2019 Cloudsplitter 50K
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Overview. This is such a great race through Central Appalachia. I love the city of Norton and the trails here keep expanding and improving year after year. The course, while challenging, is a lot of fun to run. This year had special guests, Karl Meltzer (most 100-miler ultramarathon wins) and Rob Apple (most ultramarathon finishes), joining the field with Karl winning another 100-miler.
Route Type | Out and Back
Total Distance | 29.4 miles
Start/Finish | Norton, Virginia
Race Goals. Leading into the race, I wanted to set a new best in the 50K which would be anything under 9:15:15, but I’d been running well all year and came in feeling great. On race morning, I was thinking something around 8:30:00 would be great.
Section 1 | Start to High Knob. The opening stretch has a bit of road to spread things out before heading up the mountain on a mix of single and double track to the Norton Reservoirs. A brief respite downhill is here before moving up the mountain again. The steepest section, just below Flag Rock Road, is a tough climb requiring some serious effort. The final bit up to the paved road to High Knob is all double track and good, if slower, running.
Section 2 | High Knob to Edith Gap. From the aid station, you pass by just short of High Knob Tower and descend on the backside of the mountain. The trail here is fast single track all the way to High Knob Lake. Past the lake, the running is still pretty solid until the climb up to Edith Gap. Here, the trail becomes more technical with a lot of unsteady rock forming the trail.
Section 3 | Edith Gap to High Knob. After departing the aid station, it’s mostly downhill from Edith Gap, but with the trail being technical and slick, it’s not a great place to let things fly unless you’re used to this type of running. After the downhill, it’s a long, steady climb back to the top with each passing mile taking a little more energy than the last until finally making the top.
Section 4 | High Knob to Finish. Reaching the High Knob aid station on the way back is a great, great feeling because it’s nearly all downhill from there. From here, it’s just a matter of how much you have left in your quads to keep things rolling along. There are two sections requiring a little more care - the steep section immediately below Flag Rock Road and some rocky technical trail before crossing over into Legion Park. Outside of this, it’s all go!
Better Each Year. Using this as my annual benchmark race, I’ve been making steady progress and getting better at this ultramarathon thing:-) Next year’s goal sub-7:30:00
2016 13:17:09
2017 6:03:25 (25K coming off injury)
2018 10:05:11
2019 8:22:26
Final Thoughts. Year after year, race director, Susan Howell and husband Steve put on a great race. The course is well-marked and in great shape with awesome volunteers throughout. Add to this the fact that city manager, Fred Ramey, has staked his and the city’s future on outdoor tourism, and you get a truly outstanding weekend race experience. I’ll look forward to heading down again in 2020 to get that sub-7:30:00 finish:-)
Always welcoming, always friendly - Norton, Virginia is a FANTASTIC host!
Catching up with Rob Apple at packet pick-up - he’s such a good guy and man has he run a ton of trails.
Touching Woodbooger’s butt for good luck before the race:-)
Master of running ultramarathons in sandals, Randy Kreill, whose always got a smile on his face.
Crossing the finish line with Doug Jones who I first met in 2016 on Pine Mountain.