North Face Endurance Challenge Washington, DC

Claudia O

There's a reason it's called the Endurance Challenge!!

On Saturday, June 4th, with a high of 84 degrees, I ran the North Face Endurance Challenge Washington DC – 50 miles in eleven hours twenty nine minutes and finished 163/239 (250 started the race).

The cut off time was 13 hours but my personal goal was to do it in less than 12 hours. My previous 50-miler time was 10:05 but it was a much easier course and in perfect 60ish degree weather. In my limited experience, in most cases the marathon course can change your time by minutes, may be even a half-hour, but in an ultra or trail race it can mean hours. It is not easy to compare your performance because of the differences in technical difficulty, elevation, etc; except you run the same race or one with very similar ratings. My previous 50 miler was on a hilly course but on the road. This time, it was a totally different experience.

The race runs through the Algonkian Regional Park, the Great Falls Park woods, and along the cliffs of the Potomac River in Sterling, VA.

Potomac River Along the Course

The course has difficulty ratings as follows: 3 out of 5 stars for “elevation change,” 2 out of 5 stars for “technical terrain,” and 3 out of 5 stars for “overall difficulty.”

The course consists of 50% single track, 30% dirt or gravel double track, 10% gravel carriage road and 10% paved road. The Great Falls sections are highlighted by some intense elevation changes, with steep-but-runable climbs up to 300 feet. The River Trail covers what is widely viewed as the marquee section the event: up to three miles of tip-toeing and hopping along bluffs high above the Potomac River. This race featured 50 miles of some of the prettiest trails I’ve ran.

The Start

The event started pretty early for the 50 miler group. It was dark and we were required to wear a headlamp for the first 2 hours. Failure to carry it could automatically disqualify you. While getting ready to start, I looked at the other runners wondering who will be the winner. I am not very familiar with ultra athletes so I couldn’t recognize any face other than Dean Karnazes, who was a guest. He didn’t run but he was there all day to host the event. I noticed that many runners were his friends, and also many others seemed to know each other. I felt like a baby runner in between all those ultra marathoners and I wished there were some Flyers there with me!

Alien Invasion?  Head-Lamped Runners Heading Out

Miles 1-15: Dark and little chilly at first but soaked after just 30 minutes!!

When I stepped out of my hotel at 3:20 AM it wasn’t really very hot or humid. Actually, it was a little chilly. By 5:30, having been running for only half an hour in the dark, I was drenched in sweat.

In previous ultras my strategy has always been to start at the end of the pack. Usually, I start passing people after about 20 miles. This time I wanted to try something different and I went out faster. The first section of the race was easier than the rest and that was one of the reasons why I changed my strategy. Also, I noticed there were very fit and competitive athletes doing this race and I needed to push hard if I didn’t want to be the last one!

The first 2 hours were fairly quick, on a narrow single path with hundreds of runners that were all in line. You could see all the headlamps aligned on the path. Soon after this section the trail opened up to a wide gravel path, I was running a little faster than my marathon pace but I knew I was going to slow down in the more technical section. At this point some of the runners in the back started to pass me. I can’t lie…I didn’t like that feeling at all!! I knew this was going to happen but still I didn’t like it. I have to admit that I like the other strategy more – passing people is much more fun than being passed!!

I tried to keep my pace and didn’t let the anxiety trick me. It was only mile 8 and there were 42 more miles to go!

Started the Race at a "Blistering" Pace

These miles were uneventful, with the exception of a blister that I felt developing on my right foot, and my crashing to the ground just after the 5:00 am start when I tripped on a root – while trying to take a picture for this blog post! – and landed hard, resulting in a bruised arm (lesson learned: take pictures only when you can see where you are running and along flat, safe sections of the race course!).

We ran some quiet trails along the river and every runner was just trying to get into their pace before arriving to mile 15 where the difficult part of the race was awaiting us.

Miles 16-35: 7 mile loop - Breathtaking, challenging and fun (the first time)

The most difficult part of the race was a seven-mile loop that took us right along the Potomac River, where we literally had to jump from rock to rock, about five feet from the edge of a hundred-foot cliff that dropped straight down to the Potomac River. When we were not on the cliff we were running through huge rocks, hills and stairs!!! Yes, there were some wooden stairs on the way!! Anyway, the first time this was fun and unexpected.

On the Cliff: Don't Look Down....

By the second time you started to think “ a single false step could quite literally kill me” and the cute stairs became “ Oh god, the stairs are coming soon!!”.

Some people were much too aggressive when passing other runners along this section. Hello!! Let’s try to survive first!!! You can pass me after the cliff!!!!

The third time around was done in survival mode!! The cliff wasn’t that breathtaking anymore, with no desire to see that waterfall ever again in my life!!! The only good thing about the third loop completing it meant that we were close to 15 miles from the finish and back to the shaded part of the trail.

I was feeling really good and I was now passing people that had passed me before. PACE YOURSELF! That is the key to run ultras. I am slow but I ran steady and I don’t do much walking on my ultras. Many people run ultras as fast as they run marathons but I’m also not fast running marathons! I hope to get faster as I get more experienced running ultras, but for now I try to be realistic about my time goals and the main objective is to finish STRONG. I wouldn’t like crossing the finish line walking. I like to finish strong and smiling. I love running ultras and I want to push myself but I also want to enjoy it. I don’t want to say “never again” after finishing!

The terrain was difficult, rocky and with many ups and downs. I started to feel pain in my ankles for all the jumping in the rocks and the down hills. But with 15 miles to go I was really having fun!

Rocky Roads (not the Ice Cream :)

When I run short races and even marathons I always feel I will be able to finish it and the biggest concern is whether I will get a personal best or not. In an ultra my biggest doubt is whether I will finish or not. I don’t want to say that this is the same for everyone but I think this may be true for most people.

There is a point where you know you will make it. Mine was around mile 32. There is not a logical explanation as still so many things can go wrong, but you feel excited, energized and unstoppable!! This is the moment when you say out loud: “Yes, I am having a great race and I have no doubt I will finish this!” You don’t think that much about your time yet; this comes later.

Miles 36-50: Sometime things are not as you remember. The down-hills are now up-hills

At mile 35 aid station, we started our way back to the finish line. It was a nice feeling to know that there were only 15 miles ahead and that I already knew the course. Or at least that was what I thought.

I remembered some nice flats and downhill trails from the morning. I guess there are so many things going on your head when you are running for so many hours that you can’t think straight!! ……now we were going uphill!!...nice!!

At this point I started to think about the 13-hour cut-off time, my pace, and how many miles per hour I was going to be able to run. GPS watches die after 5 or 6 hours so this time I decided to use my Garmin just as a watch.

When you have been running in 80 degrees for more than 8 hours, even the most simple equation becomes impossible without a calculator!! I began to panic!!

I started to think I was not going to be able to cross the finish line on time, that I was running too slow, that I didn’t have my headlamp and I was going to be in the woods at night etc….your mind can trick you! I told another runner about this and he laughed. “OMG, you have plenty of time!! Look how you are running at mile 35 while others are walking!” I guess he was right, I was running, I was feeling well and I had just 15 miles to go!!

A little more than 2 loops in the park…come on I know I can run two loops in the park. I kept telling myself.

By mile 37 I had no water as there were a huge gap between the 35 mile aid station and the next one at mile 42. It was a hot day to run all these miles without water. In this case, 5 miles it is not 1 hour of running. And it was pretty hot!

Where'd That River Go?  I'm Thirsty!!

I was dying for water and I had no idea how far I was from the next station. In ultras there are no miles markers on the course as in a marathon. The aid stations are your reference for the miles. I think this was the worst part of the ultra, not only for me but for other runners, too. It was here where I saw many people walking for miles! Many runners that looked really “fit” were not running anymore and we were all asking each other the same question “ Do you know how far we are from next station?”

When I got to the aid station, I was the happiest person in the world!! One of the volunteers filled up my bottle with iced water!!! It was the best thing ever. So fresh, so cool, so …water!!!! It was like a boost of energy!!! I didn’t even eat anything and just started running again …happy with my cold water…I could hear the tick tick of the ice cubes while running and felt refreshed!!

With only eight miles to go I decided to keep running without stopping. I was certain that I was going to finish this thing. I ran almost the entire remaining distance, stopping only two times in the aid stations for more water.

It was at the 45-mile aid station where a couple told me that they were dying and couldn’t run anymore until they saw me passing by….they said I inspired them to run again. It is nice to inspire people and I felt good that they said that. We ran together for one mile and them I left them behind. Later I saw them finishing just 10 minutes behind me.

Mile 48.5 

The moments just before you achieve something pretty spectacular that you've been working for a long time it's surreal and indescribable. I looked at my watch and I knew that even if I had to crawl to the finish line I was going to make it before the cut-off time. I started to run faster.

Another runner approached me. We passed each other several times during the day and he finally started to speak with me. It was an Asian man in his fifties. He told me that he had run the race 5 times already and that he was training for his fifth 100-miler. I told him about my dream of one day be able to run a 100-miler, too, and he told me he was sure I will and that he saw me running very strong all day. He said “you should go for it!!” As if I need more people encouraging me to do crazy things!!! LOL

As we approached the final quarter-mile I could hear the music and the crowd cheering. I cried. He looked at me and said…let’s go!! Keep up!! Run faster!!!

After 50 miles running in silence, there were people cheering, clapping and screaming for us.

Fifty Mile Finish Line!

I cried again and felt a knot in my throat. I was going to make it. I was going to catch my dream again.

Indescribable Feelings!!

When people ask me why I like to run ultras I always wish they would feel what I felt the few seconds before crossing the finish line. I cannot find the words to describe it.

After 4 months of hard training I crossed the finish line and it was over.

Claudia O.

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The North Face Endurance Challenge: Race Report and Tips for Beginner Trail Runners

Claudia O.

The Events

The North Face Endurance Challenge offers a unique running experience for runners to push and exceed their personal limits on the trail. The events are held in different regions across the country, and during the first weekend of May 2011 it was the Northeast's turn. For the past five years, the chosen destination was Bear Mountain, NY.

The event follows a two-day format featuring a 50-miller, 50K, marathon, and marathon relay on Saturday. On Sunday there was a 5K, 10K and half marathon.

The North Face Endurance Challenge at Bear Mountain is the perfect event for the trail runner who is looking for a supreme challenge. It is described in the event sponsor's website as “a serious, hardy test for trail runners of any level." The course consists of “technical terrain and rocky footing, with some trails heading steeply uphill rather than zigzagging at a gentler grade.”


North Face Challenge -- Beautiful and Rocky Terrain

The course has difficulty ratings as follows: 4 out of 5 stars for “elevation change,” 5 out of 5 starts for “technical terrain,” and 5 out of 5 stars for “overall difficulty.”

Several Flyers participated in the different events, and a special shout out to Scott M. for running the 50-Miler on this difficult course. Jessica R. had a great race winning her age group in the Half Marathon, while Jodie F. and Jim N. finished the Half Marathon in fine fashion and none the worse for wear beyond Jim's sore ankles and quads. Nora S. ran the 10K also in an amazing time for this tough course

Running the 50K were Ray S. who was unstoppable in achieving a course PR; Noel C. who also had an amazing performance, Siggy T. who was running his first ultra-marathon after not even tapering for a day, and me running my first trail ultra-marathon as a training run for my next ultra. I will be heading to Washington DC, on June 4th to run the North Face Endurance Challenge 50-Miler.

Happy Finishers: Siggy T (reclining) and from left non-Flyer friend, Claudia O, Ray S and Noel C

First, I must give credit to the organizers, as they did a fantastic job. The level of organization is comparable to what you might find at a major city marathon. The registration was online and easy, all the races were capped, but the ultras and marathon races did not fill up while the shorter distances were sold out pretty quickly -- something to take into consideration if you plan to participate in the future.

The entrance fee is very reasonable and you recover the full price in goodies!! You get a technical t-shirt, arm warmers and a nice bottle. The fee also includes a beer and hot food (with a gigantic brownie!) at the finish line festival.

On site, every single detail was taken care of. The shuttle bus from the parking lot to where the race started, heaters all around the waiting area, plenty of porta potties, water, bag dropping, cool music, plenty of chairs and tables to sit and rest, coffee, etc.

Course Description

Running in the woods is lovely; you can feel connected with the nature and find peace. It is a great way to free your mind and spirit. Not to forget that getting dirty is so fun and makes you look much more hardcore than you really are!!

Jessica R Tearing Up the Course in Route
To Winning Her Age Group for the Half Marathon

“Endurance challenge” is by sure the term that best describes the North Face events. Looking at the winners’ times you know they didn’t walk that much and that they ran really fast even in the very rocky parts, but for most of us it is a combination of hiking, running and mental challenge! It is not easy to keep yourself motivated to run for 8, 10 or more hours in an ocean of rocks!

A lot of time was spent walking up and down steep rocky slopes and climbing cliff faces that required both hands, but we also ran every single yard that was runnable to make up for the time lost climbing. We jumped streams from rock to rock and we ran on old wooden bridges. We ran with friends, but also many miles where we had to run alone in the woods.

There are many hills and climbs, and as we all know, after a huge uphill there is a huge downhill, and of course in Bear Mountain there are rocks too!! Running downhill on a mountain it is not the same as running on a road. Sprinting can be very dangerous when the leaves cover the ground and you are not sure whether there are rocks or roots underneath.

Nora S's Bloody Knee is a Casualty

Just passing the marathon mark was the rockiest part of the course -- The Timp Pass Road. This section is not only the rockiest part but it also includes a long gradual climb. A combination of huge and small rocks form a long wall of rubble where you need to watch out for your ankles!!

At this point the first thing you think is “Do they really expect me to run here?” Well, I have to say that I did. I ran it all the way up, slowly of course, but I did it and believe it or not some runners from the 50-miler passed me while running at a considerablly high speed. Sometimes I just needed to stop and watch them doing their job! It is amazing how fast they can run on such uneven terrain. I guess it takes years of experience to do that.

Soon after the Timp Pass, and when you think that nothing worst can be ahead…there it was…a very long steep single track uphill. It was so long that I couldn’t even see the end of it!

The last aid station is just 2.8 miles away from the finish line, and the course here is a combination of two climbs and two downhills, if you still have some energy this is a good moment to go for it because the terrain is less rocky here and you can run the whole section without walking or climbing.

Racing Tips for Beginners

• Start slow!! And if you think you are going slow…then go slower!!! This course is tough and will catch up with you. Take it easy in the beginning and pace yourself. If after half-way you are feeling good, then is the time to push it.

• Walk the hills and when you feel you are hitting a wall. Let your body recover and you will come back stronger. It is amazing what just 3 minutes of walking can do in an ultra. Don’t feel ashamed -- some of the best ultra runners in the world sometimes walk; it is part of the experience.

• When to walk? If you see that everyone else is walking a hill, that is a good signal that you also should walk it. Some people walk all the hills, and others use a walking/running combination by miles or minutes (i.e. run 20 minutes, walk 2 minutes). It is important to practice trail running before your race, including to find out which approach works best for you.

• Watch out for slippery roots and rocks. When you are running trails, you need to pay close attention to where you step. Continuously scan the ground a few yards ahead of you while you’re running. If it looks dangerous, just slow down or walk. It is better to lose a couple of minutes than to sprain your ankle and need to stop.

Course Markings

When trail running, you don’t have miler marks every mile, you don’t have watches along the course and sometimes you don’t even have a real path to follow. Most likely, your watch will die after 8 hours, and you cannot just trust to follow other runners because sometimes there aren’t other runners around. These factors make the course markings essential.

Colored Markers Keep Runers from Getting Lost

During the race, there were colored ribbons placed every 30-50 ft along the entire 50K course. Each distance had it owns color and courses were sometimes shared with the 50 milers and marathoners. It is important to know which color you have to follow. At intersections, huge signs in the ground pointed the way. Some ribbons were placed way up high in a tree so that they were at times difficult to see but not a major issue. I don’t think anyone could have gotten lost here. It happens that sometimes you are too focused on your running or you are looking at the ground to avoid rocks and roots and you can miss a signal, but it was really very easy to go back and figure out the right route.

Course Markings: Tips for Beginners

• Think ahead. You will find yourself running alone, sometimes for many miles, so always consider the distance and try to visualize the next 2 or even 3 marks ahead. This way you always can be sure you know where you are heading in advance.

• When in doubt, go back a marker. In major events, markers are placed very close to each other, so if you are running for more than 1 minute without seeing one then you should go back to the point where you saw the last one. You don’t want to run extra miles!!

Aid Stations

In road races, we are used to having aid stations each mile or so, but in trail and ultra running the aid stations are far apart from each other. Most of the time they are every 5 or 6 miles, but it can be even farther. During the 50K, there was one section where we didn’t have any aid station for 7 miles. On a warm day and when running at a slow pace, this distance can be a very long time to be running without water. The aid stations were amazing, from the food to the nice volunteers that were trying to help and cheer us on.

Aid Station Offers Plenty to Eat!

I carried one bottle with water on my hand because it is easy to refill and also since I like to splash water on my head on warm days. I personally don’t find a hydration backpack comfortable. The stations had everything you could need -- chicken soup, potatoes, bananas, oranges, chips, brownies, water, sodas, Gatorade, GU, etc. They also had a complete first aid kit and many volunteers ready to help.

Aid Station Tips for Beginners

• Know the distance. Be sure to know how far away the next aid station is so that you can ration your fluids and food.

• Think small. Break the ultra into small races and just think about getting to the next station. This is a good technique to keep you motivated and focused.

• Try to eat food as part of your long runs. Don’t eat for first time on race day. You need to know what your body can handle and what works best for you. I combine food and gels as energy sources, so I ate something at the aid stations and then I'd complement the food by having a gel while running to the next one.

This is a tough course and I am proud to say that all the Flyers did a great job! Congratulations to everyone!!


Claudia O. Enjoys a Well-Deserved Post-50K Meal

Are you going to take the challenge next year? I know I will!!

Claudia O

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