~31.9 mi @ ~15.2 min/mi

"DEET-Man!" Insect repellent is the potion-of-the-day at the fourth annual "Ran It with Janet" 50k. Every year the trails in Manassas National Battlefield Park get more lovely, with their turtles and thistles, snakes and millipedes, butterflies and dragonflies. Race organizers and volunteers are enthusiastic and helpful. What's not to love? Winner Mariska Kramer flies past, many miles ahead of everybody else. Awesome athlete!

Bull Run's greatest challenges this year are heat and humidity, as forecast heavy rains fail to materialize, clouds are intermittent, breezes weak and sporadic. Laps decelerate: ~2.5 –> ~2.7 –> ~2.8 hours. Hydration and electrolyte management are essential. Dr Merle magically materializes midrace with an icy drink. (Thank you, Sir!)

At the Stone Bridge aid station kind Jon and Lolita ignore official cutoffs and keep runners moving; ditto Sean & Co. at the Unfinished Railway depot. RD Janet, with Lucas and friends, make sure runners fly in and out of the start-finish pavilion efficiently.

See past RIwJ photos & reports at 2015-06-06 - Ran It with Janet 50k-ish + 2016-06-04 - Ran It with Janet 50k 2016 + 2017-06-03 - Ran It with Janet 50k

(trackfile) - ^z - 2018-06-18