Hawaiian Ultra Running Team (HURT)
HURT 100 Trail Run (Hawaiian Ultra Running Team's Trail 100)
Honolulu, HI (Hawaii Nature Center, Makiki) → Honolulu, HI (Hawaii Nature Center)
Race guide
Updated 29 June 2026
The HURT 100 Trail Run — put on by the Hawaiian Ultra Running Team — is widely regarded as one of the most technically demanding 100-mile trail races in the United States. Set entirely within the lush, root-choked rainforest trails above Honolulu, Hawaii, the 160.9 km course is not a race you run fast; it is a race you survive smart. Starting and finishing at the Hawaii Nature Center in Makiki, runners complete five 32.2 km loops through steep, muddy, root-covered single-track that winds through Manoa, Nu'uanu, and the surrounding ridge trails — gaining and losing thousands of feet of elevation on terrain that is relentlessly technical from the first step to the last. The final cutoff at the finish is Sunday at 18:00, giving runners a firm window to complete all five loops before the clock closes.
The Course & Terrain
The HURT 100 is built around five identical 32.2 km loops, each passing through three main checkpoints: the Hawaii Nature Center (start/finish and loop turnaround), Paradise Park in Manoa at roughly 11.7 km into each loop, and Nu'uanu / Jackass Ginger at roughly 20.6 km. This structure means you pass through the Nature Center crew point at 0, 32.2, 64.4, 96.5, and 128.7 km — a double-edged sword of regular crew access and the psychological weight of running the same loop five times through the night and into the next day. The terrain is jungle single-track at its most unforgiving: exposed roots, slick mud, creek crossings, and dense canopy that blocks both daylight and your sense of time. Traction is a constant negotiation — the trails drain poorly, and a dry stretch can turn into a slip-and-slide within minutes of rain.
The Decisive Climbs & Where the Race Is Won or Lost
Although total climb figures are not published in official data, every experienced HURT finisher will tell you the elevation is substantial and relentless — the loops do not contain any flat recovery stretches worth mentioning. The climbs between Makiki, the Manoa ridge, and Nu'uanu are short by mountain-ultra standards but brutally steep, and the descents are where runners most commonly blow up, stumble, or fall. Because the loop structure means you will face every climb five times, even a moderate misjudgement of effort on loop one or two compounds painfully by loops four and five. The section between Nu'uanu / Jackass Ginger and the return to the Nature Center — the back third of each loop — is where the race tends to fracture fields. By loop four and five, this stretch in the dark, on deteriorating legs, on slick roots, is where DNFs accumulate. Protect your quads on the descents early; you will need whatever is left in them at kilometre 149.
Pacing & Fuelling Strategy
Treat loop one as a shakeout, not a race. The HURT 100 punishes anyone who banks time in the first half; the technical terrain means you cannot make up time later, only lose less. Use the Nature Center, Paradise Park, and Nu'uanu crew points aggressively — change wet socks, eat real food, address hot spots before they become blisters. Because you return to the Nature Center at 32.2, 64.4, 96.5, and 128.7 km, you have regular opportunities to swap gear, refuel your drop bags, and see your crew, which is a genuine advantage in managing a 36-hour-plus effort. Caloric needs are high in tropical humidity even when pace is modest — the heat and moisture suppress appetite while the effort remains significant. Prioritise salt, electrolytes, and foods you can eat while moving on technical ground. Plan your lighting carefully: most runners will spend at least two full nights on course, so carry a reliable primary headlamp and a backup, and know exactly when you expect to be on trail in the dark each loop.
Conditions to Expect
The HURT 100 takes place in January in the Ko'olau Range above Honolulu, and the weather is tropical and unpredictable. Expect high humidity regardless of temperature — even on a cooler night, moisture is omnipresent and sweat never fully evaporates. Rain is common and can arrive suddenly, transforming already-challenging root systems into skating rinks and creek crossings into genuine hazards. Temperatures are milder than a summer race in the continental US, but the combination of humidity, sustained exertion, and overnight hours creates a unique physiological stress. Dress in fast-drying, minimal layers and prioritise waterproof-treated shoes with aggressive lug soles. Despite the jungle setting, the trails are well-marked for HURT, but navigation demands focus — the dense canopy at night is disorienting and visibility with a headlamp is limited. Poles are popular among HURT runners and are strongly worth considering for both the climbs and the wet descents on loops four and five.
Logistics & Key Race Details
The race starts and finishes at the Hawaii Nature Center in Makiki, Honolulu, and the loop structure means your crew can see you at the Nature Center every 32.2 km — some of the most consistent crew access of any 100-miler. Paradise Park in Manoa (11.7 km per loop) and Nu'uanu / Jackass Ginger (20.6 km per loop, with Nu'uanu also appearing as a standalone checkpoint on loop 5 at 149.3 km) also have crew access at every pass. The hard finish cutoff is Sunday at 18:00 — plan backward from that deadline when setting your loop time targets. Given the technical nature of the course, most runners should budget conservatively, especially for later loops. Drop bags at the Nature Center are the operational backbone of any HURT 100 attempt; organise them by loop, not just by item, so you can move through the aid station efficiently when fatigue is at its worst.
Race HURT 100 Trail Run (Hawaiian Ultra Running Team's Trail 100) with Crux
Get the strategy, fuelling and crew plan dialled for this exact course — built from the real route, climbs and cut-offs. Your first race is free.
Plan this race — freeCheckpoints & cut-offs
⚠ Auto-researched from public sources — aid stations and cut-offs may be incomplete. Confirm against the official roadbook before race day.
0 km · 0 m · —
4 km · 0 m · —
15.3 km · 0 m · —
24.1 km · 0 m · —
35.4 km · 0 m · —
46.7 km · 0 m · —
55.5 km · 0 m · —
66.8 km · 0 m · —
78.1 km · 0 m · —
86.9 km · 0 m · —
98.2 km · 0 m · —
109.4 km · 0 m · —
118.3 km · 0 m · —
128.7 km · 0 m · Sun 11:00
140 km · 0 m · Sun 13:30
148.9 km · 0 m · Sun 15:30
160.9 km · 0 m · Sun 18:00
More races
More independent
More in United States
Similar distance (100 miles and beyond)
Racing HURT 100 Trail Run (Hawaiian Ultra Running Team's Trail 100)?
Get a complete race strategy — pacing, fuelling, crew plan and the crux moments — built on this exact course.
Plan your race in Crux →Strava is your training. Crux is your races.
Course data researched from public sources — verify against the official roadbook.