Race Recap: The North Face Endurance Challenge Series DC 50K

This past weekend I ran The North Face Endurance Challenge 50K race in DC (well, it’s near DC…the race is actually held just north of DC in Virginia). Once again, I was not disappointed. Seriously, this race series is awesome! With events also in New York, Utah, Wisconsin, California and Canada, you’re bound to find one close to you. If you’re on the fence about running one of these races, just sign up. You’ll have a blast! The courses are beautiful, the race staff is stellar and the volunteers support is top notch. I can’t say enough good things about the Endurance Challenge Series.

This was the fourth time I’ve come out to run the DC race and my second time running the 50K. Being my first trail race since October, I was extra excited to get out and enjoy a day on my backyard trails. The weather couldn’t have been nicer on race day and with spring just starting to open up, the course was absolutely gorgeous!

Photo Credit: Exploring Endurance

The race started just as the sun was rising over the Potomac River. Having run this course before, I used my familiarity of it to my advantage. I set out at a comfortable pace and after a few miles I found a nice rhythm. The course only has about 1,300 feet of vertical gain (according to my Garmin) and when you combine that with fairly non-technical trails, it makes for a very runnable course. The course was a bit muddier than I expected for the first few miles, but I didn’t mind. It’s a trail race; you’re supposed to get dirty.

The first 13 miles seemed to blow right by. Many sections of the course went through lush forests full of spring flowers blossoming. Add to that the powerful Potomac River flowing alongside of you and it had all the ingredients that make for a scenic course.

I felt great heading into the Great Falls section of the course (mile 13ish). However, things went a little south for me after the Great Falls aid. The food I ate at the aid station wasn’t settling well with me and it left me feeling pretty nauseous. For the remainder of the race, it was hard for me to take down fluids and food without feeling like I was gonna barf. As a result, my pace started to suffer a bit and after finishing the Great Falls section – which is about a 5 mile loop – I really had to grind it out the last half of the race.

Great Falls
Photo Credit: Exploring Endurance

I definitely didn’t feel as strong as I made my way to the finish, but I was able keep myself from taking walking breaks. I just focused on getting to the next aid station. Breaking the race into chunks instead of thinking of how many miles you have left always helps. As I neared the finished, I tapped into whatever reserves I had remaining and pushed my pace. At this point on the course you have a lot of running traffic. The marathon relay utilizes the last couple miles of the 50K course, so I was receiving a lot of encouragement from the relay runners which was very much appreciated.

I finished strong in 5:37:32 and shattered my old course record of 6:23:22 that I ran back in 2012. After lying out in the shade and resting for a while, I grabbed my free post-race meal and soaked in the energy that was radiating from the finish line. The North Face Endurance Challenge is one huge party that celebrates trail running. It’s a great place to get your feet wet if you’re new to trail running and an awesome proving ground for those looking to better their previous trail efforts. I’ll be back next year for sure!

Book Review: Meb for Mortals

Ever wanted to get inside the head of a world class runner? In Meb Keflezighi latest book, Meb for Mortals, you will get just that! After accomplishing his lifelong goal of winning the Boston Marathon, Meb decided it was time to share all his race and training secrets.

After reading Meb’s first book, Run to Overcome, I was eager to get my hands on Meb for Mortals. Thanks to the awesome folks at Runner’s World, they sent me a copy to read and review before the book’s release on April 7th. At just under 200 pages, it’s a quick read that will certainly be a welcomed addition to your running library.

The book covers a wide range of topics that Meb has found crucial to all his success. Meb for Mortals will show you how to think, run, train, race, eat, strengthen, stretch, cross-train, and recover like Meb. While Meb touches on all distances, I think marathon runners will appreciate this book the most – especially those looking to improve upon their PR performances. One thing I liked in particular was all the visuals in the book. It’s packed full of pictures of Meb demonstrating running drills and strengthening/stretching exercises.

Meb emphasizes the importance of being a “student of the sport.” No matter how experienced of a runner you are, you can always be learning more. Up front he touches on how to set proper running goals. Then, as you read on, you will find that the rest of his book serves as a blueprint on how to achieve those very goals. Meb drives home his “prehab, not rehab” philosophy...take care of your body while training/racing and you will increase the longevity of your running career. If you read this book, it will provide you the all tools you need to ensure you spend less time injured and more time doing what you love, running!

To pre-order a copy of Meb for Mortals, click here. Also, be sure to follow Meb on Twitter and join the discussion using #MebforMortals.