For those of you who are tired of pounding the pavement and prefer to run with nature, trail running is for you. You’ll find softer ground, bigger hills and winding paths where birdsongs and fresh air are of abundance. You’ll see less commercialism, local organization, no asphalt, no stoplights, no fanfare and more fun. You’ll encounter fewer aid stations, more DNFs (did not finish), vague course markings, the occasional tumble, wet feet and headlamps. We take the path less trodden and seek out longer events in isolated parks.

We few, we happy few, we merry band of brothers (and one sister) – Jim A, Jim B, Tim C, Mike B, Mike E, Mike M, James W, Anthony A, Mary K, Dana B, Bill T and myself made the 4hr drive to run the Holiday Lake 50k++ trail race. For the metric-impaired 50km is about 32miles. Since the race is longer than a standard marathon (26.2 miles), it earns the designation “Ultra Marathon”. The race was run on Feb 9^th in the isolated Buckingham State Forest in rural southern Virginia. Holiday Lake 50k++ is the first leg of the Beast Series of Ultra-marathons organized by Dr. David Horton. Dr. Horton always selects picturesque venues and this time was no exception. Holiday Lake is well stocked with fish and is surrounded by scenic forests and gentle rolling hills.

Friday before the race, we rode down in separate convoys. The park is nowhere near anywhere and finding the remote 4-H center is always a challenge. We signed in and waited around for our pasta dinner. The pre-race meal is often the best part of any road trip because we can justify indulging in more than our usual amount for dinner. The cheesecake was excellent, and according to reliable authority, it is the key to any pre-race preparation.  Over pasta and cheesecake, it was great to meet up with long lost friends, and all the other crazies (ie. Ultra trail runners). Most of the talk was of races past and future, absent friends, injuries, training techniques and shoe recommendations.

Dr. Horton of Liberty University is legendary for his long runs, his many books and, the dozens of brutal trail races he organizes. There are thousands of people he has persuaded to run and the generations of students he has influenced. Despite his recent 7-way heart bypass surgery he appeared healthy and robust. His post-dinner talk covered book reports, health advisories, shoe suggestions and a course briefing. His large character infuses every aspect of the race and it was clear from the way everyone approaches  him that he is universally respected and admired. During the race, he drove alongside the course encouraging runners and was at the finish line to shake hands with everyone.

We stayed overnight in the onsite rustic log cabins. Accommodations were basic but that’s all we needed. We all brought sleeping bags and pillows and were well equipped for the night. A few funny stories were told and lights were out by 10pm. Some people need more preparation than others and so the first stirring was around 4.30am with everyone up by 5.30am. Time for some light breakfast, final equipment check, last-minute preening, and a few steps to the start area. Pre-race jitters covered the start area with an excited buzz as we all huddled in the cold. The line for the bathrooms though, was worse than the line at Starbucks. Practically speaking, the 24 degrees temperature meant gloves for everyone, hats for most, layers for the smart and tights for the wimps (myself included).

It’s 6.30am and we were off in the dark. We ran a half mile on a wide asphalt road to spread us out. The start on the road is necessary to prevent 350 fresh and eager runners hitting the narrow forest trail simultaneously in the dark. This would be like kids tumbling down the stairs on Christmas morning- all rushing and stumbling to get a peek at the view ahead. We had about 3 miles of cautious trail running before we could turn off our headlamps and clearly see our footing. The early miles are always a careful balance between cautiously overcoming obstacles to avoid falling and getting off to a good start. Then it was on to the good stuff… the reason we came – running on paths and through forests in the gentle pre-dawn light. Jumping rocks, weaving around trees, over stumps and ducking low hanging branches. The air was fresh and crisp. Our breaths frosted and suspended like dew in the cobwebs. Running conditions were perfect –firm underfoot, cool air, little ice, no wind and clear vistas. The first blush of sunlight unveiled an evergreen forest with the occasional lake view, bird sightings and beautiful scenery.

Trail etiquette seems to demand less talking and more awareness of the surroundings. A word or two every mile could be deemed chatty. Somehow when running in nature this monk-like behavior seems normal. Silent camaraderie for miles on end seems perfectly acceptable. However when conversation does break out, it always seems interesting.

The course took us 16 miles clockwise around Holiday Lake before returning and doing another lap counter-clockwise. The nice thing about this 2-lap system was that we got to see the leaders galloping by on their second lap. This is the only way regular folks like me get to see the fastest runners up close. How do they do it with so little apparent effort? Perhaps more cheesecake is the answer. The aid stations were about 4 miles apart so we carried extra water. Unfortunately freezing water bottles were a common occurrence. We crossed an icy stream at about mile 7 and got our lower legs thoroughly wet and chilled. Trail runners are a tougher crowd and simply accept the occasional dunking in frigid water as a rite of passage. Whining or complaining about running through glacial water or drinking from frozen bottles is unbefitting.

The last 2 miles of the loop course were fairly rocky, narrow and twisted with some steep slopes on either side. This made passing on-coming runners tricky at times with the occasional shoulder bumps and pauses to squeeze by. Common consensus was that the 2^nd lap was harder than the first. Slopes seemed steeper with trickier footing. The running surface got slicker as the ice melted and passing feet churned the paths into gelatinous mud.

Jim B finished his first lap, close behind James W, on pace for 4:35 finish. He was running relaxed, comfortable, and happy. Jim took a bathroom break at the turn around, slowed down for the second lap, but then put in some extra effort to play leap frog with Spencer. When Jim finished he was flattered to hear from both Mike M and Dana B that they had spent the second half of the run pushing hard to try to catch up with him, not realizing they had already passed him, whilst he was taking a break at the turnaround. Jim B placed 3^rd in his Age Group, well done Jim. Dana B won the 60+ Age Group by 40 minutes, an incredible effort!

Bill T felt very comfortable in the cool weather and ran fairly steady all day. Bill is still coming back from some off time from races. Bill considered the conditions near perfect since he likes the cold. He also found his water bottles freezing.

James W had GPS watch issues and resolved not to use the Garmin next year. Trail courses typically do not have mileage markers, forcing runners to become reliant on their GPS watches for accurate distance, time and pace. James considered the course fast but challenging. He tried to pace himself for a strong finish but due to some inaccurate mileage, he stopped trusting his watch after mile 18. A couple of volunteers at an aid station told him the correct distance at approximately mile 29, by which time his Garmin was incorrect by 2 miles. Thanks to that problem James thinks he lost 6-8 minutes by mistiming his pace but promises to be back next year with an even faster time.

Mary K enjoyed the day and was happy for the near perfect conditions. She also found the 2^nd loop to be rather muddy and slower, and consequently had to adjust expectations. Her finish time was faster than her previous HL, 2 years ago. When Mary encountered Jim A, Tim C and myself at the turnaround she estimated a 20 minute lag behind us. But she had a momentous surge near the finish and surprised herself by coming in close behind us. Mary placed 4^th in her Age Group, well done Mary.

Jim A had come back from an injury and set an easy pace (which is the only way I get to run with him in a race). Tim C’s boast for the day was “my first Ultra without falling”. We were impressed with Bill T’s 170^th (yes that’s right 170^th) Ultra-marathon finish. Spencer cursed taking a wrong turn near the finish and running 3 extra miles. Anthony S had such a strong finish. He passed me with about 4 miles to go yet beat me by 10 minutes!

Tim C, Jim A and I ran the last few miles in together and finished shoulder-to-shoulder. Mary K was close behind and we all posed together for finish line photos. By this stage Jim B had finished, showered, taken a nap, eaten a snack and returned to the finish line to greet his tardier comrades.

The Aid Stations were great – well stocked with liquids and snacks, staffed by helpful volunteers refreshing us and giving us a quick pep talk. Overall a wonderful day and enjoyable race in ideal conditions. Fun was had by all. Thanks to Jim A, Jim B, Mary K, Bill T, Anthony S and James W for providing input to this story. Thanks to Sophia L for style suggestions.