Mississippi Trail 50
About the race
The Mississippi Trail 50 offers 100M, 50M, 50K and 20K events in the DeSoto National Forest. This is the 30th annual event.
The 50M, 50K and 20K runners start Saturday morning and may switch races after one or more loops. Anyone who switches is not eligible for a trophy but is counted as a finisher.
The only way to get a DNF in the shorter events is to not complete at least one loop, which makes this a good place to try a first 50K or 50 Mile.
Event location
The run is on the Longleaf Horse Trail in the De Soto National Forest, just south of Laurel.
Start coordinates: N31 34 00.07 W88 59 15.0 (31.567749 -88.987241)
Packet pickup is also at the trailhead.
Packet pickup and finish
Packet pickup is at the trailhead on Friday night for the 50M, 50K and 20K, and on Friday morning at 10 a.m. for the 100M.
Post-race food is served on-site at the start/finish line. Finishers receive mementos, and belt buckles are awarded to 50 Mile and 100M finishers.
The course
Mississippi 100
50 Miles
50K
20K
The course is in the DeSoto National Forest, on gently rolling pine forest, mostly single track with some double track logging roads. The 50 milers run three 12.5 mile loops and two 6.1 mile loops. The 100 milers run seven 12.5 mile loops and two 6.1 mile loops.
100 Mile event
In conjunction with MUTS, this is the 4th annual 100 Mile distance event. The 100M starts at noon on Friday, March 6th, with a 30-hour time limit. All events conclude at 6 pm on Saturday.
The 100 milers run seven 12.5-mile loops and two 6.1-mile loops. The cutoff for starting the last 6.1-mile loop is 4:15 pm.
The 100 mile event is all or nothing. 100 milers start at noon Friday and must finish 100 miles by the 6 pm Saturday cutoff, or they get a DNF.
Time limits and cutoffs
There is a 12 hour time limit, dictated by the NFS permit, for the 50K and 50 Mile events.
The 50 milers must finish three 12.5 mile loops and start their first of two 6.1 mile loops by 8:45 elapsed (2:45 pm). Everyone must start their last 6.1 mile loop by 10:15 elapsed time (4:15 pm).
Location
City insight: Laurel
Laurel is a city and the second county seat of Jones County in Mississippi, USA, with a population of 17,161 at the 2020 census. It is home to the Lauren Rogers Museum of Art, Mississippi's oldest art museum. The humid subtropical climate brings long, hot summers and mild winters, so spring and autumn are the best seasons to race.
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