MD Heat Trail Race

Standard Description

2026 HEAT IS HERE! General: Running + Beer + BBQ = Be there! 25k or 50k all trail, and a great after-party! The trails are technical and challenging, yet approachable because of our generous 25k cutoffs (we don't really have one). A great course to hike, run, or both. The after party will include craft beer, great food, and general fun! The 50k is a challenging attempt - you should honestly feel like a King when you finish it - but always able to downgrade to the 25k during the event. Location and Parking: The location of the start/finish is: https://maps.app.goo.gl/spE6anGbkiAebMTT8 Shelter # 707. There will be directions regarding parking when you enter the Pickall Area of the park off of Johnnycake Rd. There is parking on-site and we have a good number of parking spots, however, they are not unlimited. Whenever possible, please plan to carpool with other athletes running the race, or if you have friends or family coming to watch, have them come with you to ensure we have enough spots for everyone, particularly our race participants. There are bathrooms that are adjacent to the pavilions where we will be hosting the race. Start Time: The 50k will start at 7am The 25k will start at 9am Course: The course consists of rolling single track with two river crossings. There is a very short paved section through a parking area, but other than that, you will not touch pavement on this course. You will get 2000ft+ of vertical gain with a couple of healthy climbs. Some of the course is very technical and rocky, but there are other smooth and runnable sections. Variety is the name of the game on this course. There are 3 areas of the course that involve out-and-backs. The first involves the climb to Valley Overlook, a stunning view overlooking the valley. There you will pick up a wrist band (50k athletes will end up with 2 wrist bands). You need to show us the wrist band at the finish line to get credited with a finish, but then the bands are yours to keep! The other 2 out-and-backs or short sections that will take you to our aid stations on the back half of the course. These are mandatory out-and-backs, and our aid station volunteers will be checking off bib numbers to ensure completion. Here is a link to the course on Strava. This is the OFFICIAL race course: https://www.strava.com/routes/3308117812416047072 Aid Stations: Aid stations will occur at approximately: 2 miles 5.25 miles 8 miles 11.5 miles 16 miles All aid stations will have Tailwind and Water as well as standard fair, both sweet and savory to keep you going. Everything at the aid stations will be real food, we will not have gels, etc. so if that is your preference make sure to carry them. Finish: At the finish we party. We pride ourselves on having a great spread of food and beers to help you refuel and celebrate your hard work. There will be access to bathrooms, water, and plenty of shelter under our two large pavilions. Event details at: https://www.mdheatraces.com/ Join the Facebook group: http://www.facebook.com/groups/mdheatrace/

50k Info

Many will do the 25k, though the ultra 50k is growing more popular each year. The 50k consists of 2 loops of the 25k course. The aid stations will be the same and located at the same intervals. It is required to pick up a wrist band at the top of the Valley Overlook climb EACH LOOP, so you will have two wrist bands at the end to officially complete the course. We do not have very strict cutoffs for the event, however, we cannot let 50k competitors out for a second loop if they complete the first loop after 12pm NOON. So basically athletes are allotted 5 hours per loop. Athletes should be able to access the park starting at 6am. The race kicks off at 7am sharp.

Parking

As mentioned above, we have fairly ample, but not unlimited parking. The parking is adjacent to the pavilions and start/finish line. Please carpool if at all possible.

Volunteers

Volunteers: We are ALWAYS looking for volunteers to help us put on a great event. If you, or anyone you know is interested in helping out, you can reach out to me at [email protected] or fill out his volunteer form: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/17btlttcapWRWeMJxQWHVuDQjF1qTo7iihsZaHnOo5mU/edit