Hashawha Hills 50 km Trail Run- 02/25/11

A large contingency of runners- nicknamed "Team Gaylord" left from northern Virginia for the Hashawha Hills 50K in Westminster, MD, in the wee hours of the morning of February 25, 2011.  We had so many runners, that we needed two cars for the car pool to the race.  Rob, Sara, Jen and I met up in Arlington, and Toni, Bob, Denise and Casey met in Burke. We arrived at the race site, parked and headed into the heated Nature Center for the trail briefing. It was a good thing that we attended the briefing, as we learned important aspects of the race. For instance, there was one section that was "out and back"- on the first loop you had to pick up a thick rubber band, on the second loop you needed to get a skinny rubber band.  This ensured that you did the entire course and did not cut off any sections.  Good to know. 

The plan was for me to run with Bob and keep my pace under control.  As soon as we started, I found myself with Denise (we told Casey to go ahead-- and Rob was already gone) a little in front of the others.  Denise and I kept the pace, chatted, laughed, and generally had a good time.  Slowly we pulled ahead of the other group.  I decided that this was an easy pace and it would not negatively alter my race plan.  When we would see Bob, Toni and Sara- we would shout and yell our hellos then get going again.  Denise is a runner much like me in that she runs extremely consistently- we just loped along just living it up.  We did the first loop in 3:15- and headed out for the second. We ran the second at about the same pace as the first.  We finished in 6:40. We headed inside and found Casey and Rob hanging out.  We changed our clothes, ate some chili (even vegetarian for me!) and waited for the others to come in. Bob, Sara and Toni came in and we all sat around sipping cocktails and eating.  Nice run in a different location.

Course:  The course was runnable for the most part, small rolling hills and a couple of very steep ones thrown in.  There was one water crossing (we balanced on a log the first loop and went through it on the second....water was COLD).  There was a lot of ice and snow on some sections. Some sections were boggy and muddy - even more so on the second loop. You ran through the woods, in open fields, through bogs and along a creek. 

PS- I have been strong-armed into signing up for another 50K next Saturday. It is in Damascus, MD- some of the trails that I ran in the Stone Mill 50.  I will be curious to see how "hilly" I perceive it to be this time.