET