25 JFK 50 Mile races in the can. I need a fall race goal to keep from getting a big butt. Since last year’s race, I’ve lost 17 pounds. Right now, we don’t know if that is a good thing or a bad thing. I was not planning to lose weight.
You must have a little good fortune to finish the same race for 25 straight years. You have to be healthy and trained on the same day. And, cooperating weather helps. It was 50 degrees at the race start, and temperatures were supposed to rise into the mid-60s. There was cloud cover all day, and it did not feel as hot as it was. It’s been dry for the past week, which made the trails runnable.
I had plenty of training excuses this year. But, I got in more mileage and was able to complete all my long runs. With the closing of the Chatham Bridge, I could not compare my long run times to last year’s.
The week before the race, my year-to-date miles, 1653, was 32 more than in 2019. This number has been relatively consistent over the past five years.
My final traditional AT training run was 15 minutes slower than in 2019. This run is a good predictor of how I will do in the first 15 miles. However, rain on that long run day made the rocks slippery and slow.
I was down to 147 lbs for the race. Carrying extra weight for 50 miles doesn’t help. I was hoping to break 12 hours.
Because of COVID, the race used three start waves, 6:30 am, 7 am, and 7:30 am. Race management put all elite runners and ten-time finishers in the first wave. So, my scheduled start time was 6:30 am.
We stayed at the Hampton Inn and arrived on time at 5:38 am. As we have done for the past many years, we have parked in downtown Boonsboro. This year, about 300 feet from the start line and got ready to run. I knew I was going to start toward the back of the pack.
I wore a pair of ½-cut shorts, long sleeve undershirt, singlet, gloves, and, for the first time in a long while, a bandana and ball cap. We were required to have a face covering available at all times. So, I used one of my fabric gaiters. I started with my Nike Pegasus trail 37. The first crew location was a mile 27. So, I carried my double bottle belt with extra clothes and food.
About the face coverings, we covered up at each aid station, at the start line, and while on the course when we were within 6 feet of another runner. It took about ¼ mile before the road was wide enough, and we spread out to avoid running with a face covering. Before each aid station, there was a sign telling us to cover up, and at the first aid station, a volunteer verbally reminded us at the sign. I did not feel at risk during the race.
My goals were to run without getting hurt on the AT, then hopefully hang on to finish before the 13-hour cutoff.
As usual, I run the first 20 minutes and then walk the remaining time to the South Mountain Inn. And, my time to the top was about a minute faster than in 2019. The course changed to a single-track trail, and with the small wave, no backups formed.
At mile 4, there is about a 2-mile paved section and then back on a single-track trail. I was already toward the back. So, there were not many people passing me.
While going downhill, my right side stitch started bothering me. Wearing a bottle belt does help as it applies pressure to the area.
I did some belly breathing, hoping the issue would go away. I did not want to cope with this nagging pain for another 44 miles and 10 hours. Eventually, it went away.
The second wave started coming by at about mile 7 and the third wave around mile 11. We were supposed to pass on the left, which made for some interesting footing in sections.
There has been some significant erosion on the Weverton switchbacks. They will have to do some trail work or rerouting in the area. My best time from the top of Weverton to the bottom is a little under 12 minutes. The switchbacks, being dry, were very runnable for me. The final descent took a little over 14 minutes. I came off the AT in under 4 hours for the second year in a row. Coming down, I hit a rock with my left toe, and the jerk made my right calf cramp. It took a little time for the cramp to subside.
Feeling good, I was not worried about the cutoffs, feeling I could get to Antietam by 7 hours and having 1 hour between each subsequent aid station to finish by 13 hours.
I set my watch for a 2-minute walk and 8-minute run repeats. I feel pretty good for about 50 minutes.
I change to 4-minute run and 2-minute walk repeats. My vision starts to get blurry, I’m having a hard time walking or running a straight line, and the bicyclists are making me irritable. With all the bars closed in Maryland and warm weather, more bicycles and hikers are on the C&O Canal path.
I get to Antietam at 6:40.
While in college, Megan started crewing for me. She has helped for more than 15 years. She has been able to track my times at specific checkpoints and is ready when I arrive. I change into road shoes and tell her I will be at the next crew stop in 2 hours and 30 to 40 minutes. I eat a banana while walking to the Antietam Aid Station and grab a coke. I had started Coke at mile 15.
After drinking the Coke, I start the run four and walk two patterns. Within 30 seconds, both calves cramp. I can walk without cramping. I can’t run more than 15 seconds without cramps. It’s time to work on the issue.
I eat the bag of chips I got from Megan. I change my watch to 1-minute repeats. I would walk for 1 minute and 45 seconds and then run for the last 15 seconds. If there were no cramps, I would extend the run portion by 5 seconds. Every mile, I would take a Succeed S!Cap. I was able to keep the miles under 15 minutes. After about 9 miles, I could run the entire minute without cramping and at a reasonable speed. Also, I consumed 8 ounces of Coke an hour, which helped with the caffeine boost.
I meet Megan again at Mile 38 and grab my headlamp, reflective vest, and a banana. The weather felt to be in the 50s. I wasn’t cold, and my clothes were not sweat-covered. I maintain the 1-minute walk and run pattern until the end of the canal path.
Toward the end of the canal path, I start getting digestive issues but push through. Since early March, I’ve been coping with digestive issues. During training, I hoped I would not have to stop at every aid station to take care of an issue.
I get off the canal path at 10:13m, three minutes slower than last year.
The last 8 miles are on pavement and are pretty easy to strategize, walk the ups and run, assuming you can, the flats and down. There is no porta pot line at the mile 44 aid station. So, I stopped and took care of my digestive issue. Knowing I had plenty of time to spare, after reaching mile 6 to go, I ended up walking almost to the end.
I was able to maintain a 13-minute per mile walking pace. For the last 3 miles, I’m still walking and going under 13 minutes a mile. On some of the uphills, the walk turns into a little run.
If you start a race running, you need to finish running. I run most of the last mile. With about 300 meters to go, I started running again. I may have started that final run section a little early. As I almost did not make it to the finish line without collapsing. It was not a pretty sight. I did an 11:03 last mile. I finished in 12:06:42, 7 minutes faster than in 2019. This result was a CPR (Current Personal Record), my best 50-mile time in the last five years.
Because of COVID, there was no finish line food and access inside the school to take a shower. I walked with Megan to my truck and ate a post-race banana before I took off my shoes and shirt. I put on sweats and drive to Burger King for a Whopper, fries, and a large soda.
I had to wait to get home, 2 hours later, to take off my socks and run shorts. I had no blisters and no broken toenails this year.
In addition to finishing my 25th consecutive JFK, I’m now on the list of runners completing the event in 4 different decades.
Now with 25 in the bank, what’s next? The yearly goal of running this race keeps my weight down and my butt from expanding. Plenty of time before the cutoffs. I don’t even have that excuse.
I’ll run a spring marathon to extend my marathon or longer finish streak to 29 years. We’ll see how my medical issues are going. We’ll think about number 26 around September. This year I added mileage to my training and was forced to improve my diet. I probably should do more work on my core.
Many thanks to Megan for crewing for me. It is nice to have a great support crew. Knowing she would be there helps to get through the hard spots.