⏵ Course guide · The Southeast's oldest 50K
The John Holmes Trail Run is billed as the Southeast's oldest 50K trail run, now in its 34th year through Croom Park in the Withlacoochee State Forest near Brooksville, Florida, and capped at just 250 runners across the 50K, 16 mile, and 9 mile distances. I will walk you through what makes this small, historic race what it is, then give you a pacing and fueling plan for Florida heat and technical singletrack, plus free calculators to dial in your own numbers.
These facts come from the official John Holmes Trail Run homepage. Cutoff times, aid station details, and start times are not published there, so confirm the current specifics with the race before you commit.
The 50K, 16 mile, and 9 mile all run through Croom Park in the Withlacoochee State Forest, one of central Florida's classic trail running grounds, with a shared cap of 250 runners across every distance combined.
This race started as simply the Croom Trail 50K. In 2006, race director Jim Bodoh, a longtime Croom Trail runner himself, renamed it to honor founder and Croom Trail staple John Holmes. That history is baked into how the race feels: a small, community-built classic rather than a corporate production, now stretching into its 34th year.
With just 250 spots across three distances, the John Holmes Trail Run stays small by design. That cap protects the community feel the race is known for, and it also means registering early matters if you want a spot, especially given the race's standing as the Southeast's oldest 50K trail run.
Croom Park sits within the Withlacoochee State Forest, terrain known among Florida trail runners for sandy stretches, root-covered singletrack, and rolling elevation that is modest by mountain standards but demanding in its own way, especially once October humidity sets in. Do not mistake Florida's lack of big climbs for an easy course.
Without a published elevation profile or cutoff time, plan your effort around Florida trail fundamentals: heat management and steady, sustainable pacing over sand and roots rather than chasing a flat-ground number.
Sandy sections in Withlacoochee terrain sap energy in a way that does not show up on an elevation chart, and early October in Florida can still bring real heat and humidity. Use a grade-adjusted pace approach loosely, treating soft, sandy stretches like you would a climb, and build in a slower target effort than a similar-length race on firmer ground.
Because the official site does not publish a cutoff time, use a race-time estimate from your own training as a starting point, then contact the race directly to confirm the current time limit before you finalize your pacing plan. Do not assume a generous window without verifying it.
⏵ Free tools to pace this course
Central Florida in early October still runs warm and humid, which pushes your fluid and sodium needs up regardless of how many aid stations you find along the way.
Aim for roughly 60 to 90 grams of carbohydrate per hour on the 50K. Because the official site does not publish aid station spacing, carry enough of your own fuel to bridge potential gaps rather than assuming frequent resupply, and confirm current aid details with the race ahead of time.
Sodium in the 300 to 700 mg per liter range covers most runners, and Florida's heat and humidity are good reasons to lean toward the higher end here, even on a course without big elevation. Sweat losses in this climate can outpace what you would plan for a cooler, drier race of the same distance.
⏵ Build your fueling plan
Get a carb, sodium, fluid, and caffeine plan per hour built for your weight, your goal time, and Florida heat and humidity with the free ultra fueling calculator. Browse the rest of the free running tools at the tools hub.
⏵ Train for it with Summit Line
Get a race-day plan built around YOUR fitness, sandy and humid Florida terrain, and a real fueling rehearsal for the heat. Summit Line reads your real training, builds a plan suited to soft footing and humidity, and gets your race-day nutrition dialed in so it is something you execute, not guess at.
2026 marks its 34th running, and the race bills itself as the Southeast's oldest 50K trail run. It started life as the Croom Trail 50K, and race director Jim Bodoh renamed it in 2006 to honor founder and Croom Trail staple John Holmes. That history is a big part of why this small, capped race has stayed a community fixture in Florida trail running for over three decades.
This runs through Croom Park in the Withlacoochee State Forest, Florida terrain that trades big elevation for sandy, rooty, technical singletrack and genuine heat and humidity, especially in early October. The field is capped at 250 runners across all three distances, which keeps it a low-key, community event rather than a mass-participation race, but the terrain and Florida conditions still demand real trail fitness.
Registration runs through the official race site, and the field is capped at 250 runners across the 50K, 16 mile, and 9 mile distances combined. Given the race's history as the Southeast's oldest 50K and its small cap, it is worth registering well ahead of race day rather than waiting.
Early October in central Florida still runs warm and humid, so plan your fueling and hydration accordingly. Aim for roughly 60 to 90 grams of carbohydrate per hour on the 50K, and keep sodium in the 300 to 700 mg per liter range, leaning higher if the day turns hot. The official site does not publish an aid station count or spacing, so build your own plan for self-sufficiency between stops rather than assuming dense aid, and confirm current aid details with the race before you go. Build your numbers with the free ultra fueling calculator before race day.
The small, capped field and the race's deep community roots make it a welcoming first-ultra option if you already have some experience on sandy, technical Florida singletrack and have trained through real heat and humidity. Because the official site does not publish a cutoff time, confirm the current time limit directly with the race before you commit, especially if you are pacing conservatively for a debut 50K.
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<a href="https://runsummitline.com/guides/john-holmes-trail-run">The John Holmes Trail Run course guide</a>This guide is independent and for planning only. The course details, dates, and logistics come from public sources and can change year to year, so confirm the current specifics with the official race before you register or run. The fueling and pacing advice is general and not medical advice.