The 2025 rendition of the Crooked Road Ultra will be Saturday March 8, starting at 8am. Finish will be Sunday, March 9 at 9am... no, that's not a typo. It's the weekend that we switch to daylight savings time, so though it may look like you'll be running 25 hours, we'll make sure you're only running 24!

The Crooked Road 24-Hour Ultra takes place at Waid Park, a scenic park nestled in the heart of Rocky Mount, Virginia. This venue provides the perfect setting for an ultramarathon challenge, offering a unique blend of natural beauty and convenient amenities.

The race course is a mostly flat, 1.178-mile loop comprised of a non-paved cinder track. This well-maintained track winds through the park and along the Pigg river, offering runners a visually stimulating experience throughout the race. Waid Park's natural setting provides a peaceful escape and a welcome contrast to the demands of the ultramarathon.

The main event area is adjacent to a sizeable parking lot where racers can park and access their vehicles throughout the event. Parking adjacent to the trail is restricted to 24-hour solo racers only and is available on a first-come, first served basis.

Packet Pickup will be held from 2:30-6:00pm on Friday, March 7 and from 6am-7:30am on Saturday, March 8, all at Waid Park.

There is one aid station along the course that will be stocked with Tailwind, water, and snacks throughout the event. Pizza and other goodies will be served later in the day on Saturday. If you have specific dietary needs, we recommend you provide your own food at your personal aid station. Note: Water at the park is not potable, so you need to prepare to bring your own water for your needs outside of the race. We will be stocked full of drinkable water for participants during the race.

There's a pavilion with bathrooms (that have heat!) right on the course. We'll also provide porta-potties for overflow & spectators. We ask all non-racers to please use the porta-potties if there are not at least two open stalls (women/one open stall for men) in the restroom building. As a Trail Sisters approved race, menstrual products will be available in the women's restroom for racers.

New for 2024 is a Relay Team option. Relay teams are great for:

• New-to-ultra runners to get a taste of running during the day and night
• Runners looking to have a great time with their friends over a 24 hour period, but not have to run the whole time
• Support crews of top runners to have a fresh pacer on course with your runner at all times.

Relay teams may consist of UP TO four runners. Only one runner is allowed on the course at a time, with the exception of the exchange zone and last lap finish... more details on that below. Relay teams have the freedom to choose how they will complete their laps- there is no set time periods or lap counts that any team member must follow. Run as many or as few laps as you want, hand off the chip to the next runner on your team, rest up, and get back out there when you're ready to run again (or when your teammates need you to run!).

Exchange Zone: Relay team members exchange the chip just after completing a lap. After finishing a lap, the tired runner passes off the timing chip to the fresh runner, who then takes off and completes as many laps as they want to at the time. The tired runner exits the course, rests up and refuels, and gets ready for their next turn. Again, only one runner per team is allowed on the course at a time, with the exception of a chip handoff in the exchange zone and the last lap finish (see below).

Last lap finish: If your team chooses to finish at the finish line on a final lap that you determine, all teammates may run together for the last segment starting at the aid station, through the support crew area, around the small field, and through the finish line. Please be aware of and give way to other runners on the course.

Crooked Miles: Crooked Miles are NOT accumulated for relay teams or individuals within relay teams. If you want to earn Crooked Miles, you must enter the solo event.

Refunds are never allowed, but we do offer $20 deferrals to the following year. The deferral deadline is March 1. To defer your entry log in to Run Sign Up and follow these instructions. In some special circumstances (pregnancy, miscarriage, deployment, etc), we will allow a no-fee deferral. Please contact us at molly@blueridgeracing.net for consideration. Injuries are not considered special circumstances, and for reasons such as this, we encourage you to consider purchasing insurance at the time of registration through Fanshield (available at checkout when you register).