By George Banker
A runner’s greatest asset is “heart”, the ability to put it all on the line to block out all competition and to run as if you are the only one in the race. It is all about effort, the struggle, survival, victory, and defeat.
On November 21, 2015 for the last 53 years downtown Boonsboro, Md., has been witness to an assembly of runners for the start of the John F. Kennedy 50 Mile (JFK) and commonly called “America’s Ultramarathon”. The race was presented by the Cumberland Valley Athletic Club (CVAC). Since 1980 the finish of the race is at Springfield Middle School in Williamsport, Md. The temperature was 30 to 50 degrees with no wind.
Each year the athletes try to enter the history books and given the early difficulty of the course along the Appalachian Trial (AT) which takes skill. No one is guaranteed a winning time even those who have taken first place years prior. There are prices to be paid along the AT as all it takes is one missed step and a slip on a rock or a bump from another runner.
The first 15.5 miles included 13 miles along the Appalachian Trail. The trail was completed in 1937 and is 2,157 mile which stretches from Mt. Katahdin, Maine to Springer Mountain, Georgia. The mostly narrow foot path has a series of rock covered areas which required utmost respect and caution. The relief arrived coming down the switch backs at Werverton Cliff.
The race is rich in history with many stories locked away with the runners all with different objectives. On the morning of March 30, 1963 four persons (James Ebberts, Steve Costion, Rick Miller, and William “Buzz” Sawyer) completed the 50 mile distance in 13:10. It was not until 1975 that the race settled into the month of November. After a successful first 30 years the directing of the race was turned over by Buzz Sawyer to Mike Spinnler who has been at the helm for the last 20 years. In 1973 Sawyer saw the finishers swell up to 673. Spinnler saw the number explode to a record 1,079.
“Some like to say that time flies, but it doesn’t. It’s steady and consistent. Sixty seconds to every minute, sixty minutes to every hour, twenty-four hours to every day and 365 (and once every four years like this year, 366) days to the year. Steadiness and consistency is why this grand event is still in existence today. It is the essence of the JFK 50 Mile”, stated Mike Spinnler, race director, two-winner (1982, 1983).
The event records rest with the following, Max King of Bend, Oregon for the open men (5:35:59 – 23012), open women by Ellie Greenwood of North Vancouver, British Columbia (6:12:00 – 2012), master men by Howard Nippert of Fort Union, Va., (5:51:28 – 2005), master women by Meghan Arbogast of Corvallis, Color., (6:35:16 – 2011).
Leading into the 53rd race David Oskvig of Amherst, New York shares some comments, “The attraction to ultramarthoning became one of understanding – just what is the human body and spirit capable of? Time and again I have found the answer to both is far more that we could ever speculate or discover in a lab. But the continued attraction is that of the community of ultrarunners and the low-key nature of many of the events. This is not to say they are not competitive, but in general feels like a competition of friends and roving party of like-minded individuals. Time and again, I have met and become friends with some of the most amazing people. In addition, ultrarunning has taken me by my own effort to some amazing places, views, and landscapes that I otherwise would never have seen”.
Oskvig adds, “I have learned more than I could possibly type. I have learned that the human spirit is immeasurable. I have learned that people are genuinely good and caring looking to help one another succeed. I have learned that ultrarunning is my church/faith and the people involved by people. I have learned that I love being outside on the trails in any and all conditions. I have learned names of flora and fauna, star constellations, nutrition, physiology and numerous other things that escaped me in formal education, but through ultrarunning have stuck”.
Emily Harrison of Flagstaff, Arizona was All-American at University Virginia and has a marathon PR of 2:32:55. Harrison set the fastest American time at the JFK in 2012 (6:17:16 – 2012) with a second place finish. The following year Harrison took first place with a time of 6:35:05.
“I got into ultras because I was looking for something different from the road and track scene. I feel I still haven’t truly figured out how to race an ultra, so it’s still a personal challenge with the ultra distance to “get it right.”
Harrison adds, “Competition in a race typically brings out your best times, but there are times when the goal of the event is not to run all out and compete. I started running in middle school. My friends were going out for the track team and I wasn’t interested in any ball sports, so I figured I’d give it a try. I had run a little with my Mom before that but had never competed”.
Sarah Bard of Sommerville, Mass., the defending champion (6:37:04), “I’ve been running since I was in elementary school, but in an organized fashion since middle school. I started running cross country because a boy I liked was on the team. But I stayed because I really enjoyed being part of a team and competing. Even though I’ve taken periods of time away from ‘training’ since then, running has always been a significant part of my life and my identity”.
“I think my body/mind have a predisposition to running long distances. I can certainly deal with the ‘pain’ and stress of an ultramarathon a lot better than I can say, with the pain and stress of a 5k. I ran a 5k for the first time in several years this summer and it was miserable from 300 meters to the finish. I wanted to stop with every step. In any other race, 3 miles is the distance where I feel like I’m basically at the finish line, but in a 5k, every mile feels like eternity. I like the mental bargaining and mystery of ultramarathon distances. There’s a lot that can happen beyond fitness. Plus, there’s a lot of camaraderie and respect for one another both on and off the course in ultras. I think that respect is present across various racing distances, but it’s more tangible in these longer races”, Bard adds.
The morning of the race Bard stated, “Sitting in the gym in Boonsboro last year before the start of JFK, I was terrified. I had no idea what I was doing, or why I even wanted to run 50 miles. I just sat there, watching other people, trying to figure out what I should be doing or what I might have forgotten in the last hour before the race. Luckily, the ultra-community is strong and supportive. I’ve been lucky to not rely solely on my mistakes for learning, but have benefited from some excellent advice from my peers”.
“There are so many points of pride in the sport of running if you’ve been doing it long enough. It’s about seeing what you’re really made of and persevering. It’s in those moments that you know what was going on in your own head and when you gave it everything you had in your darkest moments that I get most proud of. There have been a lot of those moments for me. JFK in 2014 (6:56:31) is an example for me of when I felt I kept pressing and persevered through my first 50 mile race”, stated defending champion Jim Wellesley of Flagstaff, Ariz.
Wellesley adds, “I love the like minded people in the sport, I love the more laid back training that comes along with ultra running compared to on the track or road scene, and I love the sense of adventure when you’re on these long runs out in the middle of nowhere in complete solitude. It’s peaceful and it’s a productive time for me while I’m running.”
“I’ve really taken a new outlook on running. I see it more of as a lifestyle more than just a sport I’m training for. It’s good for the mind and helps deal with other stresses in life. It’s a time to think, reflect, and organize your thoughts about what’s going on in life. I’ve learned more than anything, I need running to function normal!” states Wellesley.
Eric Sense man of Kirkwood, Mo., comments about injuries, “I’ve been fairly fortunate, as I haven’t dealt with too many serious injuries. But when it happens, you have to change your mindset about running and training and recognize that less intensity and perhaps even significant time off is needed. That can be a tough pill to swallow, but you don’t want injuries to stick around so you have to be smart.”
“Everyone is capable of much more than they realize. That’s the main reason I continue to run ultras, and it’s one of the biggest lessons I’ve learned: if you put your mind to something, and work as hard as you can toward it, you can achieve things that you would have never thought possible. It’s a powerful lesson, because it gives you confidence that you can succeed in any endeavor or goal that you work hard toward”, adds Sense man on what he has learned.
“What attracts me to ultramarathons is the ridiculous challenge for running or moving for hours on end and the places you get to visit and explore but outside your body on roads, trails and treadmill but also inside your body and mind. If you are doing something for hours and hours you get a profound understanding of what you are capable of and that capacity can expand as you gain more and more experience, fitness and skills” states Michael Wardian of Arlington, Va., and one the top U.S. ultrarunners.
Wardian adds, “I have been really lucky to have had a lot of incredible performances but some of I am most proud of is third at Marathon des Sables (staged race across Sahara Desert with the fastest American time 3:15:54 2010), winning the Wings for Life World Run in Florida and Australia, winning the JFK 50 Miler in 2007 (5:50:34) and being a silver medalist for team USA at the IAU 100K World Championships (7:19:00).”
“I think ever disappointment is an opportunity to improve and doing ultramarathons things are going to go wrong or differently than you expect and being able to adapt and evolve is the way to change a negative to a positive for me. I have learned a lot about myself since I started doing ultras and there is not hiding when you are doing an ultra, it is either is or isn’t there is not shades of grey and I think ultras strip away a lot of things we think we know about ourselves and shows us our true selves and that can be a really powerful thing and it is so cool to learn what you are made of and continually hone ourselves though this events and challenges” stated Wardian.
“I just started getting into running ultras and this year. I would say there a couple reasons: One would be that I felt that I couldn’t really train and prepare well for a spring marathon with the winters we have in Syracuse NY. I felt like it was very difficult to get in the speed necessary to run a fast marathon. Two, would be because I felt it was a multi-dimensional challenge. I like looking at the terrain, the elevation gain/loss, and nutrition. I think training and preparing for one helps pushes your creativity and really stimulates all of the senses. You work a bunch of different muscle groups and being a road guy for many years reading the trail and being in nature is a lot of fun”, stated Jared Burdick.
“I handle disappointments by trying to see what I felt went wrong and then trying to figure out ways to best train for those shortcomings. I’ve had my fair share of bad races and they happen. You can learn something from every experience. Sometimes you have to look at the big picture too…like I have a great life and loving family and of course I have my health…I just ran 50miles!”, Burdick placed second (7:000) at the Cayuga 50 miler.
“My attraction to ultramarathons is that the longer the race is, the more you have to earn it. The longer the race is, the more we rely on our hard work and determination to get us through the race. I was always attracted to the idea that hard work would beat ability. This is especially true over long distances. Running has ups and downs, which is part of the sport. I’m a pretty optimistic person, if I have a bad race, I usually use it as motivation to get back out there and prepare for another race”, stated C Fred Joslyn of Mount Holly, Penna.
Race Day
The 53rd running was the return of prior winners Jim Walmsley, Michael Wardian, Sarah Bard, and Emily Harrison. The morning was quiet along the streets of Boonsboro as the runners for the early start set out on their journey in the darkness at 5 am and the main runners departed at 7am. One major difference in the JFK and road races is the absence of a lead pack because the narrow trail is single file. The AT is a test of skill and patience.
It took 2.8 miles to reach the Appalachian Trial along a paved road which is equal to Heartbreak Hill because the hill winds going up and a challenge to open a race going up. This point in the race is not a defining moment but it set the stage.
Eric Senseman of Albany, New York made a move to assume the lead position and reached the AT (2.8 miles) in 16:34. In the heels was Jim Walmsley of Flagstaff, Ariz., in 16:53. Giving chase was Michael Wardian (leading master) crossing in 17:10. A few footsteps back was Graham Peck of Baltimore, Md., in a close 17:12. David McKay of Washington and Chris Raulli of Syracuse, New York crossed in 17:13. In contact was C Fred Joslyn of Durham, NC in 17:14.
Setting the stage for the women was Sarah Bard of Sommerville, Mass., with a time at the AT in 18:15. Crossing in 18:26 was Lorraine Young of Raleigh, NC and the leading master. Erin Sutton of Woodstock, Georgia was third with a time of 18:45. In fourth was Angie Darbyson of Quebec in a time of 21:27. Laurie Dymond of Chambersburg, PA was fifth in 21:35 and the second master. Trailing in 21:39 was Karen Holland of Ontario and Keila Merino of New York.
The runners were faced with the mystic and the beauty of the AT and what was ahead. The secret to negotiating the AT is to be in control of each step to control the foot steps and balance and not to let the rocks dominate. Reaching the narrow switch backs was the sign that stage one was coming to an end.
Coming off the trail at Weverton (15.8 mile) in first place was Walmsley in a time of 1:49:40. Giving chase was Senseman in a time of 1:58:45 followed by McKay in a time of 2:00:20. Peck was within contact with a time of 2:01:25. Within striking distance was Anthony Malatesta of Chatham, New Jersey along with Chris Mead of Woodbine, Md., both in a time of 2:02:27 followed by Raulli in a time of 2:02:33.
The leading female off the AT was Bard crossing in a time of 2:12:08. Still in the hunt were Dymond and Sutton. Trailing and holding in second place was Young in a time of 2:12:09. Darbyson and Holland were still giving a close chase.
The second stage of the race was along the C&O Canal also known as the towpath which was flat and gave all runners a chance to close down. The next 26 miles was going to set the stage for the last 8 miles along the roads. This was the point where the strategy changed to all out leg speed as the transition was made from the AT. At the end the runners would reach 41.8 miles.
Walmsley was maintaining a slight lead over the competition and the pace was slightly under seven minutes. The miles began to drop as the end of the path neared. Walmsley was first at the end in a time of 4:46:07. Moving within second place was Peck crossing in 4:52:57. Bond was closing down in 5:02:14 with McKay close at 5:04:24. Raulli followed in 5:10:19 with Wardian in 5:10:40.
Bard was maintaining the lead and clocked 5:26:41 at the end. Young trying keep in touch crossed in 6:01:11 followed by Sutton in 6:15:52 and Dymond in 6:16:33.
The last stage was road miles which would improve the running. It was still an open competition and it was down to the will to win.
Walmsley was on his way to making history with the finish line in sight with no one in sight. Walmsley made the history books by being the sixth runner to make a consecutive year defense with a 5:47:37. Last year he clocked a 5:56:31. Trailing in second was Peck with a time of 5:49:25. The third position was captured by Robert Bond in 5:58:17 and David McKay was fourth in 6:08:33. The first master and fifth position was Michael Wardian in 6:16:13.
“My strategy was to focus on nutrition and just take whatever pace felt right. My fitness wasn’t very good but I knew it wasn’t any worse than it was when I ran 6:18 in 2012 which included a good deal of walking the last 5 miles. If I could run a 2:50-2:55 marathon on the C&O and stay fueled up, I’d have a good day and that’s exactly how it played out,” stated Peck of team Saucony.
Peck adds, “I ran with others during the AT stretch which helped keep in check but at the same time, to not be lazy and give up too much time to the better trail runners. My knees were ready to be done with the AT by the time that was over. I knew that if I ran 6:30/mile for the last 35 miles of the race, I’d place in the top 5 and that would be a great day. If I was going to catch Jim, it would have to be him coming back to me rather than me reeling him in. I didn’t have any more gears in me. He held tough and did what he had to do to win.”
“My only patch of negative thoughts during the race was during the first hour of the C&O when I was passed by two runners which put me into 8th place. I knew that every runner ahead of me had run a 2:30 marathon or faster before which had me worried because I hadn’t done long runs that they have and they’re road speed was on par with mine. Other than that, I was all positive vibes just happy to be out there selfishly running all morning with a great support group there for me,” added Peck.
Peck continues,” Descending Weverton Cliffs is a trouble spot for me. The switchbacks, rocks, and leaves are all things I’m bad at negotiating. I’m a poor trail runner and with the excitement of being done the AT and getting onto the “good” part of the race, that spot is ripe to slip up and bust your ankle. The field that Mike assembled this year was deep. Having spoken with most of the contenders either during or after the race, many of us are more accomplished as road marathoners than ultra runners or trail runners. I think there were about 10 guys with recent marathon times of 2:30 or faster.”
Peck on first time JFK runners, “I wouldn’t put much stock into your trail running ability. Running very easy on the AT will only pay off for you later when it’s a 35 mile run rather than 50 miles. If you’re into taking training shortcuts, which I’m definitely guilty of, spend your time learning what nutrition works for you. I tried every PowerBar product out there to see what I could tolerate a lot of. I ended up having 2000 calories during the race which made up for my lack of long distance training. Relax, have fun and enjoy yourself.”
“Since I was new to the 50 mile distance, I knew the biggest danger was going too fast and finding myself at mile 35 totally worn out. I wanted to be patient and comfortable on the Appalachian Trail section, and then settle into a steady pace for the towpath. If all went well, I would still be feeling ok for the road section at the end. Fortunately, my race went according to plan and I was able to keep on running for those last 8 miles. I didn’t feel great, of course, but at least I could keep going at a good pace”, stated Bond making his JFK debut.
The motivation for Bond, “I wanted to push myself out of my comfort zone. I had done a bunch of marathons and a few 50k trail races, so when I line up for a marathon I feel like I know what to expect. The challenge there is to see how hard I can push myself in training to get to race day in peak form. The 50 miler was totally new to me, and I had no idea what to expect. That sense of unknown really appealed to me.”
Bond continues, “The AT portion was really beautiful and my body still felt good at that point so I was able to enjoy it. Once things got tough, the things I looked forward to the most was seeing my girlfriend, aunt, and mom who would meet me at some of the aid stations. Seeing them lifted my spirits. I was intimidated by the number of sub-2:30 marathoners and experienced trail runners who were entered. There was some real talent up front! It was a good field and I am really glad to have had the opportunity to compete with them.”
The second master was Douglas Wickert of Vienna, Va., in a time of 6:36:45 (13th place). The third place was captured by Clark Zealand of Forest, Va., in a time of 6:37:25 (14th place).
“This was my first year running JFK, although I have run other 50 milers before (Ice Age, and Cayuga Trails). JFK was a really nice blend of trail running, canal and road. I actually really liked the canal section. I have always been a good rhythm runner so that really helped me. I was in 38th place at 16 miles (2:12:20) when we got off the Appalachian Trail and I was able to move up to 9th place when we exited the trail at 42 miles (5:19:00). I caught one more person on the roads to finish 8th”, stated C Fred Joslyn finishing in 8th place (6:27:16).
Joslyn adds, “The competition at JFK is always very strong and this year was no different. Early on, I felt like I was setting a good pace between 7:40-8:00 but found myself outside the top 30. There really are not many races with that kind of depth. JFK is a unique race; the competition makes a strong finish very respectable. I knew I would have to earn a top 10 and I certainly did.”
“The high point for me was around 34 miles when someone said that I was in 11th place and I was about to catch another runner to move into the top 10. The top 10 was my goal, so after working all day to move up it was awesome to see it becoming reality”, Joslyn adds more, “My advice to someone running their first JFK would be to relax early on try to conserve energy. The first half the course is much more demanding, so don’t worry about pace early on, you can find a rhythm and move up on the canal and roads.
50 miles is a long way, take it one step at a time.”
“Simply put, things did not go well this year. Last year, in my JFK debut, I ran a 6:01–a solid time, but not a time indicative of my upper-most abilities, I don’t think. The goals this year were to improve my finishing time by at least 10 minutes and to compete for the win. I accomplished neither of those goals, unfortunately. The competition was strong, as it always is at JFK. If I had competed to my abilities, it would have been interesting to see how I placed in what I think was a more competitive field than last year”, stated Eric Senseman in a time of 6:46:47.
Senseman adds, “This year didn’t really have a high point. Perhaps the top of the opening climb, when I reached the apex first, was the figurative high point. I felt strong but relaxed on the climb, and I felt that I had a good day in me. But it wasn’t to be, as I quickly discovered on the AT thereafter. I had run 50 miles just 27 days earlier at the Tussey Mountainback 50 Mile and I could tell by mile 10 of JFK that I was racing too far, too soon. My legs simply weren’t recovered from the previous long effort at Tussey, and that showed early and brightly at JFK. I was happy to at least jog (and sometimes walk) the last 25 miles for a finish, but it was disappointing to perform so poorly at a race where I had high expectations.”
“First-timers should understand that time on the course is gained and lost most significantly after the AT section. Plenty of people can whizz through those first 15.5 miles quickly, but it’s the remainder of the race–flat and runnable–where you need to feel good and be ready to run hard. My advice would be simple: don’t try to do too much early on, and save your energy for the last two-thirds of the race. This can be easier said than done!”, stated Senseman.
“There is always a comparison between each year and in many ways. How each section is run, the weather the competition, what kind of shape one is going into the race. This year was my slowest time by 20 minutes. I went into the race this year just getting over an injury so I felt like I was very out of shape. I ran the AT about the same time as I ran it the first year I ran the race. The canal path was a tale of two halves. The first half I ran at about 7 minute pace and the second half at about 9 minute pace. Once I got to the road I felt like a whole different runner and broke an hour for the last 8.4 miles and had the third fastest split this year. The one thing I’m taking from this years race is a never had a mentally low point which made the race much more enjoyable”, stated Jim Sweeney finishing in 20th place 6:47:50.
“There are always great athletes at JFK and I look forward to each year because of the competition. My high point was during the AT running with friends and then on the road passing people and running as hard as I could feeling good”, Sweeney continues, “Patience is the one word I would pass along to any first time ultra athlete. This race will eat you up and spit you out if you run too hard too early. The AT takes a lot more out of you than most people think and the canal path is so easy to run to hard. Once you get to the road take it easy up the first hill and then give everything you have.”
“I would say about mile 25 I was feeling like I was just burning a lot of energy and my legs started to tighten up and I decided to back off a little. I continued a few more miles and ended up walking and stopping for a little bit. I tried to loosen up and try to get my legs going, but it didn’t feel like normal fatigue or muscle failure. I was very tired physically and mentally and decided to pull the plug. I think this was the right decision. I took ten full days off, which I haven’t done in a very long time, and just ate a ton of food and enjoyed thanksgiving with my family”, stated Jared Burdick.
Burdick was up in the top runners as they made it off the AT in 2:01:15. At the 27.3 point he was 3:16:41.
Burdick continues, “I really enjoyed the AT section and that’s when we passed a bunch of the early start folks so it was fun seeing them and cheering them along the way and also getting their support as well. The competition before dropping out was good. There were a bunch of guys around not too far out from each other. The winner had a big lead coming out of the AT but I think this race had very good competition.”
“I just try to learn from my setbacks and try to understand why things went wrong. I think in this case, I really needed to make sure I recovered from my previous race…just because right now, I am feeling pretty good about my running and I think had I done more recovery I could have been more rested going into JFK. It was a valuable lesson and something I really need to stay conscious of even in my current and future training”, Burdick commented.
Joining in the history books was Sarah Bard as the eighth female for a consecutive year win in a time of 6:31:11. Bard was 10th overall in the race. Last year Bard ran 6:37:04). Lorraine Young captured the runner up and first master in a time of 7:16:29 (33rd overall in race). The third position and second master was Laurie Dymond in a time of 7:27:10 (41st overall).
Erin Sutton captured fourth place in a time of 7:30:57 followed by Angie Darbyson in a time of 7:33:48. Lisa Johnson of Brunswick, Md., was the third master in 8:45:11.
“I’m pretty proud of last year’s JFK race, because it was my first ultra and I just flew down to the race on my own and had no idea what I was doing. To win was very exciting.
However, running on the US team at the 100k Championships was pretty amazing. We had such an inspiring team – with Camille, Meghan, and Justine – and I just felt like we all were out there for one another throughout the race. Having the desire to run that race hard, but intelligently, for the benefit of my teammates was something that doesn’t happen as often in post-collegiate athletics. I’m glad I was able to move up in that race and run my goal time”, stated Bard.
Bard comments on disappointments, “I try not to dwell on them. Certainly they happen, that’s a part of taking risks and trying to push yourself and your goals. Before races, I have distinct goals – sometimes it’s a specific time goal, sometimes it’s about winning, sometimes it’s more about trying something new, making mistakes, and learning. Ultras are tricky. They are by far the most enjoyable races I’ve done, but it’s harder to do a lot of them successfully, especially being so new to the distance(s). I try to keep perspective – both in my own performances and by looking at other athletes and how they’ve overcome rough patches in their racing. Everyone has disappointing races, we just have to identify why they weren’t optimal and look toward improving.”
“It was a training run for a bigger race five weeks later – 24hour race. So the only goal for JFK50 was to run easy. This was my second time running. Loved the race both times and will be back! I did better this year even as a training run as I was in better shape overall.
I was surprised that I finished faster than last year even not pushing as hard but it is due to being in better shape”, stated Elena Makovskaya placing 8th 7:45:40.
Makovskaya adds, “My training was long runs, some speed work. The actual training was for the 24 hour run. The high point was getting into the rhythm on canal tow path. The competition is always very good.”
Harrison reached the AT in 18:13. The pace was being held and off the AT she clocked 2:12:25. The 34.4 mile marker along the towpath was reached in 5:10:41. Harrison had reached mile 38 and had to drop out of the race. There was walking and running during miles 18 to 38 due to lower back issues.
“Competition depends on the race and the goal and it typically brings out your best times, but there are times when the goal of the event is not to run all out and compete. I’m proud of my first JFK performance in 2012 because it was my debut ultra. Second would be my first Western States 100M in 2013 because that was so far out of my comfort zone”, stated Harrison
Harrison continues, “No ultra experience is the same and I can always work on being tougher when the race gets difficult. On disappointments reflect on what went wrong, learn from the experience and move on to the next goal. I’ve been racing so long that I’ve learned you can’t dwell on a bad performance for too long.”
The best for last. The runner with the most finishers is Kim Byron with 47 including this year with a time of 13:42:01. He started running at age 12 (1968) when he ran 15:22:25.