Catherine's Furnace 50k

Race #1 of the "West" and Wild, Fall preparation was this past weekend.  On 7/23/21 James and I left for Rocktown (Harrisonburg) in preparation of the 7/24/21 Catherine's Furnace Fat Ass 50k, between New Market and Luray.  

Fat Ass events have certain qualities;

- Zero or minimal entry fees
- No shirt
- No awards
- Minimal Aid
- A range of zero Course Markings to fully marked course

See all the race details here.  The Course is a lollipop loop with a common 10 mile section out and back and an 8 mile loop section in the middle, 3 big climbs with a total of 5700ft of climbing.    

The goal was to use this as a training race and to enjoy time on new to me trails.  It was going to be a hot and humid day so I wasn't sure what to expect in regards to performance.  

The race started out with a mile or so of rocky runnable terrain.

As we got in to the long 1600ft climb up to Bird Knob I fell in with a group of 6 and just followed. 

Bird Knob was a McAfee's Knob style rocky overlook looking over New Market. 

We ran the ridge for awhile before dropping down to the first aid station.  This ridge was similar to Tinker Cliffs.  It was runnable with large embedded rocks and a trail covered in pine needles.  

I opted to pass by the first aid station, thinking I would be fine until AS 2.  I felt fine now but I'm pretty sure I should have been drinking more.  

From there, it was some very rocky and technical trail up to the second ridge, on the infamous Purple Trail

and then a steep rocky descent leading to more runnable terrain to the second aid station at Catherine's Furnace.

I topped off with water and was on my way pretty quickly.  From here we had a 2.5 mile run, gradually climbing on a gravel road.  

Next was AS 3 where again I opted to not take any water and roll on through.  Probably another bad idea.  Side note, you ever see that SNL skit, "Bad Idea Jeans"? 

We were now on the Morgan Run Trail.  This was a rocky trail that went straight up the Hollow, meandering over rocks and trees, across streams, through muddy sections with logs in them to help provide footing, through a former controlled burn area that ultimately led to an overgrown Forest Service Road.  Along this road  I started to get the first cramps of the day, at about mile 16.  At AS 4 we came to another gravel road that descended back to Catherine's Furnace and AS 5.

I topped off my water and resupplied my food for the return trip to the finish.  From Catherine's we were going to retrace our steps back up the 3.2 miles and 1600ft to the top of the Purple Trail climb.  Anyone who's been here before will remember the Purple Trail.  Just ask them about it.  

This was a slow slow hike up to the top, in the heat of the day, while nursing some cramps.  Finally to the top and now one half mile loose rocky section back to AS 6.  Here I topped off my water and removed my left shoe to remove a few pebbles and then was on my way back to Bird Knob and the final 4.5 miles to the finish.  Trying to take a shoe off while dealing with cramps takes some patience.  It's not an easy or fun process.

Different than the beginning of the race, we skirted around the Bird Knob Trail, staying on the Orange Trail.  This looked to be an old Forest Service Road lined with mountain laurel and about 10 of these large anthills.  This whole section of trail was covered with ants doing their thing.  

From here it was a 4 mile rocky technical descent to the finish.  My toes had been pretty beat up and the soles of my feet were pretty bruised up, so I limped my way to the finish in around 6:20 and getting the coveted CFA-50k sticker.  

2021 the year of bad ideas with good intent

2020 had a few events that we were signed up for, get crammed into a small block of weekends.

The 2021 Summer and Fall race plan is as follows. 

Training races/runs to lead up to the big events;
7/24/21 - James Decker and I are running the Catherine's Furnace 50k put on by the VHTRC (Virginia Happy Trails Running Club)
8/14/21 - Gina and I are headed to Crozet to run the infamous JIM (Jarman's Invitational Marathon).
Update to this - we ended up getting Covid during or immediately after this race and had two weeks until the Rut.

The Big Events;
Back in 2017 we headed out to Montana to run the The Rut Mtn Runs VK & 50k.  In the 3 days of events, only the Saturday 28k got to the top of Lone Peak.  The Vertical Kilometer was shortened due to wind and the 50k was shortened due to ice and snow.  A good size group of us are doing one or more of the races.  When signing up this time, Jonathan Adcock and I did what sane trail runners do, we signed up for all three races so that we could almost guarantee getting to the top, in one or all of the races.  

9/3/21 - The Rut Mtn Runs Vertical Kilometer
9/4/21 - The Rut Mtn Runs 28k
9/5/21 - The Rut Mtn Runs 50k - I opted not to do this

Then we head to Lake Tahoe to try and tame the Broken Arrow Skyrace.  This was supposed to be a June race, but California was one of the most strict states with their Covid guidance, and it got postponed to October.  

10/1/21 - The Broken Arrow Vertical Kilometer
10/2/21 - The Broken Arrow 52k

And, finally, 9 days later I made it into the 125th Boston Marathon.  I'm not really excited to run another marathon to qualify for the 2022 event, so I'm headed there to experience the Covid postponed reduced field event.  If I could have my way I'm hoping for 3 things;
- that I survive the aforementioned races without injury
- that I enjoy the race this time. 2018 was a complete mess due to the weather.  It was more of a "let's get this thing done" rather than an enjoyable race.
- and I run another qualifying event of 3:15 or better (3:20 is my qualifying time and the 5 minutes is the extra time I'd probably need to get in). 

Running History - Present to Past

2020 Plan
09/4/20, 9/5/20 & 9/6/20 - The Rut Vertical Kilometer, 28k and 50k (2)
06/19/20 & 6/20/20 - Broken Arrow Skyrace Vertical Kilometer and 50k - Canceled
04/18/20 - Blue Ridge Marathon (3) - Canceled
03/21/20 - Terrapin Half Marathon (4) Ran this as a Virtual Race - 2:06:46

2019
57 Ultras (34 50k, 4 40M, 10 50M, 5 100k, 4 100M) & 5 Marathons
12/14/19 - Hellgate 100k (5) 14:26:20
11/16/19 - Richmond Marathon (2) BQ in 3:09:41
06/18/19 - Bighorn 100M (2) 30:34:31
04/14/19 - Bull Run Run 50M 9:51:46 and 18th place
03/23/19 - Terrapin Half Marathon (3) 1st Master
02/16/19 - Holiday Lake 50k (10) 4:59:35 10th Male Overall

2018
11/03/18 - Mountain Masochist 50M (3) Pacing 11:49
07/21/18 - Vermont 100M 19:16
06/23/18 - San Juan Solstice 50M (3) 12:03
04/13/18 - Boston Marathon 3:06:20
02/17/18 - Holiday Lake 50k (9) 4:35:29 12th and 1st Master

2017
09/01/17 - Iron Mountain 30M (4) 4:45:41 4th Place
07/18/17 - Laugavegur Marathon 55k (Iceland) 6:01:05 41st
06/17/17 - Bighorn 100M 26:40:27 19th
04/22/17 - Blue Ridge Marathon (2) 3:27:01 8th
04/01/17 - Dam 5k - 1st Overall
03/18/17 - Terrapin Half Marathon (2) 1:59:57 1st Overall
02/11/17 - Holiday Lake 50k (8) 4:26:14

2016 - This was the year after the Beast Series and I wanted to do some different things with a focus on "less is more."  The BRM and trying to go for a BQ were high on the list.  
12/10/16 - Hellgate 100k (4) 13:04:45 1st Master
11/12/16 - Richmond 3:03:42
09/02/16 & 9/4/16 - The Rut VK and 50k 5:14:43
06/18/16 - Highland Sky 40M (2) 7:17 9th Overall
04/16/16 - Blue Ridge Marathon 3:17:28 8th overall
09/19/16 - Terrapin Half Marathon 1:57:59 1st Overall

2015 The Beast Series Year
12/12/15 - Hellgate 100k (3) 13:23:47
11/08/15 - Mountain Masochist 50M (2) 9:00:50
10/09/15 - Grindstone 100M 23:17 10th Overall
09/05/15 - Iron Mountain 50M 8:38:15 6th Overall
06/27/15 - San Juan Solstice 50M (2) 13:04
04/25/15 - Promise Land 50k (6) 5:45:55
03/21/15 - Terrapin Mtn 50k 5:03:32
02/14/15 - Holiday Lake 50k (7) 4:35:46

2014
8/30/14 - Iron Mountain 30M (3) 4:45:56 2nd Overall
7/19/14 - Tahoe 50M 9:57:16 9th Overall
6/14/14 - Highland Sky 40M 7:32:01 15th Overall
4/26/14 - Promise Land 50k (5) 5:37:53

2013
8/31/13 - Iron Mountain 30M (2) 4:49:36 5th Overall
7/27/13 - Catoctin 50k (4) 6:08:48
6/22/13 - San Juan Solstice 50M 12:27:20
2/02/13 - Uwharrie 40M (2) 7:14:22 8th Overall
1/12/13 - Willis River 50k (2) 4:35:24 2nd Overall

2012
12/08/12 - Hellgate 100k (2) 12:29:53 11th Overall
09/01/12 - Iron Mountain 30M 4:34:39 3rd Overall
06/23/12 - Eastern Divide 50k 4:38:38 3rd Overall
02/04/12 - Uwharrie 40M 7:22:29 9th Overall
01/14/12 - Willis River 50k (2) 4:38:58 1st Overall

2011
10/12/11 - Richmond Half Marathon 1:27:12
07/30/11 - Catoctin 50k 6:23 (3) 10th Overall
02/12/11 - Holiday Lake 50k (6) 4:33:16 16th Overall
01/15/11 - Swinging Bridge 35k (2) 2:52 3rd Overall

2010
11/20/10 - Outback Scramble (2) 6th Overall
10/09/10 - Deep Hollow Half Marathon (2) 1:49:12 6th Overall
08/28/10 - USATF 10k Trail Championship
07/30/10 - Catoctin 50k (2) 7:17
05/28/10 - Rock 2 Rock 10k - Straight up and then straight down the mtn
04/24/10 - Promise Land 50k (5) 5:41:26 - first time under 6 hours
02/13/10 - Holiday Lake 50k (5) 5:37 Snow year
01/16/10 - Swinging Bridge 50k 5:03:10 4th Place
01/02/10 - Frozen Sasquatch 25k 2:19 2nd Overall

2009
11/21/09 - Outback Scramble
11/14/09 - Pack it out Half Marathon 1:49:10
10/17/09 - Deep Hollow Half Marathon 1:56:58 7th Overall
05/25/09 - Bolder Boulder 10k
04/25/09 - Promise Land 50k (4) 6:18:15
02/14/09 - Holiday Lake 50k (4) 5:04:04 - trying hard to go sub 5
01/17/09 - Swinging Bridge 35k

2007
04/27/07 - Promise Land 50k (3) 6:07:26

2005
03/26/05 - Bel Monte Endurance 50k 6:02

2004
02/14/04 - Holiday Lake 50k (3) 5:31:31

2003
12/13/03 - Hellgate 100k 14:52 9th Overall
10/18/03 - Mountain Masochist 50M 9:18
08/09/03 - Catoctin 50k 5:59:20
04/26/03 - Promise Land 50k (2) 6:16:32
02/15/03 - Holiday Lake 50k (2) 5:53 Extreme Mud Year

2002
11/23/02 - JFK 50M 9:34:01
09/28/02 - Beech Mountain Madness 50k 6:23
06/02/02 - Biltmore 15k 1:10:56
04/27/02 - Promise Land 50k 6:32
02/16/02 - Holiday Lake 50 5:28:23

2019 Fitness Summary

After focusing on an average of 50 miles/week last year I decided to just run and let my fitness and health in charge of my training.  I see a lot of people get in trouble with putting a goal or race in front of their fitness and health and it almost always ends in disappointment. 

General Stats
Running - 2301 miles
Mtn Biking - 90 miles
Road Cycling - 1051
13 weeks of 50 miles or more
16 weeks of speed work leading up to the Richmond Marathon

Races;
02/16/19 Holiday Lake 50k - 5:59:35 - 10th Male

03/23/19 Terrapin Half Marathon - 2:08:20 - 5th and 1st Master

04/13/19 Bull Run Run 50 Miler - 9:51:46 

06/18/19 Bighorn 100 Miler - 30:34:31

11/16/19 Richmond Marathon - 3:09:43 - BQ accomplished

12/14/19 Hellgate 100k - 14:26:20 - 5th time Eagle Trophy and WS qualifier means no mandatory 100s in 2020

Roughly 290 miles of race miles which is 12.6% of my mileage for the year.

Following Holiday Lake I've battled a couple bio-mechanical issues.  I never felt great this year and am looking to work some of these out in 2020.  Always work to be done

2020 Plan - Vert, lots of vert

Terrapin Half Marathon in March

Broken Arrow VK and 50k races in June

The Rut Mtn Runs VK, 28k and 50k in September

Already thinking about 2021

Boston Marathon

100 miler that is a Hardrock qualifier

10 Years of Holiday Lake

Holiday Lake #1
The year was 2002;

•      I was 26 and I'd started running 6 months prior
•      it was 3 months after my first race, the Jingle Bell 5k
•      I was training with a guy that had done some ultras so I figured I could do some ultras
•      a GPS watch didn't exist, we had to rely on things called Horton Miles
•      LED lights didn't exist (anybody remember the Petzl Zoom or running with a mini Mag?)
•      Handheld bottles didn't exist unless you made one yourself
•      Waistpacks with a bottle were common
•      It was a different time....

I don't remember much about that first Holiday Lake 50k, but I remember it ran around the lake opposite of what it does today, counter clockwise to start, and then returned clockwise.  The weather was cold, the footing good and I followed the wise ultra adage of "hike the hills and run the flats and downs."  My legs were tired, I was thrilled to finish, and within a second of crossing the finish line my legs seized up, as if I had no knee joints.  I was 48th in 5:28.23.  Fun Fact - I still have the long sleeve Patagonia finishers shirt and it is still in great condition.

Lesson #1 - The brain controls the physical body.  The thing between your ears can lead you to amazing things or it can stop you well before your time is due.  The guy that ran across the finish line was the same guy that couldn't bend his knees after the finish.  The only difference is that the mind knew the race was over.  

Holiday Lake #2 - 2003
In 2003 it was a different Holiday Lake.  The weather was poor; rain and sleet on top of some snow and a gradual thaw that saw the course become mud ++.  I had never seen so much mud.  This race was actually easier physically but the poor conditions made it a mental challenge.  I was able to run more sections than in 2003 but ended up 30 minutes slower for a 42nd place and 5:53.

Lesson #2 - Running slower, staying more aerobic, causes less muscle soreness.   

Holiday Lake #3 - 2004
In 2004 I went in hoping for a PR.  That's one of the problems of racing.  You always want to improve and in this case it was proving that I was both smarter and more fit than the guy that ran his first 50k six months after starting to run.   This race started out as planned, but at around mile 12 I started to have what I like to call the "bubblin' crude."  This went on until mile 28.  The GI system just wasn't interested in being on my team.  I think I headed into the woods 3 or 4 times, a couple of these trips got me wrapped up in briers and locust thorns.  I thought I might have a chance at "best blood" an honor Dr. Horton gives out to the bloodiest finisher.  I was in the best blood lead until someone else easily bumped me out of first place.  They had chaffed their privates and had visible blood on the front of their shorts (winner, winner).  This day ended with a time of 5:31:31

Holiday Lake #4 - 2009
For a lot of different reasons I went on a Holiday Lake hiatus and skipped a few years only to return on Valentines Day 2009.  Once again I was hoping to go below 5 hours.  This year the course was changed to what it is today.  I felt like I was in good shape but fell off pace and bonked a bit in the middle sections.  Regained composure towards the end but was unable to go under 5 and ended in 5:04:04.  This was the best I could have done on this day.

Holiday Lake #5 - 2010
In 2010 I was in the best shape of any of my other Holiday Lake runs and felt like I was in sub 5 shape.  Mother nature isn't a variable you can plan for and this year the Holiday Lake course was covered in 4-6 inches of snow.  Snow that was almost frozen enough to stay on top of, but with each foot step, the crust on top would cave in right as I was pushing off.  Dr. Horton extended the time cuts due to the conditions.  I was doing pretty well to the turnaround but started falling off pace on the 2nd half.  The snow and extra effort needed to get through it really took a toll and created more fatigue than expected.  Finished worn out in 5:37:00.

Holiday Lake #6 - 2011
This year would be the year of a sub 5 hour finish.  Returning in 2011 I was at a totally different level of fitness than previous years and was focused on a best case scenario of 4:30 and worst case of 4:59.59.  I was running high 30's and some 40 mile weeks.  I had planned to do the Willis River 50k in early January but rolled my ankle during the race and decided to stop at the 35k finish line.  This may have been a blessing in disguise and helped me come in to Holiday Lake less fatigued.
I came into the halfway point of Holiday Lake around 2:09 and slowly faded off that 8 minute pace to finish in 4:33:16.  Having a 30+ minute PR is a special thing.

Holiday Lake #7 - 2015
I took a couple years off from doing Holiday Lake for the Uwharrie 40 miler that occurs the week before.  So I didn't return again until 2015.  I thought I was in similar fitness as in 2011 and could match that time.  I started out with running buddies, Johnny Robinson and Matt Prescott.  We ran together until around mile 8 when I had to make a side of the road pit stop (gotta watch out for those headphone wires in an emergency #2 stop).  Simple enough, I got back in to the swing of things and caught back up with Johnny and then Matt.
At the turnaround I had another unexpected stop in the bathroom (Pro Tip; skip the bathhouse, the bathrooms right at the finish line at Holiday Lake are heated).  On the return trip things went really smooth and I think I held my pace to finish in 4:35.46.  Without those pesky bathroom breaks I could have been under 4:30.  Maybe Next time.

Holiday Lake #8 - 2017
I skipped Holiday Lake in 2016 following the Beast Series.  I wanted to take an ultra break to recover and run some different races.  I ended 2016 training for both the Richmond Marathon and BQ and Hellgate.  Both races went well and I ended the year with some pretty good fitness.
This was the first race James and I ran together.  We hit the turnaround at 2:12 and stayed together until mile 21.  At that point I felt like I needed to push it a bit to hit the sub 4:30.  I hit the last water stop with 4 miles to go around 5 minutes slower than I wanted.  I went in to a mini panic and gave it all I had to hit my target time.  Somehow the wheels stayed on and I was able to finish 20th in 4:26.14.

Holiday Lake #9 - 2018
This was another trip to Holiday Lake where I was looking for an 8min/mile pace which would be a 4:18 for the 32.2 mile race.  Well this year was a little different as one of the bridges over the lake had been taken out due to age or a storm.  This caused a reroute of the course where we had to go around an inlet and then return to the trail.  It was projected that the course was about .75 longer in each direction for a total of 1.5 mile longer.  I hit the turnaround with an 8 min pace but that slowly faded away with a few cramping issues on the return trip.  All in all it ended well with a 12th place and first master award in 4:35.29.  I think this was my best placing.

Holiday Lake #10 - 2019
This is the first time in a few years that I was showing up to HL not looking for a PR.  I knew I wasn't in my best February shape.  The course was expected to be really muddy this year.  It had been wet leading up to the race and the forecast had rain in it. 
I thought I was in around 4:49 shape and wasn't sure how the mud would play out.  The first loop went according to plan and as the weather and course got worse my pace fell off again.  I felt good about constant running progress, I just didn't have the normal turnover I've come to expect on this course.  I did end up with a 11 overall and 10th male.  The first time, since the first Hellgate in 2003, that I was top 10 male in a Horton race.

Holiday Lake 50k isn't the most scenic race but it is early in the year, it's a runable course, it is a well run race, and if you are in 50k shape in February then the foundation is set for a lot of different race options in the spring and early summer.

Dr. Horton does a great job directing races and it is a great place to catch up with runners I've known over this 16+ year process.