YOURSTORIES

William Potts

Thanks to you and ALL the volunteers for another GREAT Capon Valley 50K. This race has it all including small town hospitality, a great race venue, a FANTASTIC race course and an unbeatable post race meal. I want the recipe for the homemade curry salad dressing. Dang that was good. Almost as good as the table of incredible deserts, not to mention the half grilled chicken I inhaled before desert.

I drove up Friday evening and was greeted by some very kind volunteers who helped me swing my pop up camper around and get it all set up. Not too many campers this year because of all the rain. Moving up the race start to 7 am was perfect in helping runners avoid the mid-day heat. This year it was a bit humid, but luckily the cloud cover helped protect us from the heat. The course was wet from all the rain we've had this spring, and I rather enjoyed dipping my hat in the cool mountain streams to cool off.

People forget how challenging of a course Capon Valley can be. I really like it because it is ever changing and has a little bit of everything (nice single track, jeep trail, mountain trail, steep climbs, bombing down hills and gravel road). Just when you get tired of running one section, you make a turn and have something completely different.

But the best part of Capon Valley are its volunteers who generously donate their day to help us Ultra Runners enjoy a lovely day in the West Virginia Woods.

Scott Millar

I want to thank everyone involved in organizing the Capon 50K. This was my first time running it and everyone was so nice and helpful! The trails were beautiful and the water crossings were fun and refreshing! Please pass on my appreciation to everyone involved for their efforts and hospitality. I'm sure I'll be back next year.

I had a fabulous time. The planning and all the support volunteers were great, plus the course markings were the best I have ever seen.

I ran the Capon Valley 50K for the first time on Saturday. This was a great race and course. It was so well-organized. The volunteers were exceptional - so friendly and helpful. Also, the food was fantastic! I especially loved the chicken, salad dressings, and home made desserts (with perfect pie crusts). I liked being one of the first twenty-five finishers, so that I could pick from the 'goody' table. I chose a vanilla pound cake, which is great - but my thighs kind of wished I had picked the fresh eggs. They would have been a great treat, too.

Robin, just a quick note to thank you for one of the most extraordinary experinces I've ever had. This was my first ultra, as well as my first trail run and I couldn't be happier right now. I didn't start running until I was in my fifties and decided to lose some weight and start getting healthier. I ended up losing 80 pounds through the Weight Watcher's program and become a leader myself. I started running as I lost my weight and signed up for a couple 5K's in my area and liked the feeling it gave me to both be able to run and to help someone else out. A co-worker talked me into joining a local running club (FleetFeet Buffalo) and I eventually started running longer and longer. When someone mentioned trying a marathon I almost choked at the idea, telling them that I would never be able to do that. I should have known better having already been through several life changes. To date I've completed 5 full marathons and several halfs and now your run. I don't know how I stumbled accross the site for this run but I am so glad I did. What an experience! The course, the runners and certainly not least of all the volunteers. I was truly touched by the caring nature of every one of them at the aid stations. In particular there was a young man at the last station that was very encouraging when I was struggling terribly. I wish I would have gotten his name, I would love to thank him (and all of them) personally. Thank you again for such a wonderful experience. Hope to do this one again in the future.

"Pain is temporary, pride is forever."

I’m a 5+ hour road marathoner so I was a bit worried when, after my husband registered us for this race, I learned that the time limit was just 8 hours. I had most recently completed the Terrapin Mountain “Marathon” (29.8 miles; 7:54) and Promise Land (50k+; 9:08). The race starts late for an ultra, and last year it was hot and humid so this race could be my first DNF. Fortunately, the weather was cool and rainy, perfect for running all day. The scenery was so beautiful that there were times when I had to stop and briefly admire the view. I had a little trouble accessing the Clip2 from the jacket I had tied around my waist, and I lost one packet somewhere on the trail, so any gains I had made as I tore down the hills were lost fumbling at the aid stations. But the volunteers were extremely helpful and the M&M’s much appreciated, a feeling I don’t share about the steep but short hills. But the 40 stream crossings kept my feet cool and the soft, muddy trails cushioned my footfalls, which no doubt contributed to my ability to not only make the time cutoffs, but to PR with a surprising 6:55. As if that weren’t enough to guarantee my return next year, they served vegetarian BBQ ribs at the post-race meal. The money raised from the event supports the local community, and the course consists of a series of trails on private property, which likely explains why we couldn’t find a course map online. I met some wonderful people, both runners and locals, and I went away feeling that it was an absolutely delightful day. Thanks to the Capon Valley Ruritan Club for a terrific experience!

We just wanted to thank you so much for putting together such a wonderful event! This is the first time we've participated in the
Capon 50K, and will definitely become a yearly event for us. Actually, this was my first Ultra (ok, well the first time I ran a distance
longer than 18 miles), and I cannot imagine a more beautiful or fun course!

Thanks again, and we'll see you next year!

Great job running this race. You even came up with great weather! I will recommend it to everyone interested in a WV run

I just wanted to let you know that I had a wonderful time and a lot of fun running the Capon Valley 50K. Everything was well done. The course
was beautiful, challenging, and had a lot of variety. All of the volunteers were so friendly and helpful I felt like I was family. The
aid stations had the best snacks and drinks.

I didn't mind the creek crossings at all. In fact, they added to the fun factor. I have to confess that near the end of the race, I just stood in the middle of one of the creeks for a few minutes because the cold water felt so good on my tired feet. Besides, there were just enough creeks to wash the mud off.

This was my first 50K and I don't expect any in the future to be as fantastic an experience as this one was. I hope to make this a yearly event for me for as long as I'm able to run. Thanks to all.

Thank you and your volunteers so much for a beautiful, if wet, run on Saturday. The race lived up to everything I had read or heard about it. The only surprise I had was that the difficultly level was more challenging that I expected because of all the wonderful things I had read and heard. I guess that shows that ultra runners forget the hard if it is heavily out weighed by the really good. This run was all good from the friendly and helpful volunteers to gorgeous views, peaceful very run-able paths, cool feet healing stream crossings and the “not a better way to finish the race” barbeque dinner.

Thank you and all the race managers for taking time out of your schedule to pull this race together and providing a great gift to the ultra running community. .

I just checked out the website for results and read your comment about our emails concerning the creek levels. You know, going into the race I was concerned about the creeks since this was my first 50K and first trail run with water crossings. I have to say I thoroughly enjoyed them! The entire experience wouldn't have been so memorable without the thick mud, rushing water crossings, steep hills (!) and beautiful scenery. What an awesome event! The volunteers were excited for each runner, even those of us in the very back. Keep up the good work and I'll be sure to spread the word around the Austin, Texas area about this gem of a trail race!

A long workday, a five hour drive, pitching your tent in the rain after midnight sounds like a great start to a weekend. Most of the people reading this would probably say the same. Personally, I picked the Capon Valley 50K just try someplace new and get the bad taste out of my mouth from the last race. The choice turned out to be a good one. At the pre-race instruction, Robin tells us that the course is well marked. She and her crew had flagged it on horseback. She says that we should almost be able to see from one flag to the next and if we get lost it is OUR fault. I had heard rumors of such things before, but had never seen this bigfootesk phenomenon. It turned out to be true, which was actually a good thing on this unique course. The race is run mostly on private land, so lots of turns and lots of turns NOT to take. There is 2 miles or less on asphalt at the start and finish. The course is run on some gravel roads, single tracks, grass fields, and many old, seldom used, woodland roads. Some places the course ran over woodland that didn’t look like a trail at all, a rare experience. Having no idea of the course profile, I asked a returning runner about the course. His input was that it is flat… for West Virginia. West Virginia is called the Mountain State. So lots of up and down, some steep, some long, but actually nothing long and steep. An accurate description of what I found as my feet discovered this new course. I was surprised that no one mentioned the stream crossings. If you don’t care for water, don’t run this race because these people like to cross creeks. As one runner asked at the excellent post-race meal, “Did anyone count all those stream crossings?” Another runner replied, “I lost count at 18 around halfway.” If the course ran along a stream instead of just crossing it, we mostly likely would crisscross it 6-10 times. We were also blessed to be splashing through these streams after a night of regular rain. So small mountain streams were now knee deep large streams. The rain that started over night continued off and on through most of the race, so an added gratuity was the mud. Personally, I was pleased to have a comfortable smooth race and to come away with a win in 3:55:55. Robin Kane and Karsten Brown took second and third in 4:24 and 4:26. The top female was Kendra Horgeer in 5:07 with Bridget Wildt and Tina Genay rounding out the top three in 5:20 and 5:24. By the way, the timing was done with a bedroom alarm clock. It was held up at the start as we walked up to the line after the national anthem. The guy just simply said, “I guess you can start running.” A simple timing method, but it works as good as any. I liked it. The camaraderie of runners at the post-race meal was great as usual. We talked of living cheap to afford our acceptable addiction and traded stories of races and the ones we would recommend. This race definitely fits that category. It has a unique course, especially since it runs over several of the locals’ private land. If you are new to trails or ultras and concerned of getting lost, this is your course to try the trails. If you get lost, it truly is your fault. The race is put on by members of the Capon Valley community, assisted by volunteers from the Capon Valley Ruritan Club (which lets them use the building and grounds) and the Capon Springs Volunteer Fire and Rescue Squad. I was surprised to find they are all non-runners who do a great job. An excited community with the friendliness of West Virginia, they have a large group of volunteers with well-stocked and supported aid stations. You can camp at the start/finish for free and there are showers to go home clean. All of this makes Capon Valley 50K one of those little known races that really is a must do.

I do many running races, this is one of my favorites. I have a lot of good things to say when people ask me which one I like the most. Please keep improving on the same path you're on. I have nothing but kind and lovely things to say when asked. Thank You for a beautiful race.

Today's technology is amazing and sometimes makes me wish I was my sons age, 24 years young. Wrist watches with heart rates, GPS, altitudes, weather and such is incredible. The one I now wear only tells me heart rate. My average heart rate for Capon Valley race was 164. I have learned about Lactate threshold and followed my test results. My finish time says a lot about what I have learned. The watch I wear only tells me heart rate. My next one will tell a lot more. I'm looking foreward to wearing one with altitude. Until then I'll have to ask. What is Capons overall altitude gain? (editor's note -- course goes from about 175 feet at Club to about 2,000 feet at Hawk. CR) Thanks for a beautiful race and hope to see you next year.

William Potts

Thank you, the Ruritan Club, your many volunteers and marvelous cooks for a fantastic event!

The scenery and course couldn't have been better and the aid stations were superb. After cresting the first hill I saw those horses galloping through the pasture and it took my breath away. You couldn't have scripted a more beautiful morning.

All the volunteers were so very friendly and helpful. Could you please give the lady (ies) who made the coconut cream pie a big kiss for me? Wow! Capon Valley 50K is a hidden jewel of a race and I'm very happy I discovered it.

I've done many ultra marathons (4 this year) and you all put on a top notch event. My only word of advice from a runners perspective is that the race would be better with an earlier starting time. I recommend moving the start time up at least an hour (7 am). Most ultra marathons start at 6 am and the Promise Land 50K at 5:30 am. Starting at 8 am during this time of year places some runners (like me) at slightly more risk for heat related illness. While mid-70's may not seem warm, most of us have been training and racing throughout winter (at Holiday Lake 50k in February it was 14 degrees at the 6 am start), and mid-70's with sun can be a touch warm especially for those mid to back of the pack runners.

Anyway, lovely event and I will be back next year.

My name is Dan Stasny and I wanted to commend you and all of your crew, helpers, cooks, and elves on a job done above and beyond the call of duty. It was truly an outstanding event. I also wanted to say "thank you" to the volunteer that tacked up the pie plate that read "we love and

support our troops"! Last month I returned from a 14 month overseas deployment and one of the things that helped me through the long hours was to daydream of all the wonderful ultras to be run when I came home. I would attempt to picture in my mind's eye the courses I had run and with whom I had run them with one of those courses being the Capon Valley 50K. As I ran in the race today I thought back over the past 14 months and a few times became a little emotional knowing that I was finally back in the green, lush mountains doing what I love and that those thousands of daydreams had finally found fruition. When I saw the pie plate it brought tears to my eyes and a welling in my throat. Here on this post in the middle of nowhere was an anynonomous message...a .50 cent Sharpie on a .05 cent pie plate that meant more to me than all the medals and awards they pinned on me as we ended our deployment. Thanks again, we'll see you next year ( I hope) for the 10th running!

Paul Link

I just want to take a moment to thank you, your staff and all your dedicated volunteers, for there individual efforts to make this year’s Capon Valley 50k race a complete success (in my book)!! The black shirts for the staff and red tee shirts for the volunteers was a great idea!! Everyone looked great!!

Having finished this race 8 out of 9 years I have come to feel like part of the local race family in the Capon Springs/Yellow Springs Area.   It’s always good to see so many familiar faces ( too many to name individually) each year, and a few new ones.

A special thanks to Merrie and John Hammond at the Asa Cline House for several nights of gracious and welcoming accommodations. The runner’s pasta dinner (Friday) and breakfasts’ at the Asa Cline House were absolutely fabulous!!   Also, for John’s assistance with the runners count aid station #1 and Merrie’s assistance with the chicken dinner.

Lynn, Thank you for another perfect job of marking the trail. I say it again every year: “The trail is marked very well and only those that are not paying attention get off course”. It’s a delicate task to watch the pink streamers and the trail at the same time but it has proven itself over and over and over again that those that master both have a safer and less lengthy run……….. Thank you so much for all your support.

It was nice to meet Todd and Suzie Link!!! Wow, what a cool surprise!! I had no idea that there were Links in the area.   I’m not sure if they are distant relatives but I’ll check into that.

Rolf, Thank you for your encouragement while I was changing shoes at aid station #3. I was certain before the race that my old shoes would make it to #3, but I had no idea how bad off they were until I switched them out. Believe me when I started- they were completely intact.   I changed out those shoes at Station #4 for pair #3.

Many thanks to the horses and riders that started pacing me sometime after aid station #4, then through #6. I’ve never picked up the rear before and although (the tortoise), I don’t expect to compete for that position in 2008!!

My Sue offers one suggestion: Dorothy (in past years) had incorporated the use of pre-filled large water pitchers or juice bottles at aid station#4 and others.   It is vital to make every effort to have at least 3 pitchers or large juice bottles available with a 50/50 mix, to refill runner bottles and camelbacks. It saves a lot of time and cups. Please consider this in your 2008 planning. It may take several months to gather enough bottles together rather than to purchase them.