Claysburg, PA. I ran the Rock n the Knob every year since I first discovered it in 2020. Reports from the 2022 run (here), 2021, and 2020 are linked for those who are interested.
Each year is a bit different. One thing constant is the course is hard. I love this race. It is small but in my mind it is one of my biggest races. I usually sign up once it opens and I waited whole year for this. It is definitely the hardest marathon I did.
Having prior years experience helped. The course changed a little bit from year to year. They always say, “we added more climbing to the course.” This year, the new section added did not seem too bad. We had two new river crossings. I don’t like getting my feet wet but it would not have been a true trail race without dipping one’s toe into the water.
The climbing was a lot but I did not struggle as much as last year. I think if I remember correctly I threw up last year (It was actually 2021).
Maybe this year I have gone out a bit slower, so I was not rush climbing up hills, so I was not as winded.
I felt this year, there were less people, which made me a bit sad because this was a fun race to do. We had more time too, 1 whole extra hour, 10 hours total. I think that was messing with our heads. The last runner only needed 9 hours (there were a few who dropped and usually, it is for other reasons but time). The race started at 7 AM instead of 8 AM. I finished in 8:20:52. Last year, I finished under around 7:50. I was 30 mins slower.
I camped out the night before. Originally I intended to be there for two nights. My friend, decided to join me on the run and asked for a ride and to camp with me. She was going to sleep in her car at the start, but I said, I had a tent spot about 3 miles away. More the merrier. So we left work early and rode up to Blue Knob State Park. It was long 4 hour-ish drive in rush hour traffic. Having a friend to talk to on the way up though, makes time pass by quicker. Normally for me any drive over 2 hours is too long for me. I could run 10-20 hours but could not stand driving more than two hours. I would fall asleep behind the wheel.
The race was uneventful. I knew the course almost by heart now being this was my fourth time doing it. There were a lot of side trails or we usually would take one of the unmarked ones. The first couple miles were on a rocky path. I went slower. I know soon it would become more runnable. Occasionally, I kicked over some roots or rocks. I did roll my ankles a few times but each time, I was not hurt. And it was my strong ankle that was stumbling. My weaker ankle was alright. I was so afraid of hurting myself since a big race (Grindstone) is coming up the following weekend. I need my feet to be strong and healthy.
Then the group I was with started to separate out. Note, I did not claim the front position but was in the rear. I believe I was one of the last few runners left. I could not catch up or stayed with the main group. In the past, I usually could stay with them because I had a fast short range burst. Not this year. At the downhill section, I could speed up some, but there were a lot faster runners who could take the downhill and out ran me (like Sarah did, bib 65). The few I happened to catch up, passed me back in no time.
In the beginning, I could power up the climbs. I felt I did better than last year. About maybe about 4-5 miles in at Pavia, I started to get tired a bit. I walked more. There were some pictures taken by volunteers and I looked beaten up. We went down to the Lost Children. (This year, post race, I finally understood why they called it the Lost Children, it is sad story of what happened about 150 years ago, when two children disappeared from the town Pavia; they had a memorial there called Cox Memorial). I wanted to go back after the race to pay a proper visit.
This year, we did the new loop there. I enjoyed this section. We had a huge climb up back to Chapell Field/Blue Knob Campground.
From there, we went to the next section where we had another big climb – Teal is Real. This year it did not feel that bad. I met a half marathoner, Jake. Soon I was at Raven Rest/Roost. Previous year, I felt like dying here. Maybe the course changed somewhat, I felt I missed an aid station, but I was with other runners, I don’t think I had gotten off course. Yes, I just reread last year report, this year course was a slightly different, there was no Pavia’s Aid station. Instead of climbing up to the Pavia’s Aid station, we descended down. We climbed Saw Mill. We climbed Rocking Ridge. I met a lady from Pittsburgh who will be at the Grindstone 100. She will be voluntering.
It was about 4 miles from Raven’s Rest to the Heavenly Hairpin. Last year, I barely made the cut, and I was the last one in. This year, I was surprised when I got to Hairpin early, I caught up many half marathon runners. Of course this section had one of wicked climbs in the whole course. It was like 4 miles straight up to Pavia Overlook. Many runners felt exhausted at “I will Neetle do it again” or Beaver Dam. I was a bit tired, but climbing up was nothing to me. I was not even out of breath. I was sweating profusely though.
At the Hairpin, I felt I was at least an hour ahead of the cut. I think the time was 11:45 or something. I wanted to make it Quitters Rows by 12:45-1 pm. It was only 2 miles-ish, but we had a huge ski slope to climb. This section though I hate it was also most fun because on the big ski slope, we got to run down first then climb back up. On the way up, you could see a long line ahead. I actually started cramping on the climb. It took much effort to reach the peak.
Then there was the steep double diamond descend. It was fun for me but it was too dangerous to run down this year. I know in one previous years, I bombed down the hill. I did not have to sit on my butt to go down because I was bolder, but running down on it was no joke.
There was the part everyone like, I needed a Sherpa. It was just a small climb but it was like mountaineering. I got down on my hands to crawl up. I reached the Quitter’s Rows at 12:50, and found out the aid station doesn’t close until 2:45. It was because the extra hour they gave up. The previous years, I felt I had to fight the cut off at here.
I was demotivated on the final 10k. We marathoners had an extra section to do. It was not bad. I ran it in prior years but this year, I had no energy to do it. A guy who was with me, seemed effortlessly walked faster than me. He soon left me behind. Previous years, there were so many other runners on this section, but this year I was alone. So I continued walking at my own pace. Halfway through, Sarah caught up. She was a downhill runner. So with her, I got my motivation back to run. Maybe also, I had rested enough after couple miles of walking. She wanted me to go ahead. I did. We rolled into the final aid station, “throat punch“, having caught up to the guy who previously left me.
The final two miles were on a big climb (Soul sucker) back up to Blue Knob Resort. I started cramping again, but this year the cramp was not as bad as last year. I rested maybe a minute or so until the cramp went away. Then the climb was not too bad. I caught up with Sarah again on the way up. From then it was the last stretch to the finish. I could hear Sarah and the couple guys behind me. Occasionally, on one of the switchbacks I looked down and saw them. I waved and shouted, saying I am up here. They looked up and shouted, Thanks. They kept close and I thought they would overtake me up at the top. They never came close. At the top, there was about half a mile to 3/4 of a mile relatively flat section, but a bit rocky trail leading to the finish. I walked because I could not make myself to run. Last year, I was running with another runner all the way to the finish. (That was the year with Jen).
I ran in when I saw the finish line banner. I amazed afterward that my legs were not cramping like last year. I basically could still walk. I remembered last year, it was painful to walk (because I was cramping up for over an hour last year). No more cramping this year. My friends were there cheering me. Surprisingly I was not the last one finish. There were 9-10 runners behind me. We stayed till a bit after 4 pm, (last runner came in) before going home (45 mins or so).
I regretted in the new section of not going hand-over-hand on the wire line. I did not think my balancing and acrobatic skill is that good to try. I waded across the water instead.
It was good thing I reread the last few years’ reports. My memory of the last year race while writing this report was actually from 2021. I did not realized until I reread those two years. Last year event was blanked/erased from my brain already until I reread the report. I did not remember Brian and the 65 year old man. I did remember Sean. Sean and his wife ran it this year. They were at the finish this year cheering me as I came in.
This year run was peaceful. There were no people chasing me. I wasn’t chasing anyone. Sarah, popped up from time to time. I think she was either immediately ahead of me or behind me. I did not get to know her until after we finished when Caroline called her over to our table. She ran Rim to River last year and will pace a friend this year. I plan to be there to cheer, because a friend Aaron, who introduced me to this race (actually both Rim to River and Rock n the Knob and Camp Anderson) will be running the Rim to River. I said, I hope to see Sarah again at that race.
Last year, I wrote, why do I love running? It was because somehow from seemingly a series of inconsequential events, we have a story to tell.
Some I chose not tell because they seemed not good to the flow with the story. In my mind, they might make sense, but why did I remember something like this but not other things.
Mike, who was doing the sweeping this year, remembered me as the guy who found his iPhone. He shot some wonderful pictures of many runners including me and posted on Facebook with his iPhone.
Sean will be running the JFK 50 this year. Couple other people asked me if I will run it. I haven’t planned to run in it yet, but I kind of want to do it now Sean is running in it.
The woman at the Throat Punch Aid station, told me that she always gains weight while running ultras. She gave me chocolate covered coffee beans last year but none this year. Maybe I did not ask.
Keith, Aaron’s friend was at the Throat Punch station, but Aaron was not around this year. The race felt somewhat different for me without seeing Aaron.
This year, I had Caroline, though we did not run together, but we shared the same course (she did the 13 miles) and she enjoyed it. I thought the hills might be too much for her, but apparently that was her best part. She likes also the stone steps on the trail. She likes the Chalets on top of the hill. She took many pictures and they were posted on Facebook. She made the drive to PA a lot more enjoyable.
Weekend is too short. The race was enjoyable. Good things always have to end so soon. I did wish to stay for another night. With Caroline though, we had to make it back the same night. I would feel bad to make her stay another night. My feet were sore. I spent the whole Sunday sleeping in and did not wake up until 4 pm. Slept in too on Monday morning.
In awe 