What the Duck Is Up with Trail Running?

I’m trying to add as many races as possible to My Mind is Racing and the trail and ultra races have pretty consistently stood out as cleverly named. There’s a lot of wordplay and a lot of dark humour. I’ve never actually run a proper trail race, but these events tend to strike me as particularly punishing. If you’re trying to sell me on a trail race, you may as well embrace the fun or the pain. Or both.

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markdownlint-disable-line"Trail Run - Lava Beds National Monument" by Michael "moik" McCullough is licensed under CC BY 2.0.

If you’re looking for a cleverly named trail or ultra race to add to your racing calendar, why not start here? I’ve compiled a list to get you started.# Puns and WordplayBubbletown What The Duck Ultra — PA, USCereal Killer 15k Trail Run — IN, USTussey mOUnTaiNBACK 50 Mile Relay and Ultra — PA, US# Rolls Off the TongueCroom Zoom — FL, USFrigid Beast Feast — LA, USPilot Mountain Salamander Scamper — NC, USPunk Panthers Skipton Skedaddle — ENG, GBRun for the Pumpkins Trail Run — RI, USThe Mighty Mosquito Trail Fest — NY, USTrail Trot on Turkey Ridge — MO, USTupelo Trail Shuffle — MS, US# The HobbitHobbit Trail Runs — EC, ZALe Trail des Hobbits — HDF, FRLonely Mountain Ultra 2026 — NSW, AU# Pop-Culture ReferencesBlazing Saddles — PA, USCannonball Run — SC, USCoyote Ugly 30k & 50k — GA, USHellz Bellz Ultra — WA, USKessel Run Ultra — CO, USLion King Backyard Ultra — MO, USRegal Beagle Ultra — OH, USRun Forrest Trail Run — VIC, AUSmurf’s Backyard Ultra — QLD, AUTerrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day 50k — CA, USThunder Kiss 100M/100K — AL, US# Going to a Dark PlaceBlack Lung Ultra Marathon — AB, CADeath at DuPuis (A Backyard Event) — FL, USDeath by 5k Oak Mountain — AL, USDeath by Staircase Trail Running Festival — NY, USDevils Shadow Winter Trail Races — NY, USDie to Run Backyard Ultra — OK, USHells Hills Trail Race — TX, USHotte…