The 2 longer race distances started on Friday morning at 9, the short race started on Saturday at 7.

The 33.3 mile loop was well marked with thousands of pink flags and ribbons and some green flags. There was hardly a place on the course where a marker was not visible. However I did not run at night - a 100-mile runner told me it was quite difficult to keep on the course in the dark. There were some narrow billy goat trails on hills where a single false step could have you tumbling down a ravine.

The organizers seemed pleased that they had made the course so difficult that over half the 100-milers dnf'd. Fair enough. Next year they may be adding a river crossing. 

There was an elevation gain of only 3450 ft per loop but I found the course very tough. None of the hills were very long. But some were very steep, both uphill and downhill. These were definitely not runnable. 

When I think about the difficulty of the Lost Soul race I am reminded of something  I heard from a local runner describing the Strolling Jim 40 mile race in Tennessee: "This course beats yor ass up rreeaall good!"