Sandhills Trail Race Series (30 Hour - 50k - 25k - 7.5 Mile)

Race Day Details

Saturday and Sunday, February 20–21, 2027 at Sesquicentennial State Park, 9564 Two Notch Rd, Columbia, SC 29223. Get directions.

Course or Race Highlight

Four distances share one loop, which means the 7.5-mile runner and the thirty-hour runner spend the day passing each other, trading places, and cheering from opposite ends of the same effort. The trail is fast, runnable, and forgiving underfoot — pine needles absorb a lot of what asphalt would give back to your legs — and the loop passes both campsite locations, so crews and families are never far from the action.

The aid station sits at the start/finish, which you hit every 7.75 miles, fully stocked. Thirty-hour runners should plan for limited crew and aid support between 10:00 PM and 6:00 AM — the overnight is meant to be quiet and a little lonely. Afterward there is a music-filled post-race hangout with vibes, snacks, and trail talk. Every finisher receives a medal, hundred-mile finishers earn a belt buckle, and your entry supports local nonprofits through the Giving Series.

The Course

A 7.75-mile loop, mostly soft pine needle-covered singletrack with a few smooth paved sections around the lake. Rolling hills and lake breezes, serene water views, and sandy trails beneath towering pines. The terrain is fast, runnable, and beginner-friendly, and the loop passes through both campsite locations.

Parking

Park in the open field adjacent to the start/finish line — enter via the hidden alleyway next to the main parking lot, between the Ranger Station and the Splash Pad. The main lot is available too, but the field is closer. A $5 special use permit is paid during registration.

Aid Stations

One fully stocked aid station at the start/finish line, which you reach every 7.75 miles.

Available snacks

Hydration

Wildly Charged is our official hydration sponsor — look for the orange 5-gallon jugs at aid stations.

What's Included

What You Get

From past races. See all race photos

Race Awards

Top 3 Overall (Male & Female)

The fastest three finishers will each receive a trophy to honor their achievement at the front of the pack.

Age Group Awards (Male & Female)

The 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place finishers in each of 15 age categories will earn an age group medal — a custom piece to add to your finisher's lanyard at the end of the event.

Series Recognition

This race counts toward season-long age group recognition in these two series:

Series Awards

Run the series and earn more than a finish:

Series Finisher — finish 5 races in a series to earn that series’ Finisher coin and Finisher tee. Free and earned on the course, never sold.

Upstate 250 Club — log 250 or more race miles across Upstate Race Series events in a season to earn the 250 Club buckle.

The Anchor Award — the runner with the most race miles across the Upstate Race Series keeps the Anchor Award for the year, and their name goes on it for good.

Giving Back

Every Upstate Race Series event is part of the Upstate Giving Series, which connects our 30 races with 30 nonprofit organizations serving communities across the Upstate. Your registration and any donation you add at checkout go to work close to home — you are not just running a race, you are funding the work of a neighbor. Upstate Giving Series.

Groups & Teams

The Upstate Running Club welcomes all local and regional running clubs to our events — the more the merrier. Calling all running clubs and social run groups: Upstate Race Series welcomes crews of all kinds to join the fun. Whether your squad is full of weekend warriors, sunrise chasers, or runners motivated by the promise of a cold drink at the finish, we've got an event for you.

Sign up, share with friends and local running clubs, and cash in on race discounts and refunds when your team, run club, or band of misfits hits 5 runners or more.

Good to Know

Managing Your Registration

Everything about your entry lives in your RunSignUp profile. Sign in, find this race under your upcoming events, and make the change yourself — there is no need to email us first. From there you can: