2021 JFK 50 Mile

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26 JFK 50 Mile races are in the can.

In the parking lot after finishing number 25, I told Meg that it was probably my last JFK. Since 1998, I mailed my form in on the first day or registered online within the first week.

When March 1, 2021, came around, I was hesitant to register. Knowing the race did not fill up in 2020, I kept a daily watch on the website, seeing if it was full.

In July, after straining a groin muscle from shoes that were not allowing me to pronate sufficiently, I did a lot of walking. I had 50 km and 10-mile races scheduled for the first two weeks of August and asked the race directors for early starts.

My second JFK decision point came at the 50km. If I could not cover a flat 50km in 8 hours, I would not finish 50 miles in 13 hours. I ran 6:46 at the 50km. It was cool and raining, so I decided to put off the decision until later.

Then, in Newport, Rhode Island, I ran an ok hilly marathon. I still put off the decision to later.

I got sick the last Monday in October, so bad; I had a COVID test. I ran a crappy 5km the following Saturday and an AT trail run two days later.

I had to make up my mind by October 30. JFK or a marathon in Arkansas.

I read my diary entry from two days after last year’s race, “maybe for 26; I’ll eliminate the pressure with the motto if it happens, it happens,” and registered a few minutes later.

I probably just beat the deadline to be included in the program as it still had the high bib number assignment.

It was 27 degrees at the race start, and temperatures were supposed to rise into the high 40. There was forecasted cloud cover and southerly winds. There was a little rain on Thursday night but no standing water on the runnable trails.

Even with the reduced July miles, the week before the race, my year-to-date miles, 1660, was seven more than 2020. This number has been relatively consistent over the past six years.

My final traditional AT training run was pokey slow in 4:29. This run is a good predictor of how I will do in the first 15 miles.

I was up 6 pounds from last year. Carrying extra weight for 50 miles doesn’t help. With my training, age and health, I was hoping to stay ahead of the cutoffs.

I stayed at the Hampton Inn and got out on time at 5:30 am. As I have done for many years, I 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 middle of the pack.

I wore shorts over compression shorts, singlet over a double layer of long sleeve undershirts,  gloves, gaiter, and knit hat. I started with my Nike Pegasus trail 37. The first crew location was at mile 15, where I would change into my Saucony Endorphin Speed 2 shoes.

Deciding only three weeks before the race, I did not try to get a crew. Kathy Huffman took a bag for me to the Weverton aid station with shoes, food, UCAN, and clothes. Not having a crew for the last 34 miles,  I carried my double bottle belt to hold extra clothes, reflective vest, headlamp, S!caps, and food.

My goal was to run without getting hurt on the AT. I would hang on to finish before the cutoff of 13 hours.

As I approached the start, there were significant open space gaps, and I moved to about 50 feet behind the line. There were more people taking selfies than getting ready to run.

After the gun went off, I started to keep pace with the people around me, which was not that taxing. However, hoards of runners kept passing. They registered just under 1500 runners, and 1038 started. During my 26 years, this was the largest field that began in one wave.

I wanted to run the first 20 minutes and then walk the remaining time to the South Mountain Inn. I only made it for about 12 minutes before I started to walk. My breathing was more difficult than it should be.  At the Inn, the course changed to a single-track trail and large backups formed. Walking was as fast as running.

At mile 4, there is about a 2-mile paved section and then back on a single-track trail. Once again, large backups formed. If we maintained the pace, we would not finish in 20 hours.

Backups form from one slow or cautious runner. The people right behind do not pass them, sometimes because they are running as a group. And the people behind them are not passing, waiting for those in front to go around.

I’m not great on single-track trails. But, when I see a gap forming 20 runners ahead of me, I’ll ask the person in front of me to pass.

The backups started breaking, and I was back up to my speed, allowing people behind me to pass.

About a mile from the Gap, a woman 100 meters ahead faceplanted and was lying on the ground crying. Her male companion told her not to look at her leg. A person in front of me said he was going to alert the EMTs. When I passed, I asked for her bib number to give the responders.

That last mile was a little more pleasant running, thinking of something other than not running well. I made it to the Gap in 2:17, 13 minutes ahead of the cutoff, and found the emergency support.

I passed on the bib numbers, and they asked me the type of injury. I recommended taking an air cast.

Heading south, the crowd had thinned. Walking up the first hill, I turned to look at a passer and did a faceplant, no scrapes or bruises.

Just before the top of the cliffs, there is a long rocky section of the trail. Most of the rocks in this area are large and flat. I quickly passed those who earlier passed me, knowing unless the rock moved, I wasn’t going to trip.

While coming down the switchbacks, small backups formed, and I got by as I could. 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 16 minutes. I came off the AT in 4:12, 48 minutes ahead of the cutoffs.

At the bottom, I changed shoes, refilled my bottles with UCAN, changed to a bandana and ball cap, changed to a singlet over one shirt, and tied my heavy undershirt around my waist.

I remember something I posted last week, “Positive thoughts bring positive results.” Let’s say I had a lot of negative thoughts while on the AT, thinking of dropping.

My positive thoughts changed to “I’m going to run as hard and best that I can.” If I keep my miles under 15, I’ll be fine. I’ve been at Weverton in the past later than 4:12.

I get my first dose of caffeine at Weverton.

I set my watch for 2-minute walk 8-minute run repeats. I feel pretty good for about 50 minutes.

I changed to 4- minute run and 2-minute walk repeats. At the 22-mile aid station, I should have hit the porta pot. At the 24-mile aid station, there was a line.

I got to Antietam at 6:59, 31 minutes ahead of the cutoffs. Finally, there was no line in the porta pot, and I took care of a digestive issue, which took about 5 minutes.

Shortly after leaving Antietam, I changed my watch to 4-minute intervals where I would walk 150 paces, about 130 seconds, and run the rest. I kept up the routine for the remainder of the Canal Path. Though at times, I thought I was walking faster than running.

The National Park Service has done some tremendous surfacing work on the Canal Path. In sections, I thought it was asphalt. There were no ruts and roots to slow me down.

At mile 34 aid, I was 13 minutes ahead of the cutoffs, at mile 38 aid, 15 minutes, and end of the canal, 20 minutes. I had 6 miles over 15 minutes, and I kept calculating what I needed to maintain to get in before 13 hours.

Toward the end of the canal path, I pulled out my reflective vest and headlamp. I had about 20 more minutes of civil daylight.

I walked up the hill to 8 miles to go and calculated that I need to keep my miles under 17 minutes. I run some of the flats and down until it gets dark and my legs don’t feel like running. I ended up walking almost to the finish.

With about 6 miles to go, my hands start getting cold. I know that I should put on my heavier shirt with hand covering sleeves, but I don’t want to spend the time and have to bend over.

Knowing I might be going hypothermic, I stopped at a house porch 5 feet from the roadway just before Downsville. It takes me 3 minutes to get my extra shirt on, under my singlet. While in the process, Dan Huffman passes my location.

I came through Downsville 14 minutes ahead of the cutoffs.

I was able to maintain a 15 minute/mile walking pace. At times, I’m not walking a straight line. My hands do get warmer, with my core staying warmer, too. With 2 miles to go, I needed to maintain a 20 minute per mile pace.

If you start a race running, you need to finish running. Usually, I try to run as much as possible of the final mile. If you can call it running, I ran the last 50 feet and finished 8 seconds after Dan.

It was not a pretty sight. I did a 15:21 last mile. I finished in 12:50:52, 46 minutes slower than 2020 and my slowest time ever. I was 548 seconds ahead of the final cutoff.

I got my bag from Kathy and headed inside. I needed to catch the bus back to Boonsboro and had an hour to recover.

I didn’t feel like eating or drinking and was breathing heavily and shivering. After a brief pity party, I slipped on some sweatpants, a dry knit hat, and my GoreTex jacket.

Within a couple of minutes, I felt good enough to head to the bus. Once back at Boonsboro, I drove 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 running shorts. I had no blisters and no broken toenails this year.

Now with 26 in the bank, what’s next? The yearly goal of running this race keeps my weight down and my butt from expanding.

This one was stressful and not fun. With weekly in-person races and the late decision, I did not do my usual JFK preparation. Is it age or reduced fitness?

I’ll run a spring marathon to extend my marathon or longer finish streak to 30 years. Maybe I can start my regular JFK training routines in July and skip the fall marathon. If those are going well, I’ll think about number 27 around September.