Holiday Lake 50K – Appomattox, Virginia – weekend of February 13th, 2010
So I am sure most of you can think of much more romantic things to do on St. Valentine’s weekend than run a 50km trail race. (Or maybe you can’t and that’s why you are part of the team same as me!) Believe me, this was more than just a trail race, it was an adventure right from the start. It began with checking my flight on the night of February 10th only to discover all flights going to Roanoke, Virginia were cancelled. So, that night I managed to get my flight arrangements switched to route me through Washington Dulles only to find out when I arrived at the airport the next morning that these flights were now cancelled too. Do you think I took the hint? No! I managed to arrange to be re-routed through Chicago and fly into Greensboro, North Carolina which was the closest airport which was open. So, finally arrived safe and sound.
The race is held at the Holiday Lake 4H Educational Centre in the Appomattox-Buckingham State Forest in Appomattox Virginia. It’s a great venue for a race, especially for first time ultramarathon participants. The race is a fairly flat 16 mile loop around Holiday Lake, first one direction, then back. The opportunity to get dry socks or take a washroom break halfway through the race (not in the woods!) is a nice bonus. The pre-race briefing and meal (great food and lots of it) the night before is always an event. David Horton is quite the character. He held the speed record for running the Appalachian Trail for a number of years and directs a number of races in the Virginia area. (ie. Promise Land & The Mountain Masochist…I think the name says it all)
So, the night of the pre-race briefing, what happened? It snowed some more! Now snow is not unheard of in Virginia, but 5-6 inches is. The race director, David Horton, who in all of his 60 ultra races he has directed, has never extended the time limit of a race, nor cut anyone any slack (I’ve heard stories of him refusing to hand someone a finishers shirt who finished the Mountain Masochist 50 miler in 12:01 versus the cut off of 12:00!) extended the time limit an additional hour. So, I think that says it all. However, the actual day of the race it was cold and clear and yes, still snowy on the ground.
You can imagine what it is like to run on the beach for 9 hours with the drag of the sand on your feet. So, imagine that, but with no oceanview or sunny warmth to make it bearable and you have an idea of what the conditions for the race were like. Grueling. At the halfway point, it felt like I had run at least two full 100K races not half a 50K. Every footfall was a cold, wet, slippery, trudging one. Did I mention that there is at least one river crossing (through the water) and one waterfall/lake crossing (over a bridge with slippery, icy steps)? However, despite the cold, despite the snow, it was a great race. Ok, my time was over an hour slower than the prior year, but for me it was all about the sense of accomplishment. It proved I was tough enough or maybe just that I was crazy enough! So, if you are looking for something memorable and maybe a little crazy to do for Valentine’s Day…this race is it!
