WC-50 - 50 Miler Course Review

 I am still putting together my fall racing schedule, and one of the races that I have been contemplating is WC50 i.e. the 50 miler. I was browsing the Whitewater Center website, and I thought that I would peek and see if they had posted course. Surprisingly, yes, they had it posted. 

I knew already that the course would be different. The WWC lost two trails to the water treatment expansion which had been part of the previous course. 

If anything, this new course was going to be harder. Looking at the map, it is definitely harder. To replace the sections that they lost, they added a run out to and over the Academy Trail.

I decided that I would do one of my long runs over it. 

Setting aside the fact that I started my run with temperature in the low 80s and finishing it in the upper 90s, the course was tough. I did just one loop of it, and I was wiped out. 

My Garmin had about 16.5 miles so distance is going to be legit. Still I have my doubts if anyone breaks 10 hours on it. If they do, they will have earned it. 

Personally, I am now learning toward the 50k. While the 50k course is tougher as well, it is not the same course change. No, instead, the 50k course now does 3 loops of East Main, part of North & South Main trails. I suspect that a lot of runners will be struggling during the 3rd trip "no pun intended" over it. It is going to be hard. That's a lot of constant little steep rollers which just wear out the hip flexors. 

Anyone planning to run either of these races should check out the course online, and if you get chance, take a run on them. 

Better to be prepared. 

The Cool Down Runner