Black River Run 20 miles

Black River Run 20 miles

This page covers the Black River Run 20 miles in 2026. The organisers say it themselves: 20 miles is technically not an ultra, since only races beyond the marathon distance count as one. It is instead a long run with full service, on the same course as the ultra runners. The original course description from 2012 already offered the two-lap distance to those who did not want to try ultrarunning but wanted a dress rehearsal for Lidingöloppet.

Two laps is enough to get to know the course. The first five kilometres are narrow trails with roots and stones, where the organisers ask runners to watch the markings closely. After the checkpoint at 5.9 km comes the fast stretch downstream along the Svartån river, then the turn at the river’s southern end and a second checkpoint with water, and finally the climbs up under the E18 bridge. Two laps add up to around 220 metres of climbing. Between laps you pass the lap point at Orientalen, with drinks and snacks on the table.

This distance starts half an hour before the 50 and 100 miles, and those who finish in the early afternoon do so while the ultra runners are deep into their laps. With Livebib the runner shares a link to their own broadcast, and family and friends see in a browser the position on the lap, the distance done and a finish estimate that updates during the race. If the phone loses signal, the position is carried forward along the course and marked as estimated.