~30.8 miles @ ~19.7 min/mi

(^z and Dr Kerry pose at the usual tree in Mile 1 - see 2014-11-02 - Potomac Heritage 50k for last year's selfie there)

"Mark, get your ass up that hill!" Quattro Hubbard admonishes as he catches up after starting an hour behind me. Today's Potomac Heritage 50k is a lovely walk (with a wee bit of running) in the woods. Dr Kerry pulls me along for the first dozen miles, but wisely passes the torch at the Chain Bridge aid station after a bad step on slippery leaf-covered rocks injures her left calf muscle.

Amy Couch takes over for the next dozen miles, to the American Legion Bridge and back. With both kind friends the conversations are splendid and wide-ranging — everything from ontology to trail-running strategy, with digressions to reminisce about past races and share thoughts on life. We take detours for photos at a house where Kerry lived decades ago and for Amy to pose inside a lone stone chimney standing by the Potomac River.

(^z and Amy Couch cross Pimmit Run — Amy leaps between stepping stones, Mark wades — photo by Robert Fabia, mile ~13)

Pacing is perfect, good enough to achieve the honor of DFL and excellent preparation for the upcoming Stone Mill race. To make the cutoffs there will either require more speed or fewer selfie pauses. Hmmmmmm...

(^z and Amy pose in front of graffiti under the American Legion Bridge, mile ~20

For earlier races on this course see Potomac Heritage 50k 2007, 2009-11-01 - Potomac Heritage 50k 2009, 2010-11-07 - Potomac Heritage 50k + Potomac Heritage Trail 50k 2010, and 2014-11-02 - Potomac Heritage 50k ...

(trackfile) - ^z - 2015-11-22