Mind numbingly cold. While it's tempting to leave it at that, there's actually a lot to like about this race and I can't really hold the weather against the organizers, especially since I did sign up for a outdoor event the first week in March. So let's get to it.
I signed up for the Seneca Creek Trail Marathon to force myself NOT to sign up for the Rock-n-Roll Marathon in DC, which is the week after. I have a hate/hate relationship with the RnR race, yet compulsively sign up every year because it's convenient to my house. Not this year, though. Instead we're hitting the trails.
Seneca is a small race of a couple hundred runners about evenly split between those running the fake marathon distance of 28 miles and the fake 50K distance of 32-33 miles. As the first race of the year, I was all-in on the marathon. Rolling up to Seneca Creek Park in Gaithersburg just past the B-Dubs, you'd never know there were 33 miles of trails hidden back there. Parking is easy, though the early birds get the spaces closer to the start. Volunteers were terrific, even though it was 22 degrees outside. I jogged the 1/4 mile to registration, got my bib and beer glass, and jogged back to my car to stay warm.
Ten minutes before the gun (actually someone yelling "Go!"), I made my way up to the start and hung my winter coat I had been wearing on a fence nearby. You have to love the convenience of the small races. No lines, no bag check, park right near the start etc...
Go. I ran the first 4-5 miles with a friend at a pretty slow pace, which was fine both because I really wasn't focused on my time and it conserved energy. The downside was that my hands were so cold even with two pairs of gloves on each hand, I thought I was getting frost bite. The first 1/2 mile is along the road to allow the pack to thin out and runners to match paces with others. Once we hit the trail, it was single tracking almost the entire way.
The course runs generally south towards the Potomac River and then loops back. While runners end up back where they started, there are only a couple miles of overlap on the out and back, though the hills on miles 21-27 will make you wish you ran back the way you came. As I said, the first 4-5 miles were pretty slow and relaxed. There are a few hills along this stretch, but all runnable. After the first road crossing (note, cars have the right of way in this race--they will not stop traffic) at about mile 5, I passed a couple runners and lost track of my friend.
Here was where I had the first of a few mental lapses. While I knew the first aide station was at mile 7.5 or so, I was convinced it was at the next road crossing, which turned out to be at mile 6. In general, the aide stations for this race are 7-8 miles apart, which is longer than usual, but since early March is cold, one can get away with a less liquid, in theory. Anyway, I recovered from my disappointment of no break at mile 6 and made it to 7.5 and some PBJ and a bottle refill without incident.
For about a 1/2 mile, you run on the shoulder of the road until taking a sharp left back onto the trail. The next stretch, which takes you almost to the Potomac River is probably the easiest on the course with gentle hills and lots of mostly flat runnable single-track. I locked in with a group of about 6 runners and stayed with them until the turnaround at mile 14.
At the turnaround, you run for about 3/4 mile on the road, which to me is always a bit of a shock after 2 hours on trails. Add to that the fact that you are now running away from the river (aka uphill) and that the second half of the race is the hilly half and you're in for some fun. You will never be able to convince me that the span from mile 13.5 to the aide station at mile 15 is actually only 1.5 miles. I realize trail run distances are viewed as estimates and it's all in good fun, but damn.
I mentioned earlier some mental lapses. This time I lapsed in a good direction. Some foggy trail math had me hitting the next aide station at mile 22-23, so when I rolled into the same parking lot that housed the mile 7.5 aide station also at mile 19.5, I was pretty excited and relieved. The next 1.5 miles is one of only two short stretched where runners cover the same ground heading home as they did going out. Here's where I made a small error that I paid for later. I felt good leaving the aide station and pushed the pace envisioning only a 10K to the finish. Except, remember this is a trail marathon in name only. Actual distance is about 28.5.
Miles 21-27 are hilly, switchbacks that turn 3-4 miles as the crow flies into 6. Oh, it's scenic enough, but seems to go on forever ending only with my favorite sign on the course--the only marathon mile 27 marker I've ever seen. Instead of being in the finisher recovery area, it's time to hang a left and head back onto the trail for the last 1.5 miles to the finish.
About a 1/4 mile from the "marathon" finish, runners can choose to veer right and run around a lake to make the race a "50K". Not happening for me. I veered left and ran straight to the large fireplace at the finish area. The temp never got above freezing and the moment I stopped running, I was cold all over again.
The finish area was fun and festive. The volunteers were terrific. And, I would definitely return to this race and to the course for a weekend run. That day, at that time, though, I just wanted to get warm!
