Gunpowder 50k was my first ultra back in 2009. It wa an old school introduction to ultrarunning - throw $5.00 into a hat, bring a gallon of water and start when someone yells go. The race could be 29.5 miles or 37 - it was still called a 50k. No shirts, no medals, no whining. Three years and 20 odd ultras later and I'm back at Gunpowder. Nothing has changed but the course - it might be slightly harder. Still a Fat Ass though and still representing what's best about the sport - people who like to run. A lot.
So yesterday marked my eighth ultra for the year and twentieth something race. I had trained for the Air Force Marathon but circumstances kept me from traveling and by lucky chance Gunpowder fell on the same day. It might have been fortunate indeed I couldn't make it for the marathon as my legs felt heavy despite the taper and I'm not sure if I would have been able to hold the marathon pace I wanted. A 50k with some hill walking was just fine though. At one point I had hopes of a 5:30 finish but the day heated up and my legs just didn't have the pickup I needed at the end - I settled for a 6:00 and a fun day in the woods. And that's one of the great things about the Gunpowder course - lots of runs and lots of miles run along side the Gunpowder river. It's a pretty course and the day was beautiful.
I recommend these "Fat Ass" races as training runs but also as a great introduction to the sport. There is some racing - people are competitive but also it's low key enough that a beginner can make mistakes, test out equipment and ask questions of the more experienced runners. It's a wonderful opportunity to run, learn and have fun. And again Gunpowder is a perfect example of what a Fat Ass holds.
Peace,
Eric
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