Several acquaintances from the Muddy Shoes group are gathered in the Bunker Hill Road parking lot at Gunpowder Falls State Park awaiting the start of the Gunpowder Keg 25K/50K. I ran the race in 2011, although a somewhat different course, and they ask me about it. I recall that much of it is along the Big Gunpowder River and isn't too hilly - just "some rolls" I tell them. This contradicts the race website which describes the course as "challenging" - but that doesn't seem to register with me.
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| Emaad before the start. |
Emaad asks me if we had ever done it together, but I assure him that he was not with me in 2011, and my race report bears that out. It turns out that he ran one lap of three in 2007, on yet a different iteration of the course. Even after being reminded of that he has no memory of it, other than going to MacDonald's for French fries while waiting for two other runners to finish their second loop. He does not remember the "daunting hills, . . . rocky cliffs, [and] plenty of roots and stones to trip over," or his (twice) rolled ankle that Mark's race report recounts.
Instead, we are about to run on my false memory that the course is not particularly difficult.
A Non-Fat Ass Fat Ass
This is a low-key race. Entry is $20 and runners are asked to bring a gallon of water or some treats for the aid stations. There are no shirts, medals or any other sort of swag that accompany other races. It is a bit more formally organized that a typical fat ass run, in that it has an entry fee, minimal as it is, and it has manned aid stations. It will even have pizza at the end. A deluxe fat-ass.
The race director gives some instructions before we begin, reminds everyone to get a wrist band to prove they went to the out and back section of the course and sends us on our way.
There are about 130 of us who set out. The weather is unsettled, and there is a high chance of showers.
We go down a couple of paved switchbacks, then up Bunker Hill Road before turning left onto the Bunker Hill Trail. We chat with a couple of runners - Jason, running his first trail race and Jenny (?, apologies for my forgetfulness if I have the name wrong) - before they and Emaad go on.
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| Bridge at Masemore Road; aid station on left. |
Regardless, it is uphill, then a bit gently rolling on a gravelly fire road until we come to paved Falls Road, which we run down (quickly and smoothly for a change) to the level trail along the river and back to the Masemore aid station (about mile 7).
We cross the bridge over the river and pick up the trail on the other side. I'm running again with Jenny and we trade stories - her of her leaving teaching tech ed in a Baltimore County high school for a position at Goucher College and me of my current reading of Isaac Newton, the Last Sorcerer, by Michael White. I tell of Sir Isaac Newton's work as Warden of the Mint at the time of the Great Recoinage (the Wikipedia article is wrong in myriad ways - see my article, Sir Isaac Newton served mint as warden, master in the September 11, 1995 World Coin News.)
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| Rocky trail to left; small stream to right. |
We nearly make a wrong turn but Jenny keeps us on the trail. We cross under I-83, make a left onto York Road to cross over the river, visit the York Road aid station (mile 9.4) and head across the road to run a loop initially along the river east of I-83. Jenny pulls away and I'm left to run alone again. I cross a small feeder stream, and come to the T-intersection where a sign directs me left. I go to the end of the out-and-back near Big Falls Road where I collect my wrist band (about mile 12) to prove that I was there.
Trail Angel
As I return to the T, there is a runner just crossing the stream. I remind him that he needs to go left to collect his wristband.
He holds up his arm. "I already have it," he says, I made a wrong turn and ran the loop a second time."
Clay is running without a water bottle or nutrition and is not looking in good shape. To add to his problems we are on the Panther Trail, which follows the small stream we crossed, and it is uphill.
I offer him a gel and some water. At first he declines but I assure him I have several and can spare one. Finally he agrees and eats it. I squirt water in his mouth to help wash it down. We mostly walk on and I assure him that I'll stick with him. After a bit he asks for more water and I oblige.
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| Smoother than usual trail. (Photo by E. Burki) |
At the top of the climb he says he knows where he is and heads for a shortcut back to the York Road aid station.
Trail Angel II
In a little while I come upon Jason. He is limping along.
"How are you doing, dude?" I inquire.
"Cramping up," he says, "Anytime I try to run my inner thighs cramp."
I've experienced that and know that it is painful. "How about a salt tablet," I offer, "It should help."
He takes it with thanks. He's also out of water. I offer some but he declines as we are not too far from the York Road aid station (mile 14.8).
We review what he had done during the day. As a first time trail runner he has made a few mistakes - not refilling his pack at the aid stations, not eating at the aid stations. He didn't realize that he could get refills. When we get to the aid station he corrects both errors.
While he is getting a refill I fill my bottle, drink some cola, grab some chips and candy and go on. A short stretch along Big Gunpowder leads to a steep 300-foot climb away from the river. And then a descent back to the river. A short stretch leads to the morning's paved switchbacks, but the return course skips the final one, and I get back to the start-finish in 4:20:11. This is under the 4:30 cutoff to start the second loop for the 50K, but the race allows the option of stopping after one loop for a 25K finish, and I take it.
Emaad had finished the loop in 3:40:29. Jason is about 8 minutes behind me. Clay, I learn later, dropped, probably at York Road. Overall I was 92 of 106 25K finishers, 65 of 72 males and 1 of 2 in my age group. Only 22 people finished the 50K
Epilogue
Emaad and I stop at Hysteria Brewing and the attached Bullhead Smokehouse in Columbia for food and refreshment on the way home. While we are there there is a downpour and then another on the drive home. We consider our good fortune in not doing the second loop.
My GPS reports nearly 1800 feet of climb over 16 miles of course. So much for not remembering any climbs from the previous time.
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| Swag: Wrist Band, recycled bib. |
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