Imminent Catastrophe
Has anyone here run Stone Mill 50 in Maryland? Same day as JFK but supposed to be much lower-key. What's it like?
"Able to function despite imminent catastrophe"
"To obtain the air that angels breathe you must come to Tahoe"--Mark Twain
"The most common question from potential entrants is 'I do not know if I can do this' to which I usually answer, 'that's the whole point'.--Paul Charteris, Tarawera Ultramarathon RD.
√ Javelina Jundred Jalloween 2015
Cruel Jewel 50 mile May 2016
Western States 100 June 2016
Le professeur de trail
It is very low key (although not FA low key) and mostly trail as opposed to the "other one" the same day. No big hills really. Nice people, small numbers, very reasonable price. It's a nice event. I hope to be back there this year (fingers crossed).
They have changed the course all three years it has run. But I do believe they will stick with what they did last year. I ran in 2011 and it ended up being 54.5 miles - oops!. Not too many people seemed to care - just more miles for the money I suppose.
I have a RR somewhere but I think I complained a lot about everything that went wrong with me that day. I really did enjoy it.
Reg won't open until August. They wait until after JFK closes.
My favorite day of the week is RUNday
Faster Than Your Couch!
I ran it last year and liked it. It is a very easy trail race, all non-technical trails, no big hills, just very gently rolling terrain through the woods and along the Towpath for 3 miles or so.
It is a low-key race, but well organized and easy to drive to. I got lost on the course several times because the markers are spaced apart a bit far, and there were a few sections where all of us runners came to a screetching halt, searching at an intersection where to continue. In one spot, I would absolutely not have known where the course goes, but there was another runner, and he had run the race before and knew where to go.
So if you are patient, you'll find your way fairly easily.
Good food, although not a huge selection, great volunteers, not many spectators. Not many runners, so it won't be crowded on the trails, but there will usually be some lone runner in front or behind you much of the time.
The race starts in the dark, so you'll need a headlamp, and depending on your speed, you might need the lamp also for the finish. I finished in daylight, but had a lamp with me, just in case. Last year, temps were quite low, and it took several hours before the frost on the ground was gone, and the hose of my hydration pack did not freeze up any more. But you can definitely run it with just a handheld, too.
I had written up a RR, but due to the "renovation" on RunnersWorld websites, I can't find it any more.
All in all, a nice race I'd recommend.
Run for fun.
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... It is a low-key race, but well organized and easy to drive to. I got lost on the course several times because the markers are spaced apart a bit far, and there were a few sections where all of us runners came to a screetching halt, searching at an intersection where to continue. In one spot, I would absolutely not have known where the course goes, but there was another runner, and he had run the race before and knew where to go. So if you are patient, you'll find your way fairly easily. ...
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I bet that was at the part where we down a steep trail onto the road, and needed to turn left, but someone had removed the markers that morning. We needed to turn left and run down the paved road, with the creek just to our left. This was either at 29.5 or 32.5, judging by the map.
I had trouble there, and I've run it every year, and specifically remembered that intersection - but I wasn't sure if it was to be different, b/c how the course has been adjusted every year. Plus this was far enough in that my brain just wasn't working very well
I like this race (but I have nothing else to which to compare it, really).
It's a 5k. It hurt like hell...then I tried to pick it up. The end.
Oh, you can read course descriptions and reviews for Seneca Creek Trail marathon and 50K; this uses its course. In fact that's how I found a description of what the other mill on the course is (the one in better shape than the Stone Mill).
They have a yahoo group that you can get detailed answers for most questions. It was my first ultra and it was great IMHO. It wasn't crowded the course had some vary to it so you weren't bored. The aid stations had all kinds of stuff even bacon frying on a griddle at the last one. The weather started out cold but warmed to about 50 something. With Super Storm Sandy occurring like 3 weeks before, they really went the extra mile to get most of the trail cleared. The course is tricky and the markings were hit and miss but I had run the course numerous times in training so I knew most of the turns. Opens in August and you can't be the entry fee cost.
Bacon, really? And I missed that? Dang it.
Perros: Yes, exactly that one intersection. Boy, was I glad that group behind me had caught up to me right there, I would have been totally lost.
And the trail markers were definitely tricky, I missed one on the last few miles and kept running along that creek, realizing my mistake only half a mile later, when that trail ended in the middle of nowhere. Track back, do the extra mile, and find myself finishing right behind that one lady which I had been chasing all throughout the 50 miles, dropping her a few miles before my mistake. Oops.
But all in all, a very nice race, I'd recommend it strongly.