⏵ Course guide · Sylamore Ranger District, Ozark Highlands
Spirit of Syllamo puts a 100 Mile and a 38 Mile ("Quirky Turkey") on the Ozark Highlands Trail and North Sylamore Creek Trail in the Sylamore Ranger District, and the race is direct about what to expect: roughly 200 feet of climb per mile through rocky and relentless terrain. I will walk you through the course first, then give you a pacing and fueling plan built for that kind of sustained climbing, with free calculators along the way to dial in your own numbers.
These facts come from the official race page. Start time, cutoff times, and aid station spacing were not published there at the time of writing, so confirm those with the Runner’s Packet or the race (syllamoevents@gmail.com) before race day.
The race description does not sugarcoat the terrain: expect about 200 feet of climb per mile through rocky and relentless ground, on the Ozark Highlands Trail and, for the 100 Mile, parts of the North Sylamore Creek Trail as well.
The full Spirit of Syllamo 100 Mile combines 31 miles of the Ozark Highlands Trail with parts of the North Sylamore Creek Trail. At roughly 200 feet of climb per mile sustained, this is one of the more demanding 100 mile courses in the region, and the terrain description alone should shape how conservatively you start.
The 38 Mile option covers 18 miles of the Ozark Highlands Trail, the same rocky, relentless character as the 100 Mile in a shorter package. It is a genuine way to sample this specific trail and terrain before you consider the full distance in a future year.
Sustained climbing at that rate rewards patience early and punishes anyone who tries to bank time against the clock instead of banking energy for the climbs still ahead.
With roughly 200 feet of gain per mile across the whole course, hiking a meaningful share of the climbing is not a fallback, it is the strategy. Start slower than feels necessary in the first few hours, since the terrain does not let up and your legs need to still be functional for the climbing late in a 100 Mile effort.
⏵ Free tools to plan your effort
Mid-December in the Ozarks means cold-weather fueling considerations on top of the climbing demand, especially for a 100 Mile effort that will likely run overnight.
Aim for roughly 55 to 80 grams of carbohydrate per hour for the 100 Mile, a bit lower for the 38 Mile if your effort runs shorter and harder, with sodium in the 350 to 700 mg per liter range as a starting point. Cold December nights can suppress thirst and appetite even as sustained climbing keeps demanding fuel, so plan deliberate eating and drinking rather than relying on feeling thirsty or hungry.
⏵ Build your fueling plan
Get a carb, sodium, fluid, and caffeine plan per hour built for your weight, your goal time, and a cold December Ozark night 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 training plan built around YOUR fitness and the relentless, 200 feet per mile climbing Spirit of Syllamo is known for. Summit Line reads your real training, builds the climbing strength and time-on-feet durability this course demands, and rehearses your fueling so race day is something you execute, not guess at.
The race’s own description does not soften it: "Expect 200ft of climb per mile through rocky and relentless terrain." At roughly 200 feet of gain per mile sustained across either the 100 Mile or 38 Mile distance, this is a genuinely demanding Ozark ultra, on real technical singletrack via the Ozark Highlands Trail and North Sylamore Creek Trail, not a runnable gravel course.
The 100 Mile, named Spirit of Syllamo, covers 31 miles of the Ozark Highlands Trail plus parts of the North Sylamore Creek Trail, repeated or extended to reach the full distance. The 38 Mile, named Quirky Turkey, covers 18 miles of the Ozark Highlands Trail. Both share the same rocky, relentless terrain character described by the race itself.
The official race page did not publish specific cutoff times at the time this guide was written. The Runner’s Packet PDF linked from the official page, or direct contact with the race (syllamoevents@gmail.com), is the place to confirm current-year cutoffs before you build a pacing plan around 200 feet of climb per mile.
Given the race’s own warning of relentless, rocky terrain at roughly 200 feet of climb per mile, this is a demanding choice for a first 100 mile finish, better suited to runners who already have a completed rugged 50 mile or 100K under their belt. The 38 Mile Quirky Turkey option shares the same terrain character in a shorter package and is a reasonable way to test your fitness for this specific trail before committing to the full 100.
No, they are separate events. Both run in the Sylamore Ranger District of the Ozark St. Francis National Forest, but Spirit of Syllamo is a single-push 100 Mile and 38 Mile race in December, while 3 Days of Syllamo is a separate multi-day stage race. Confirm which event you are registering for before you sign up.
Registration is handled through UltraSignUp, linked from the official race page at syllamoevents.com. A Runner’s Packet PDF and a Crew Packet PDF with driving directions are also provided there. Contact the race directly at syllamoevents@gmail.com with questions.
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<a href="https://runsummitline.com/guides/spirit-of-syllamo">The Spirit of Syllamo course guide</a><iframe src="https://runsummitline.com/embed/race/spirit-of-syllamo" style="width:100%;max-width:420px;height:180px;border:0;" loading="lazy" title="Spirit of Syllamo course guide by Summit Line"></iframe>This guide is independent and for planning only. Course, date, and logistics come from public sources and can change year to year, so confirm the current specifics with the race before you register or run. The fueling and pacing advice is general and not medical advice.
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