I discovered this 24 hour ultra marathon endurance event by chance and wanted to do this one since…read more2020, but the world shut down that year and had to make other plans.
I kept the Hinson Lake 24 hour distance classic in the back of my mind until when the time was right. I was in the middle of my 2nd round 50 states marathon circuit, so I needed North Carolina again. As time would have it, registration opened at midnight on New Years Day 2024, so I jumped on it and secured my race entry. Lucky for me, this one is pretty popular so I got in before it filled up. It was a 1.5 mile loop around Lake Hinson in Rockingham, NC. I lucked out with an Airbnb in the area, so I stayed there the night before and walked about a mile to the race venue. As soon as I got there, I went to bib pickup and they told me that since I was from Hawaii, a local newspaper reporter was on hand to interview me. I was surprised. I secured my belongings nearby and the local newspaper reporter introduced herself to me. It was a quick interview before the race start. The race itself was beautiful and scenic, but not without dangerous elements, mainly snakes on the course. It freaked me out. I reached the marathon distance just before sunset, which was nice. Since it was 24 hours, I figure why not some bonus miles too. I had to follow some people just so that I'm not alone when some random snake wanders along the course. It was nice to meet new friends and reconnect with friends I've met before while at the races. One of them graciously gave me a ride back to Raleigh when the event was over, to which I'm grateful. I ended up with 37.5 miles, which was the longest I've done officially in a race. A distance PR, if you will.
The overall experience here at the 2024 edition of the 24 hour Hinson Lake endurance classic was quite nice and a scenic place to run. I particularly enjoyed the wooden bridge that was more or less 1/2 way on the course. There was places to sit and rest if you needed it. There was also some benches on the course as well, but I didn't use them. There was one main aid station, which was stacked to the max for everyone who needs aid for the race. There were people who decided to camp and they lined up their tents along the course. After a full day of running and walking, I decided to take a break from 10pm to 3am. Didn't like snakes, but decided to soldier on at 3am to get me to 37.5 miles. It was basically a mental thing then. Pacing with new friends made the miles go faster. The course was well marked, but in this timed format, once you do a few laps, you know where to go already. The temps was good. Not too cold but not too warm either for late September in Rockingham, NC. They had a volunteer massage person to help runners with their aches and pains. All in all, it was a nice venue and a great race atmosphere. Could not have asked for anything more. Well, maybe no snakes. If you wanted to dip your toes into ultra distances, need NC for your 50 states marathon or half marathon quest, consider the 24 hr Hinson Lake endurance classic. Go as far as you want at the pace you want. That's the best kind of race. Even the experienced ultra runners take breaks or even sleep during the event.
The 2024 Hinson Lake endurance classic was held at Hinson Lake in Rockingham, North Carolina. It's physically located at 152 Hinson Lake Road. The race uses the trail path circling the lake. Race registration is online and requires a credit card. As far as parking goes, get there early if you need to park a vehicle on race day. I got lucky by having an Airbnb nearby and walked there. Not sure where the additional parking areas are but there was a bunch along Hinson Lake Road leading up to the lake and a bunch next to the building overlooking the lake. It's best to have a rental car or a car of your own. Uber and Lyft can be your friend, but it's a challenge trying to find one before 7am on a Saturday. For the most part though, the race was enjoyable and definitely recommended. Probably could have reached close to 50 miles if I wanted it, but with the snakes and my 5 hour rest break, it wasn't feasible at the time. If you love running or walking for miles and miles, test your endurance here at the Hinson Lake endurance classic. Register as soon as you can, since it sells out within hours, I'm told.
5.0 stars for the overall experience. 5.0 stars for the volunteers who make this race awesome!
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