What the Sugar Badger 50 Teaches You About Cutoffs, Cruelty, and Cranking Through Fatigue
Let me just say this up front: I love Ten Junk Miles. I love the podcast. I love the community. I love what they’re doing with the Sugar Badger races. But as I sat with my spreadsheet and the official race manual, trying to calculate how fast I needed to move to avoid a DNF… a phrase formed in my mind that wouldn’t leave:
“And I thought Scotty loved us.”
Because let me tell you: the cutoffs on the Sugar Badger 50 Mile are not chill.
🧠 The Myth: Rail Trails Are Easy
You might think: “Flat course? Rail trail? Out and back? This is the chillest 50-miler ever!”
Sure. It’s flat. It’s soft. It’s beautiful. It’s also deceptively fast — and not just in terrain.
Let’s talk numbers.
⏱️ Cutoff Breakdown: The Surprising Reality
Here’s what’s expected if you want to finish before that 8:00 PM deadline:
| Segment | Distance | Time Allowed | Required Pace | Speed (mph) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Start → Brodhead (mile 24.9) | 24.9 mi | 7h 00m | 16:52 / mi | 3.56 mph |
| Brodhead → Trail Rd (mile 29) | 4.1 mi | 1h 25m | 20:44 / mi | 2.89 mph |
| Trail Rd → Tin Can (mile 34) | 5.15 mi | 1h 20m | 15:32 / mi | 3.87 mph |
| Tin Can → Monticello (mile 40) | 6.27 mi | 1h 45m | 16:43 / mi | 3.59 mph |
| Monticello → Tunnel (mile 46) | 5.64 mi | 1h 30m | 15:58 / mi | 3.76 mph |
| Tunnel → Finish (mile 50) | 3.9 mi | 1h 00m | 15:23 / mi | 3.90 mph |
Notice a pattern? After Brodhead, the required pace actually gets faster — not slower, like your legs will.
😬 Translation: You Gotta Bank Time
You need to show up prepared, and you need to bank time early.
The first 25 miles let you cruise at a modest 3.56 mph. If you can push just a little faster than that (say 15:00–15:30/mile), you’ll buy yourself precious time for the final push.
Because after Brodhead? They expect you to power walk nearly 4 mph. That’s not easy 30+ miles in, with trashed quads and feet made of soup.
🔧 Real Tips to Help You Finish
1. Walk Early, But Briskly
Don’t burn out in the first 10 miles, but don’t dawdle either. Walking at a solid 15:30–16:00/mile early on gives you cushion later.
2. Minimize Aid Station Hangouts
Aid stations are fun. The people are awesome. But the minutes vanish fast. Limit aid station stops to 2–3 minutes max. If you’re warming up soup and socializing, you’re bleeding finish time.
3. Make Peace With the Tunnel Detour
You can’t go through the Stewart Tunnel. The detour is longer, slightly disorienting, and definitely not fun. Accept it early. Don’t waste energy being annoyed by it — save your legs.
4. Use Drop Bags Wisely
Stash extra food, socks, maybe a caffeine bump, or motivational note for your future, suffering self. Remember: there are only three drop bag stations: Monticello, Brodhead, and back again.
5. Bring a Pacer (After Brodhead)
If you have someone to pace you after Brodhead (mile 25), use them. Mentally and physically, that’s when the grind gets real. A good pacer keeps your pace honest and helps you not spiral.
6. Set a Watch Alert
Program your watch to beep if your pace dips below 15:45/mile after mile 29. That’ll keep you from unknowingly falling behind.
7. Train Your Power Walk
Most runners assume they’ll “run most of it.” Spoiler: you won’t. Practice walking briskly for 3–5 hours straight. That’s your real race-day pace.
🥴 The Finish Will Hurt
That last 5–10 miles? You’ll be racing the clock, the pain, and maybe the sunset. And you might curse Scotty. That’s OK.
But you’ll also see the lights of Belleville, hear the cheers, and cross that line with every ounce of yourself emptied. You’ll get your medal, your beer, your pizza — and you will have earned every last bit of it.
💬 Final Thought
If this race were easy, it wouldn’t be worth it. The Sugar Badger is a sneaky beast: flat on the outside, fire on the inside. Respect it, prepare for it, and run it smart — and you’ll finish strong.
And if you’re feeling good at the end?
Maybe Scotty does love us after all.