Sat, Nov 28, 2026

The Derby 50k

Ellerbe, NC

Registration closedAnnual since at least 2020

31.1 Miles

About the Derby 50k

The course runs on asphalt and road dirt through open country outside Ellerbe, rolling the whole way with no single dramatic climb. The route is not closed to traffic, so you share the road with passing cars; painted arrows on the pavement guide the turns. It is a stripped-down event with no expo and no frills, which is exactly the point.

Packet pickup is at the Derby Community Building on race morning, the same place you finish. After you are done, the church ladies from Jones Springs Church serve a spaghetti lunch with salad, cake, and banana pudding, and the meal is free to runners. Runners are also asked to bring pet food to donate to a local animal rescue group that has a van on-site.

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Finish-Time Stats

Going by the 2025 results, this is a small, friendly field, with a competitive front end and a big recreational middle.

31.1 Miles · 2025 results

80finishers

3:32:17winner

6:30:38median

10:06:45cutoff

Top 3: John Dallas (3:32:17) · Christopher Mortensen (3:40:13) · Aidan Quigley (4:10:30)

The Derby 50k has been held every year since at least 2020. That is as far back as RunSignup's records for this race go, so it may well be older.

Where Would You Finish?

Enter a finish time to see where it lands against the most recent 31.1 Miles results.

Median

See how your time stacks up nationally →

How we calculate these stats: RunSesh calculates these figures from the most recent published results of past editions, sourced from RunSignup. We show aggregates only: field size, winning and median times, and the cutoff. We never publish individual finisher tables. Last updated Jul 27, 2026.

Distances & Start Times

31.1 Miles11/28/2026 08:00-

Going for a Time?

Set a goal and get a pace band: every mile split on a card sized for your phone lock screen, so race morning needs no math.

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Common Questions About the The Derby 50k

Will I finish last at the Derby 50k?

Almost certainly not. Half the 31.1 Miles field finished slower than 6:30:38, and the last recorded finisher came in around 10:06:45, so there is a long tail of runners behind the middle of the pack. Most fields are far slower than people expect.

Is the Derby 50k a good first 31.1 Miles?

It is a small race (80 finishers), which is friendlier and less intimidating than a big-city event, though the field thins out. There is no qualifying time, and the finish-time spread above shows how varied the field really is. If it is your first 31.1 Miles, that spread matters more than the winner's time.

How competitive is the Derby 50k?

The 31.1 Miles winner ran 3:32:17 while the median finisher took 6:30:38. That spread points to a mixed field, with a competitive front and a big recreational middle.