The weather looked questionable all week and after having a sick kiddo at home Wednesday through Friday, I set my expectations going into Saturday’s Dark Side 8-hour Ultra low. I did everything I could manage to stay healthy, including sleeping in every day, eating healthy food, hydrating, and even stocked up on cold-pressed juices named Defender, Booster, and Immunity. I don’t know if any of that was the culprit, but the race ended up gLORIous!
It was only my second timed endurance race (2021 I ran Miocene 6-hour since Greenbrier was canceled) and my first time running at Little Bennett Park in Montgomery County. I love new scenery and the no pressure of a timed race was just what I needed considering the circumstances of the week leading up to it AND having ran the Mid-Maryland 50k just 3 weeks prior. What was I thinking? (I ask myself that a lot lately.)
Lori offered to drive and we arrived early per usual. We pulled up right next to Beth and Mary Ellen parked just a couple minutes later directly behind us. It certainly was chilly and windy at the start, especially with the aide station perched up on the highest point of the course. They had a campfire going and so much food (more to come on that later). We grabbed our bibs and beautiful race tumblers which were in my favorite color - purple! We set up our little self-supported aide station in between the pavilion and the start/finish of each loop. As we went to pin on our bib, we noticed they had sweet encouragements on them. Mine read “Have fun on the trails today!” How did they know that was my goal?!
Billy Clem an incredible ultrarunner I met at last year’s Greenbrier, was the RD this year. He wasn’t running it but was there and talking to all the runners. Last year was the inaugural Dark Side with only 50 runners, this year it grew to 100 runners. Small, personal, and still amazing volunteers and aide station “fuel.” So well done!
April and Kerrie joined our spot, along with one of Beth’s friends and Mac (whom I have followed on Strava and Instagram because of mutual friends and races). There were clearly a few runners who were there to race aka run the most loops in the allotted 8-hours. The course record last year was 44 miles or 8 loops.
This race, I decided against my hydration pack since we had an aide station every 5.6-miles, after each loop. Not to mention it leaked and caused some back aches at Mid MD. I brought my handheld which I didn’t use the first loop because my hands were too cold from standing around. I picked it up on my second loop and carried it with me the rest of the day.
We all started off together as 8 am rolled around. The first .25 mile was along the road, still breezy, but as we dipped down into the woods, we were more protected and the wind wasn’t as bad. The course was beautiful! A figure 8 through just a small portion of the park that runs through 2 counties - Montgomery and Frederick. It was quite hilly and there was a lot of walking on the uphill climbs.
Little Bennett Park was stunning! Once you were off the gravel roads, you really felt like you were out in the woods. There weren’t many roads or homes around, so it was easy to appreciate the untouched beauty. All along the course, they set up comedic signs from different shows and movies - The Office, Schitts Creek, Parks & Rec, Anchorman, and more. It was a great distraction! There were several bridges over large parts of the river and only a few stream crossings. The course was muddy in sections, and some quite slippery downhill sections, from the rain the previous few days. However, as the day went on the sun came out and some sections actually dried up.
After the first loop, we named some notable sections - ie. Talking Trees, the afterthought bench, the sliding downhill, the bear clawed tree, the “Moira,” etc. - and several runners that we just kept seeing at the same spots on the course. All of this made it feel more like “our park” and “our people.” (I know, I’m weird.)
Now let’s talk about the food.
Each loop we “dawdled” at the pavilion, again as part of our “fun, no-pressure day in the woods,” and fueled up on necessities, of course. That included homemade chocolate chip muffins, fudge, pancakes, (store bought) french toast sticks, bacon, pancake-bacon sandwiches, guacamole wraps, pierogies, potatoes rolled in salt, chocolate-dipped bacon, orange slices, veggie noodle soup, snickerdoodles, pickles, chips, peanut butter blossom cookies, hummus wraps, pb&j, chili & toppings, and I’m sure I’m missing more. All things runners MUST eat to stay fueled. Billy said: “Elaine is the best aide station chef around.” I made sure I thanked her every loop.
As we continued to dip back into the woods, the fun never ended. Lori and I had a shared goal to run/walk/SHUFFLE as much as we could in 8 hours without getting stuck out there mid-loop at the cutoff. More importantly, we wanted to have fun and feel good!
For the most part, Mary Ellen, Kerrie, Lori and I started each of the first 3 loops together. Eventually Mary Ellen and Kerrie’s paces picked up and they took off. So strong!! We saw Beth and April on their loops second and third loops. Then Kerrie decided to call it. It was her longest trail run to date! She did AMAZING!! Beth wrapped up with 3 loops and was smiling! Lori, Mary Ellen and I set out on our 4th loop together.
That 4th loop had us fired up. We talked about podcasts, books Not In My Neighborhood and Take My Hand which led us to politics. It was our “political rage loop.” That loop flew by. Mary Ellen called it at the end of loop 4. Lori and I set out on “just another loop.”
I can always tell when my legs and mind are winding down. I get quiet, digging deep internally, and also listening to my body. The downhills were starting to make my right knee twitch a bit. Lori and I decided the 5th loop would be our final today. We didn’t want to have to race against the clock on a 6th loop and wanted to end feeling GOOD.
We “WOOHOO”-ed our way through the finishing tent and hit the chef/aide station one final time. I made a giant bowl of veggie chili with all the fixins. We sat around the campfire to warm up and just basque in the day. We got to see April cross the finish line and conquer her longest run since 2020. She is so ready for her race next month!!
All in all, another wonderful day in the woods! HUGE shout out and THANK YOU to Billy and all volunteers for making this event so special!
What I Loved About this Race:
Well-marked, accurate distance course
Personal messages on bibs
No medals, no tshirts - a usable tumblr
The yummy variety of FOOD - nice mixture of homemade, classic store bought goodies, and the rotation of food throughout the day, hot/cold, Gatorade AND Tailwind, and food for the finishers
The no pressure
The campfire and entire social aspect - really felt like it was bringing people together
The extra port-a-potty along the course
The humorous signs (nice little “markers”)
The RUNNERS!
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