Willis River Trail 50k 2012 Edition

For the third time in the last four years, I enjoyed a full Saturday morning on the Willis River Trail at Bear Creek State Park in Cumberland, Virginia, hosted by the Richmond Road Runners. After skipping the run in 2011 with a one-month old baby, I made the 2+ hour drive up early Saturday morning for a 50k trail race. My brother, Matt, lives in Midlothian, so he's sort of the reason for my attendance.

Back in 2009, I stopped at 35k on a ZERO degree morning. Seriously, ZERO. Taken as an average of the car thermometers...-1, 0, 1. That was cold. The next year I finished first in the 50k, but really only because the guy in front of me went off course. I ran the Frosty 50k last year and this year set sights on the 50k again as a training run for Uwharrie, three weeks past.

We started with temps in the mid-20s, cold enough for me to wear a short sleeved shirt under my singlet. I ran hard, but relaxed at the start, focusing on running my own pace, something that I could "hold" for long enough to get started on the last 15k. This race is unique in that all runners do an out and back 35k then have the option of continuing on for the full 50k. This is a pretty tricky thing to do - to force yourself to run another 10 miles when there's a perfectly good reason to stop.

The first section of trail, from the start to the first aid station, is a long 5ish miles, probably closer to 6 and took around 50 minutes. Running through the aid station, I continued on to the turnaround in around 7th place or so. I hit the turnaround in around 1:25 and began the return trip. I went back and forth over whether to stop at the 35k or not, never really making my mind up one way or the other. I passed two runners and hit the 35k mark as the 5th runner. Two went on to the 50k, two stopped. At least third place either way. Onward it was.

As luck would have it, I caught up with the first two guys, who were running together, halfway to the turnaround. I pushed on past them, but then got pretty tired at the turnaround and was only a minute or so ahead. My lack of calories (3 gels total) was catching up to me and I got caught by Josh halfway back to the finish. We ran together for most of the rest of the race, until the last climb up to the finish where I just couldn't keep up. Bonk.

I made it back about 20 seconds behind him, in second place. Matt was still there, after finishing his 35k half an hour earlier. I didn't feel very good at the end, but was overjoyed to be done. I was awarded a beautiful "running bear" trophy for my effort and a second place overall by pushing through to the end.

My time was less than a minute faster than when I "won" in 2010, solidifying my "lost year" of 2011, training-wise. I wasn't able to stick around long because I wanted to get back for the Olympic Trials. The Willis River Trail races are great events. Wonderful organization, beautiful and challenging trail, and very low-key. A great option to some bigger events, but it does sell out quickly.

Cheers!