Waterfall 50km (AKA MLK #2 or Bur's Death March)
The 6th annual Waterfall 50km race will take place on Sunday January 17th, 2021, which is Day 2 of the MLK holiday weekend training runs. Start time will be 8 AM, so you can sleep in for the full day on the trails that will await.
Entry will open in mid-December, at first to VHTRC Members, and after a few days to all. The field has filled for the past couple of WTF 50k races. The cap has been 105 runners, with no wait list as a result. The goal of this over-sized cap has been to arrive on race day with just under 75 starters.
In the not-too-distant past, this slot on the trail running calendar was filled with the "Gap to Gap" run at the southern end of the Massanuttens. This 50km is yet another variant on that theme, but with a mighty kick. And oh what a kick it is . . .
The run will again start and end at the 211 East parking. Here is a more detailed turn sheet but a general descriptions follows.
- Start at gate at MMT connector trail (N side of Rt 211).
- North on MMT connector to base of Waterfall.
- Up Waterfall, cross Crisman (5k times taken here; Donut Aid!)
- North on Kerns to Jawbone.
- Quick out and back to Jawbone overlook (don't neglect this part!).
- Down Jawbone to Gap Creek(East). Aid Station 1 (9 miles).
- Continue East on Gap Creek trail, up and over Peach Orchard Gap to Duncan Hollow and then right (south) on Massanutten orange trail.
- Follow orange all the way back to the base of Waterfall.
- Up Waterfall a second time to Crisman Hollow Road crossing.
- Left on Crisman (south) and take road to Visitors Center. Aid Station 2 (19.7 miles).
- From Visitors Center, leave on Wildflower trail and then up to Bird Knob. The runners then MUST take the white Bird Knob Trail to Tower Road, the right on the orange-blazed road to the first slight uphill, then left (up) purple to pink, (left) down pink and then sharp right on orange to make your way back to 211 East parking. Be Careful in this section, as it is by far the most challenging when it comes to staying on course and not getting lost.
The "run within the run" - "The King and Queen of Waterfall". The first 5k covers from the starting gate up Waterfall to Crisman Hollow Road. We will be tracking the splits of everyone from the start to Crisman and the fastest male and female will be declared the King and Queen of Waterfall. These runners also need to have completed the whole course in order to be King/Queen.
If you also sign up for the MMT Training Academy Run #1/MLK #1, which will be held the day before, please give SERIOUS consideration to whether you will be able to run both days before signing up for this race - in other words, don't take up another runner's slot if you are unlikely to get out of bed after MLK #1 feeling psyched to run MLK #2. Volunteer slots are available in that case! To volunteer, send a note to Bur.
Massanutten Training Academy site - more details
Results and reports are below, so you can do more research before pulling the trigger on your entry.
