Race Reports

The big news for Surf the Murph, now in its 11th year, was co-mingling with the Savage 100 this time around for a plethora of racing options. The Savage 100 had been held five years prior and was making another appearance for runners who wanted 100k or even better, 100 miles of autumn bliss at Murphy-Hanrehan Park in Savage, Minnesota.

The morning of August 3, 2019, I set off to encircle Mt. St. Helens – the mountain that provided me with the most important event of my life. Its cataclysm forged a bond between boy and father so deep that decades of estrangement, alcohol, shame, failure, fear and disease could not destroy it.

With 6,500 feet of vertical gain and loss over 31 miles through the rugged and technical terrain of the Red River Gorge in Kentucky, it is understandable why race director Michael Whisman of Next Opportunity Events (NOE) cautions against making the Rough Trail 50K your first ultra.

I’m in NorCal, few thousand miles away from home, running on a smooth dusty trail surrounded by giant trees. Once in a while, the green opens up and the sight of Lake Tahoe fills my eyes.

Well-stocked and friendly aid stations, serene trails and a low price point make Stone Mill 50 a great event to race, run your first 50-miler, or simply take a scenic tour of the best trails and volunteers that Montgomery County, Maryland has to offer.

For music fans of a certain age and disposition, it’s impossible to run past the legendary Folsom State Prison and not hear the distinctive voice of the “Man in Black,” whose performances inside of this place are legendary.