Tag Archives: ultramarathon

Running the new normal?

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Social distancing, solo running, virtual races and broken dreams. Is this the new normal for our running community.

Many of us did not see this coming, but when the largest moneymaker on the planet shut its doors (Disney World) I knew the world was going to change. Then the race cancellations came, Boston, Umstead, Western States and I fear “Leadville.”

What can you do?

Myself, I continue to run and train with the faint hope that my goal race, Leadville Trail 100 will go on but I’m worried. I’ve been training with an eye on tomorrow, whatever tomorrow looks like. For me to run at the level I need to I have to be chasing a goal. And in times like these, I believe that is important for all of us.

Focus on the health benefits of being active. If you can’t get the social fix that running brings to your life never lose focus on how running improves your physical/Mental health. I enjoy running alone or with a group and racing keeps me focused but for the short term we may have to find other forms of community.

So whats next?

Are virtual races, and personal running challenges the way we will test ourselves in the future? When the Tobacco Road Marathon in Cary, NC got canceled instead of sitting idle I ran 26.2-miles on race day to get my 38th marathon in. Many other runners online have posted similar runs including one guy in the UK who ran around his backyard to get in his marathon completed. I’ve also seen many folks participating in personal challenges whether it being the “3 x 4-miles a day challenge or backyard ultras.” Are “FKTs” going to be the next big wave to stay motivated? Will “Peleton and Zwift” style treadmill races going to be the new standard of competition? Can you see a world where “I-Marathons” catch on the way NASCAR and INDY CAR have embraced virtual racing?

What will the new running world look like for you?

The world and RUNNING will survive this challenge, but it’s going to change. How it changes and whether you continue your running journey is up to you. As long as you run you’re a runner. Races will change, the virtual race organizers will fill the void. I can see a world where if you post a Strava segment over a prescribed distance you’ll earn the bling that so many of us collect. I see FKTs being posted more often and over more routes. I see PRs on treadmills being the next benchmark much like a “BQ” time standard. And I see a day when our races return.

We will shape the new world..Running and otherwise. Stay focused, stay safe, keep running, embrace the change and you’ll be ready for the future.

Running the 57th Annual JFK 50-Mile Endurance Race

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Some races have a loyal following because of the unique and challenging terrain on which the course is run. Some races establish a strong culture based on the community of runners who return year after year. Some races build their reputation from the history of the event. The JFK 50-Mile Endurance Run has it all.

The JFK 50 runs along a horseshoe-shaped “point to point” course covering three very distinctive landscapes. From the town center of Boonsboro, Maryland the historic route covers 15.5-miles along the Appalachian Trail, 26.3-miles on the C&O canal towpath and 8.4-miles of rolling country roads leading runners to the final destination and the finish line in front of Springfield Middle School in Williamsport, Maryland.

(My Strava data, start to C&O and C&O to finish)

Along the Appalachian Trail runners transverse over asphalte roadways, and single track trails infested with gnarly rocks while climbing 2,461 feet of total gain reaching the top of South Mountain, the highest spot on the course, at 1,795ft. At around 14.5-miles the course takes a rapid descent via staggering switchbacks at the Weverton cliffs. Surviving the AT runners take on the 26.3-miles of the C&O canal towpath. Although seemingly flat the towpath climbs over 300 feet. At approx. 42-miles hopeful finishers depart the towpath at Dam#4 and begin the 8.4-mile run to the finish. With the finish line in sight and with nearly 8-miles of rolling country roads behind them finishers have to climb one last hill .25-miles from the finish. The JFK course offers something for everyone. This historic race will test all those who want the coveted finishers medal.

For some finishing, the JFK 50 is a rite of passage. For others running the oldest UltraMarathon in the nation is a yearly tradition. The finishers’ “clubs” start with 10-years with a handle full of legends having completed over 1500-miles on the course with a leader having finished 49 JFK races.

The JFK 50 Mile Endurance Run was first held in the spring of 1963.  It was one of numerous such 50-mile events held around the country as part of President John F. Kennedy’s push to bring the country back to physical fitness. Held for 57 consecutive years the memorial run is a benchmark of East Coast endurance events.

The 57th edition was my 4th running of this great event. Not that I am an elite athlete or would ever threaten to win this event, but I do have some secrets to success I would like to share. Race reports 2014, 2015, and 2016 (PR)).

Secrets to finishing the JFK 50-mile Endurance Run

  1. Without burning out your legs, advance during the early road miles.
  2. Always move w/purpose, when not running hike at a fast pace.
  3. When on the “non-rocky sections” of the AT make up ground. Run when you can, and pass when you can pass.
  4. When on the “rocky sections” land your footfall light and quick.
  5. Have a plan for the C&O…I choose to use an interval approach, 5/1 run/fast hike.
  6. Don’t allow the C&O to put you to sleep…make the run parts of your interval count.
  7. Concentrate on the mile you’re in.
  8. Make the pit stops short & make them count, drink/eat before you’re thirsty/hungry.
  9. Power hike the climb off the C&O and then run everything that is downhill or flat.
  10. Be ready for that final push.

    And most importantly breath in your victory and finish.

Running and Writing – Why I do it

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Both gifts came later in life.

Running was something that did not come naturally. At a young age, I had some speed, I was a quick little kid but lacked the discipline to build endurance. When it got hard, when I ran out of gas and I gave up.

Writing was something I enjoyed early on but I lacked the skills and knowledge to format my stories correctly. Inturn my English teachers tore up my papers with flaming red critiques and destroyed my desire to take further abuse.

Running later in life opened new doors. I conquered the lack of self-confidence and endurance. I found I had the ability to run the long and hard-fought miles. I found I enjoyed the challenge of pushing my limits during the long run. Each new distance, each race held a story within its self. New terrain, new challenges inspired me to try and capture the memories. In running I may have found the true me, and I found a voice.

I’ve been asked why I write… It’s obvious that I’m not an English major, The comas may be misplaced and my sentence structure could be off.

I write to entertain and to tell a story that may inspire. To encourage others to look at life from another perspective. I write to uncover the drama of life and the epic ultramarathons. I write so that others may find strength in relationships and running.

UNFINISHED will take the reader along another journey of the human spirit and along the racecourse of the JFK 50 mile endurance race.

“the magic of the JFK 50 Mile, Brian Burk “gets it” and catches the true flavor of the JFK 50 Mile in his novel “Unfinished.”
Enjoy the journey!

Mike Spinnler (JFK50 Race Director and Champion)

Available on Amazon and the JFK race expo…

In the meantime check out my first novel Running to Leadville.

More than a running story.  The tale takes the reader from finding love, experiencing loss, while finding oneself at 12,600 ft on the top of Hope Pass. Available on Amazon

Signed copies of all my books available here

Ultra Marathon – 6 Weeks to a 100-Mile Finish

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6-weeks to a 100-mile finish (I do not recommend this training plan to anyone…)

All was going well until Feb, 2019 when during a run I caught a root/rock with the toe of my shoe.  The result was an impact to my left knee on the very sharp edge of a rock.

Feb 2, 2019…I ran 18.5 miles after this fall

Long story short…no permanent damage, but significate trauma to the point where the patella tendon mounts to the tibia.  The result of this misstep kicked off a series of injuries.  Being a bit stubborn, I ran two marathons (Wrightsville Beach and Cleveland) and a 24-hour race where I logged 101.250 miles while in quite a bit of pain and on a compromised gait.  The result was my left knee became unstable, I developed sciatica pain in my right hip and my right insole was stressed to the point that I could not take a step without being in pain. With Leadville and redemption on the horizon, I tried to power through it.

The Start of the Cape Fear 24-Hour Endurance Run
Oct 12, 2019, The Start of the Cape Fear 24-hour Endurance Run

By the second week of June…I could not stand running in pain anymore.  I thought for sure my running career was over.  I visited my DR, and a sports chiropractor. I took anti-inflammatories and stretched, but nothing worked. Desperate the only thing I could think of as my next step was a “hard reset.”  I had one hope…to shut it down.  Would taking the summer off reset my normal running gait and heal the trauma?

For 8 weeks I cross-trained in an effort to maintain some form of fitness.  5 days a week I pedaled a stationary bike, rode the elliptical and slowly worked in brisk paced walking.  3 weeks before the Morgantown Marathon I started running again and a funny thing happened.

My knee responded while the sciatic and insole pain stayed at bay.  I had hope. With a bit of nervous anticipation, I toed the line in Morgantown prepared to put my body to the test.  26.2 miles later I crossed the finish line tired, physically wore out by the hills and challenged from an abnormally hot day, but I finished. I had hope.

Approximately 20 days, 22 hours, 38 minutes and 38 seconds later I crossed the finish line at the Cape Fear 24-Hour Endurance Run in Lillington, NC having completed my 6th 100-mile run. I finished 6th overall and 4th male.

100.6 miles later…22hours 38 minutes and 38 seconds after starting, I’m Back.

During my summer running vacation, I thought I was done.  At one point I felt like a part of myself disappeared, and a connection to the running community was gone. At times I felt lost.

Finishers buckle…this one is extra special. Thank you Michele for being there…you made my come back possible. Love ya, more….

What did I learn?

You’re always a runner.  Being a runner is as much a state of mind as it is an action.

Our bodies need to heal.

Never lose faith in you… (I recommend this to everyone)