Tuesday, April 23, 2024

Bull Run Run 2024 - A Father and Son Event

April 6

I am back at this race after finishing last year with only 15 seconds to spare.  This is my 15th time running this event, and unlike last year, the weather is forecasted to be much more conducive for running.  Additionally, my son, Nathan, is running his first 50-mile race.  It has rained quite a bit this week, but the last two days have been dry.  I have differing thoughts on how I want to run this race this year.  One thought I have is that I could try and sneak out and push the pace early to make Nathan work to catch up to me.  The other thought is that I should just hang with him and see how long I can keep up.  The weather is dry and clear with the temperature at the start in the high 30s.  I am wearing a long-sleeve shirt with thin hat and gloves.

Mile 7.2      1:18:11 (10:52 avg./mile) Centreville Road

The race starts, and I get off quickly.  I wonder if Nathan got through the start congestion as well as I did.  I look over to my right, and Nathan is running right beside me!  We make the initial ¾ of a mile loop, and some runners are trying to go around the spillway.  I run right on through as the water is only an inch or two deep.  I don’t think I got my socks wet.  Nathan and I proceed down the trail to the main trail beside the river.  We are in a pack of runners that are all moving well.  We walk only when the uphill is steep.  I have a slight worry that I may be going too fast, but let’s see what happens.  Kevin Sayers is in his usual position welcoming everyone to Centreville Road.  I grab a PB&J sandwich quarter from the aid station and press on with Nathan right in front of me.

Mile 9.7      25:19 (10:08 avg./mile) Bluebell Loop

We are about a mile and a half into this section and the trail is not very muddy at all.  Nathan comments that he probably won’t change his shoes at mile 17.  Less than a half mile later we come to a small tributary that doesn’t have a bridge.  So, down and up through the stream we go with the water about knee deep.  I guess we will be changing shoes when the time comes.  The stream crossing doesn’t slow us down as we hit this aid station in quick time.  This aid station just has water so I don’t even stop.

Mile 12.5    27:18 (9:45 avg./mile) Centreville Road

Nathan and I continue to run at a very fast clip.  There are two midshipmen from the Naval Academy trailing us as we head back to the south.  So far, I feel really good, and the temperature is still rather cool.  I still have the hat and gloves on, but I have rolled the hat up one fold.  We are welcomed back by Kevin, and I again grab a sandwich quarter.

Mile 17.6    57:31 (11:17 avg./mile) Hemlock Overlook

My effort remains steady through this section.  The trail is drier on this section than the last, but this section has some climbs.  Nathan is leading the pace and a group of up to eight runners.  I am hanging on for now.  We cross the second set of pylons and then make the climb up to Hemlock.  Nathan is about 30 yards ahead of me entering the aid station, and none of our crew is in sight.  Nathan has a drop bag with shoes in it, and he proceeds to change them.  Since I don’t have a drop bag, I press on ahead after grabbing another PB&J sandwich quarter.  My time to this point is very quick at only 3 hours and 8 minutes.

Mile 21.9    55:07 (12:49 avg./mile) Bull Run Marina

I leave the aid station before Nathan and the two midshipmen.  I run steady, but conservatively, and right before getting to the soccer fields, the midshipmen come by me.  They are moving quickly, and I don’t give any thought to hanging with them.  Soon thereafter, Nathan catches back up with me, and we run together to the aid station expecting to see our crew.  It turned out that while Nathan was changing his shoes at Hemlock, Martha and Seb made it to the aid station.  Gabby was still coming from the car with Oliver.  So, at least they knew we were through that aid station.  At this aid station, none of them are there.  We meet them just as we are leaving.  They had to park the car on the other side of Yates Ford Road and were dragging the kids towards us.  I sit down and change my shoes, and this time Nathan presses on ahead.  It is great to get out of my damp shoes, and since the trail was dry since the water crossing, my shoes should stay dry the rest of the way.  I also drink some chocolate milk.

Mile 26.1    1:02:36 (14:54 avg./mile) Wolf Run Shoals

I try to push the pace a little to catch back up with Nathan.  At one point, I trip and fall, landing on my right side and shoulder.  I pick myself up and appear to be not injured.  My shoulder is fine, but I may have bruised the top of my hip bone.  I press on now more carefully.  I have plenty of time to catch up with Nathan, and if I don’t catch him that is okay.  I enter this aid station greet the aid station captain, Alex, and get some strawberries and a quesadilla.

Mile 28.9    37:20 (13:20 avg./mile) Fountainhead

About half way through this section, Kathleen Cusick catches up to me.  I ran with her for a mile or so at Hellgate last year, and here we are together again.  She is moving well, but says she is dealing with a few nagging injuries.  I manage to stay with her as she presses the pace and runs nearly the rest of the way into the aid station.  She is just ahead of me when we enter the aid station, and she gets a nice cheer from the crowd.  I get welcomed by the crew—grandsons Seb and Oliver, daughter-in-law Gabby, and my wife Martha.  Martha says that Nathan is about 10 minutes ahead of me.  I drink some CR02 and refill my Camelbak and then grab a few cookies from the aid station table.

Mile 32.9    55:42 (13:56 avg./mile) Do Loop


I keep a decent pace on the laborious white loop, which is 1.6 miles long and gets you nowhere.  Heading out to the do loop, I meet several of the front runners heading back.  It is still breezy and cool in the mid-50s.  When I get to the aid station, I grab a PB&J sandwich quarter and a handful of corn chips.  Since I haven’t seen Nathan yet, it means that he is less than 2.5 miles ahead of me.

Mile 35.5    38:04 (14:38 avg./mile) Do Loop

Decorated Nash Rambler (courtesy of Cathy Kovacic)

The do loop starts with the lollipop stem for about a quarter of a mile.  I still do not see Nathan coming back towards me so he is less than two miles ahead of me.  I pass a couple of struggling runners on this section while running well down to the water.  On the inbound part of the loop, there is a tribute to some of the VHTRC founders at the Nash Rambler—Chris Scott, Anstr Davidson, Scott Mills, Ed Demoney and Joe Clapper.  I finish the do loop still feeling pretty good.  When I get to the aid station, the lady checking in runners tells me that my son just left, and he was asking if they knew how far back I was.  Ah, it is now time to run him down!

Mile 37.9    32:25 (13:30 avg./mile) Fountainhead

I push my pace a little leaving the aid station and within a mile I spot some orange shorts way up ahead.  Unfortunately, this pair is on a female, who clearly is not Nathan.  However, it is only another half mile or so until I spot Nathan and his orange shorts ahead of me.  I close the gap on him on the way to the aid station, but he stays in front of me.  At the aid station, the crew is all there cheering both of us.  I drink a little CR02, refill my Camelbak, and grab another PB&J sandwich quarter.  Nathan and I leave the aid station together.

Mile 40.6    38:36 (14:18 avg./mile) Wolf Run Shoals

The newer trail on this section is gently rolling, which is nice for mountain bikes, but not so nice for running late in an ultra-race.  Regardless, I maintain a slow run for most of the gentle uphill sections.  Nathan stays right with me, and we both make it to Wolf Run Shoals in decent shape.  I take a seat and drink a cup of Coke before rising and taking a cheese quesadilla to eat on the run.

Mile 44.8    1:04:02 (15:15 avg./mile) Bull Run Marina

Seb cheering us on!
This section has more climbs that require power hiking.  On one of the climbs, Nathan presses on ahead of me, but then let’s me back into the lead on the next downhill.  Soon enough we can see the Yates Road bridge over the Occoquan River.  Nathan continues to help me push the pace, but says his stomach is talking to him a little bit.  I took my third S-Cap of the race on this section, and then about 10 minutes from the aid station, I pop a caffeine pill.  I follow Nathan into the aid station, hoping that the crew is waiting for us.  Sure enough, there they are.  Seb is sitting in his own little chair.  Nathan takes a seat, I say hi to Seb (and the others), and then I walk right on out of the aid station, leaving Nathan sitting in the chair.



Mile 50.2    1:15:11 (13:55 avg./mile) FINISH

It wasn’t my plan to gap Nathan at this point, and I wouldn’t have been disappointed to finish together, but the opportunity presented itself, I was feeling good, and I took it.  I pass a couple of runners and run when the course is favorable to running.  I run across the soccer field complex, and then run the meadow.  When I finally get to the spot where we came down to the trail, another runner makes the right turn and starts up the hill.  I tell him that isn’t the right way, and he thanks me for saving his race.  His name is Clay, and we chat as we make our way over the last mile and a half.  When we get to the top of the last climb, I leave Clay behind and push to the finish.

Official Finishing Time 10:47:22

Gary and Darin (courtesy of Keith Knipling)

53rd out of 193 starters
(149 official finishers)

At the finish line, Gary Knipling is there to congratulate the runners.  It is simply outstanding to see Gary, and as can be seen in the photo by his son, Keith, Gary and I share a very warm embrace.  I receive my 15-year finishing award and my regular finishing award.  I am just sitting down when here comes Nathan completing his finish less than four minutes after me.  It is a great day!

Nathan and Darin after the Finish

I now have a short recovery as I am supposed to pace James Ebert for 36 miles at the inaugural Southern States 200-mile race next weekend.  On Sunday, Martha and I fly north in order to view totality in northern Vermont on Monday before flying home Monday evening/night.  After pacing James, my next race will be the Kettle Moraine 100 miler in June in Wisconsin.  Until then…

Never stop running,

Darin

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