One hundred miles. To a certain set of runners, it’s the new race distance of choice — surely not seen as “ordinary” but slowly shedding its freak-show persona. (See “The Rise of the Ultra” in our Fall 2016 issue.)

Enter the Shawnee Hills 100-Mile Endurance Run, the latest ultramarathon to stretch the boundaries for runners in the Midwest. Scheduled for August 26 to 27, the race will take place in the Shawnee National Forest in southwest Illinois. The wilderness area is known for its breathtaking scenic features: dense woodlands, deep sandstone canyons, freshwater springs and creeks, and rocky waterfalls — including Pakentuck Falls, the tallest free-falling waterfall in the state.

The race will be based at Camp Ondessonk in Ozark, Ill., offering “rustic one-star luxury tree houses” for overnighting and meals available for spectators and crew (free for runners and volunteers). Other running-centric opportunities include 100k and 50k race distances, a kids’ fun run and a vendor expo. Race finishers will receive a custom belt buckle or medal.

The event is presented by St. Louis-based Terrain Trail Runners, with sponsors including Buff USA, Altra Running, Squirrel’s Nut Butter, Hammer Nutrition, InknBurn, International Tap House (iTAP), RunWell, Optimal Performance Center and Terrain magazine.

For more information and to register, visit shawneehills100.weebly.com.