Races
JFK 50 Mile
Boonsboro to Williamsport. Appalachian Trail rocks. Then twenty-six flat towpath miles. Then country roads. America's oldest ultra still hurts.
- Start574 ft
- High1,677 ft
- Low240 ft
- Finish440 ft
- Weverton mile 15.5 at mile 16, cutoff 5 hours
- Finish Williamsport at mile 50, cutoff 13 hours
Geometrycourse math
The cruxTwenty-six flat towpath miles after the AT descent (near mile 33)
Course DNA
The Course
JFK 50 Mile runs 50.2 mi through Boonsboro to Williamsport, Maryland. +5,666 ft gain and -5,801 ft loss. Surfaces skew 40% towpath / 35% road / 25% rocky trail. Twenty-six flat towpath miles after the AT descent. High point near 1,677 ft. Low near 240 ft. November temps run 35°F to 60°F. The course rewards patience early and punishes rushed descents after mile 25.
The Work
Train for 5,666 feet of climbing across 50.2 mi. Back-to-back long runs on trail. Practice power-hiking grades above 15 percent. 13 hours total means limited margin: rehearse fueling every 45 to 60 minutes and downhill eccentric work weekly. Technicality 7/10. Build a block that simulates the crux near mile 33.
Kit
November in Boonsboro to Williamsport, Maryland: plan for 35°F to 60°F. Mandatory shell if rain is in forecast. Headlamp with spare batteries if 13 hours pushes past dark. Poles help on sustained climbs above mile 13. Vest capacity for 2 liters minimum. Shoes matched to 40% towpath: lugs for mud, rock plate if the course turns technical after mile 25.
Race Day
Hold effort through mile 13. The field often splits on the first big climb after mile 25. Twenty-six flat towpath miles after the AT descent near mile 33 is where time is won or lost. Walk the steep pinches. Run the flats and gentle downhills. Crew at major aids: socks, calories, ice if hot. Transitions under 5 minutes when possible. Final third is 17 miles of fatigue management. Finish with reserve for the last descent.
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