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SRRC Race Reports

JFK 50 Race Report
by Phil Holt

We trekked from the pre-race briefing at Boonesboro High School gym to the starting line at about 6:45 am. It had been raining overnight, but the day looked promising. The start had been moved about a half mile up the road, but none of us could figure out why that would matter — we still had to cover the distance to that point. Right at the 7:00 am start, the heavens opened for a few minutes and rained on us.

Temperatures were just about perfect (for me anyway), and we trudged up the long two mile hill to the Appalachian Trail. As we got on the trail, a course official warned us, "Be careful - it's slippery." I had been concerned about the effect of the rain on the trail. The bad news was that it was more slippery than usual. The good news was that the 5:00 a.m. runners had patted all the leaves down so that we could see the easiest routes through the rocks. (Thanks, Desiree.) The clouds hung low on the ridge, so the trail portion of the race was misty and mysterious, making the course dim and quiet, feeling like a chapter from the "Lord of the Rings." It was slower going than usual, and it took me about 15 extra minutes to finish this part of the race.

Leaving the Appalachian trail involves descending about 900 feet down a series of rocky switchbacks. After the rain, these were a little more treacherous than usual. Among the most common badges of honor I saw among runners all day was a muddy back from slipping on that descent. At the bottom, though, about a half dozen rocky steps separate you from a nice flat track to the C&O Canal tow path. The next 26 miles of the race follow the tow path, which is a flat gravel trail. The rain had softened it up a little, so it was often kind of cushiony with the occasional muddy patch. The monotony of the tow path wears on most runners, who begin to pine feverishly for the 41.5 mark, which is the end of the path and the beginning of the county roads.

Aid stations are set up about every 2.5 or 3 miles along the tow path, but the major stops are at Antietam (mile 27) and mile 38 (called the 38 special). At mile 27 I changed into dry shoes and socks and drank a container of Ensure for lunch. (It has lots of calories but is gentle on the tummy.) At mile 38, volunteers have hot chicken soup waiting for you. It's very salty, which is delicious at that point in the day. After just a few more miles, you reach the end of the tow path where you are given a reflective vest for the road run to the finish.

Up until I got onto the road, conditions had been wonderful — cool temperatures and only the occasional sprinkle of rain. Starting at mile 44, however, a steady downpour washed me toward the finish. It wasn't as disconcerting at it sounds except for two consequences. The rain dissolved all the salt that had dried on my skin, washing stinging water into my eyes. It took about a mile for that to subside even with my rubbing. While the rain was cold, I was well warmed up and not bothered, but the wind blast from cars zooming by would give me the occasional frigid reminder that I'd better hurry if I wanted to stay warm. At about mile 49 the rain stopped, and the last mile was very comfortable. During that stretch, there are numerous road guards all shouting encouragement and reinforcing that only a little more effort will get you to the finish at the middle school in Williamsport where you can get a shower and some food.

This is my fifth JFK, and every year the showers have been ice cold. Not a great feeling after all the running, but still a relief. This year was different. The race director made sure that the boilers had been fired up and that plenty of hot water awaited us. I can't think of the right words to describe how good a hot shower feels after 50 miles with a rainy finish. Let's just say that it really made me a happy runner.

The JFK 50 Miler is a premier event, and we're really lucky to have it hosted so close to us here in VA. If you can run a marathon, you can finish JFK. I recommend it to anyone who wants to venture, even just once, into the world of ultra-marathoning. I can't wait till next year and am looking forward to seeing a couple more of my South Riding neighbors out there.

The SRRC would love to hear about your running, racing, or crewing experiences! If you would like to submit a race report, to be posted on the SRRC website, please email srrunner@srrunners.org.