Hashawha Hills 50k: A Day of Work in Old Fields

2 50ks within 2 weeks? Doesn’t seem smart, but hey, neither am I 🤪

This one has been on my radar for a while and couldn’t believe I made it in the first time entering the lottery. Leading up to it, I was nervous. Algonquin 50k was just 2 weeks prior and although it was flat, 32 miles in soft sand wasn’t easy. I knew Hashawha was going to be a different kind of day.

2.24.24

It was so nice to see familiar faces, including Stef and Emily, who led a course preview a few weeks before.

The race talk was at 7:10am. The first HH was 16 years ago and is directed by a father-son. The volunteers are all lovers of the Hashawha trails and some have retired their running/hiking shoes but show up to cheer, cook and take care of these 100 or so runners every year. A trail race created simply to spread the joy of these trails!

“There will be mud.” Oh and there was.

“The stream crossings will be cold.” These water crossings were unlike any I’ve experienced. The longest was about 20 feet and they got almost knee deep on the second loop - like a lower body ice plunge!

I found myself in a pleasantly paced pack. We’d run what’s runnable and then walk with intention on the uphills. None of us felt obliged to stay together, we were all having our own day. I’m grateful for the folks I talked to - esp Pink Pants aka Rachel and Kate on those last few miles.

Super proud of myself for completing another challenging course! After traversing Hashawha (a Native American word for “old fields”), I have even more appreciation for all the land we have to explore in Maryland! Thank you, RDs and volunteers, for giving us the opportunity to spend time on these spectacular trails and enjoy them so primitively - with pb&js, pierogis, veggie soup, pickles, and peanut m&ms, of course! Congrats to all the incredibly strong runners!!! It’s so inspiring to see others put in the WORK and crush their goals!!!

Official Time: 6:59:55 (just under my 7hr goal)

3rd in AG F40-49

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