Below are the results of the 2018 St. Patty's Day edition of the Elizabeth's Furnace 50k, held, of course, on March 17th, 2018. This was the 13th annual running of this VHTRC event. The EFA 50k is held on a colorful assortment of challenging trails around the historic Elizabeth's Furnace along the Passage Creek, in the northern entrance area to the Fort Valley and the Massanutten Mountains.
First to the finish, in a sparkling new course record, was James Fogg. Dave Frazier had the previous best, and the only time under 5 hours (Dave's 4:59:32 was in 2014). James rolled in nearly 7 minutes under that time! His finishing time was 4:52:55. It is tradition to mark a record in results with an exclamation point, and rarely is it more merited than in this instance. The Family Fogg has had some great runs at Elizabeth Furnace. James's brother Dan Fogg was second to Adam Watkins in 2017, and Dan and James were third and fourth in 2016. Adam Watkins was second overall, in what is now the third fastest time in the history of this race. His time was 5:02:21. Adam spent a fair amount of time sprawled out on the trail, as evidenced by his strong Best Blood performance. Paul Jacobs finished third in 5:05:32 - now the fourth fastest time in the 13 years of the EFA 50k.
First woman to the finish was Kelly MacDonald. Her time of 6:15:29 was also good for 6th place overall. 2nd woman and 16th overall was EFA veteran runner extraordinaire Michele Harmon.
EFA Race Photos - courtesy of runners and volunteers
| Place | Name | Age | Sex | Home | Mudhole / 10.3 | Furnace / 21.8 | Finish / 31 | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | James Fogg | 40 | M | MD | 1:33 | 3:32 | 4:52:55! | 50k |
| 2 | Adam Watkins | 38 | M | DC | 1:38 | 3:32 | 5:02:21 | 50k# |
| 3 | Paul Jacobs | 39 | M | DC | 1:38 | 3:32 | 5:05:32 | 50k |
| 4 | Mike MacLellan | 31 | M | VA | 1:54 | 4:04 | 6:01 | 50k |
| 5 | Justin Faul | 37 | M | VA | 1:50 | 4:19 | 6:14 | 50k# |
| 6 | Kelly MacDonald | 29 | F | VA | 2:01 | 4:25 | 6:15:29 | 50k |
| 6 | Eric Harris | 45 | M | MD | 1:55 | 4:01 | 6:15 | 50k |
| 8 | John Cassilly | 51 | M | VA | 1:56 | 4:24 | 6:17 | 50k |
| 9 | Patrick Vaughan | 40 | M | VA | 1:55 | 4:12 | 6:19 | 50k |
| 10 | Keith Knipling | 42 | M | VA | 1:57 | 4:27 | 6:20 | 50k |
| 11 | Ryan Brown | 32 | M | MD | 1:56 | 4:25 | 6:34 | 50k |
| 12 | Karsten Brown | 43 | M | VA | 2:02 | 4:43 | 6:46 | 50k |
| 13 | Gavin Watson | 57 | M | MD | 2:13 | 4:53 | 6:55 | 50k |
| 13 | Joe Schramka | 48 | M | DC | 2:13 | 4:53 | 6:55 | 50k |
| 15 | Josh Howe | 39 | M | VA | 2:00 | 4:39 | 7:00 | 50k |
| 16 | Michele Harmon | 52 | F | MD | 2:18 | 5:06 | 7:20 | 50k |
| 17 | Olivier Leblond | 45 | M | VA | 2:15 | 5:16 | 7:21 | 50k** |
| 18 | Doug Massengale | 42 | M | MD | 2:22 | 5:08 | 7:25 | 50k |
| 19 | Andy Peterson | 61 | M | VA | 2:23 | 5:14 | 7:30 | 50k |
| 20 | Steve Barge | 51 | M | VA | 2:19 | 5:13 | 7:31 | 50k |
| 20 | Stephen Yurek | 56 | M | VA | 2:24 | 5:13 | 7:31 | 50k |
| 22 | Emily Clay | 28 | F | MD | 2:16 | 5:20 | 7:39 | 50k |
| 22 | Casey Fisher | 34 | M | MD | 2:21 | 5:20 | 7:39 | 50k |
| 24 | Dan Hawk | 45 | M | MD | 2:23 | 5:22 | 7:41 | 50k |
| 25 | Guy Towler | 48 | M | VA | 2:21 | 5:09 | 7:45 | 50k |
| 26 | Chris Pabian | 41 | M | PA | 2:34 | 5:51 | 7:51 | 50k |
| 27 | Alvin Lee | 43 | M | MD | 2:26 | 5:29 | 7:59 | 50k |
| 28 | Jamie Greenawalt | 50 | F | PA | 2:26 | 5:35 | 8:04 | 50k |
| 28 | Larry Huffman | 57 | M | VA | 2:26 | 5:35 | 8:04 | 50k |
| 28 | Bruce Tweedie | 56 | M | VA | 2:30 | 5:35 | 8:04 | 50k |
| 31 | Art Perraud | 60 | M | MD | 2:26 | 5:30 | 8:05 | 50k |
| 32 | Ashley Carr | 32 | F | MD | 2:28 | 5:39 | 8:06 | 50k |
| 33 | Tom Simonds | 63 | M | VA | 2:34 | 5:45 | 8:15 | 50k |
| 34 | Hompeng Komthirath | 43 | M | VA | 2:25 | 5:30 | 8:20 | 50k* |
| 35 | Jeff Pence | 59 | M | VA | 2:33 | 5:39 | 8:27 | 50k |
| 36 | Stephen Cooper | 63 | M | MD | 2:32 | 5:51 | 8:39 | 50k |
| 37 | Michael Stefanon | 49 | M | VA | 2:33 | 5:39 | 8:40 | 50k |
| 37 | James Miller | 53 | M | VA | 2:26 | 5:46 | 8:40 | 50k |
| 39 | Samantha Pitts-Kiefer | 40 | F | VA | 2:26 | 6:05 | 8:57 | 50k |
| 39 | Marty Fox | 67 | M | VA | 2:45 | 6:20 | 8:57 | 50k |
| 41 | Tammie Garstecki | 46 | F | MD | 2:26 | 6:11 | 9:06 | 50k |
| 42 | Brian Carr | 42 | M | MD | 2:32 | 6:16 | 9:07 | 50k |
| 43 | Loel Romeo | 53 | F | MD | 3:07 | 6:23 | 9:10 | 50k |
| 44 | Eric Thomson | 49 | M | VA | 2:49 | 6:22 | 9:20 | 50k |
| 44 | Jon Jester | 58 | M | VA | 2:53 | 6:23 | 9:20 | 50k |
| 44 | Joyce Fendley | 52 | F | VA | 2:53 | 6:28 | 9:20 | 50k |
| 47 | Scott Martin | 56 | M | NY | 2:42 | 6:24 | 9:27 | 50k |
| 48 | Gary Maier | 65 | M | NY | 2:53 | 6:28 | 9:37 | 50k |
| 49 | Lindsay Burleigh | 38 | F | VA | 2:43 | 5:31 | 9:38 | 50k |
| 49 | Ariana Sarar | 33 | F | DC | 2:50 | 6:31 | 9:38 | 50k |
| 51 | Gary Bowman | 52 | M | PA | 2:48 | 6:33 | 9:39 | 50k |
| 51 | Mandy Pierce | 43 | F | PA | 2:53 | 6:33 | 9:39 | 50k |
| 53 | Sirisha Golla | 41 | F | VA | 3:06 | 6:47 | 9:56 | 50k |
| 54 | Jeffrey Klemm | 67 | M | VA | 2:51 | 6:43 | 10:01 | 50k |
| 55 | Tracy Cooley | 45 | F | VA | 2:46 | 6:33 | 10:07 | 50k*** |
| 56 | Tony Escobar | 54 | M | VA | 3:05 | 7:05 | 10:26 | 50k |
| 56 | Shelly Cable | 48 | F | PA | 3:05 | 7:06 | 10:26 | 50k |
| 56 | Marwa Elsayed | 43 | F | VA | 3:05 | 7:06 | 10:26 | 50k |
| 59 | Bob Anderson | 71 | M | VA | 3:08 | 7:05 | 10:29 | 50k |
| 60 | Jimmy Roeder | 38 | M | MD | 2:52 | 7:08 | 10:45 | 50k |
| 61 | Judith Weber | 58 | F | MD | 3:08 | 7:04 | 10:47 | 50k |
| 61 | Alan Zwart | 47 | M | DC | 2:55 | 7:10 | 10:47 | 50k |
| DNF | Tracey Thibodeau | 47 | F | VA | 3:15 | 6:45 | 7:18 | 23 miles |
| DNF | Ari Darmon | 34 | M | VA | 2:50 | 7:13 | x | 23 miles |
| DNF | Eric Rohnacher | 39 | M | VA | 2:52 | 6:50 | x | 22 miles |
| DNF | Robert Grolemund | 49 | M | VA | 3:15 | 7:04 | 7:18 | 22 miles |
| DNF | Tracy Dahl | 38 | F | VA | 3:11 | 7:30 | x | 22 miles |
| DNF | Brian Schmidt | 49 | M | VA | 1:40 | 3:41 | 4:05 | 21 miles |
| DNF | Dan Aghdam | 49 | M | VA | 2:21 | x | 5:33 | 21 miles |
| DNF | Kevin Green | 45 | M | MD | 2:25 | x | 5:53 | 21 miles |
| DNF | Sara Fanous | 38 | F | VA | 2:29 | x | 5:44 | 21 miles |
| DNF | Jaret Seiberg | 48 | M | MD | 2:42 | x | 5:44 | 21 miles |
| DNF | Carole Williamson | 56 | F | MD | 3:07 | x | 6:53 | 21 miles |
| DNF | Larry Thibodeau | 49 | M | VA | 3:15 | x | 7:05 | 21 miles |
| DNF | David Stauffer | 25 | M | VA | 1:38 | x | 3:20 | road drop**** |
| ! -- new course record
# -- tie for Best Blood (in the view of the horrified volunteers * -- Homer Komthirath covered the full distance of the EFA 50k, but accidentally took the "social loop" on the Sherman Gap/Shawl Gap side of the course (in other words, ran that section backwards). ** -- 1st in Bonus Miles: Olivier Leblond reported that he covered over 34 miles on the course *** - 1st woman in Bonus Miles: Tracy Cooley reported exploring the entire Sherman Gap pink trail including the little-used section that involves fording the Passage Creek and crossing the Fort Valley Road all the way to Bear Wallow and the Mudhole Gap purple trail. **** - Self Extraction Award: David Stauffer aggravated an IT band injury while stopping at the 1st Aid Station at the end of the Mudhole Gap trail. The fastest and easiest way out was on foot, back to Signal Knob parking by way of the entire length of the Mudhole Gap trail back to the Fort Valley Road, then up the road to the parking lot. | ||||||||