Packet Pick Up: Packet pick up for The North Face Endurance Challenge in DC the was held on the Thursday and Friday before the race at two different North Face store locations (Georgetown and Tyson’s Corner). Pick up was smooth and seamless. If you were not able to pick up your packet at one of these locations, you had the option to pick up your packet prior to the start of the race at the runner registration tent.
Pre-race panel: Thursday at packet pick up, there was also a 60 minute pre-race panel with long-time The North Face athlete Dean Karnazes and The North Face race director Nick Moore.
Pre-Race: Each race distance had a different start time. The 50 mi, 50k, and marathon were all separated by 2 hours.
Transportation: There was limited parking near the race start. For this race, participants and spectators had to park off site and were bussed in to the start line. Once off the bus, it was a short walk to the start/finish line (about 0.25 miles).
Pre-race activities: There were multiple bonfires set up, so participants and spectators could keep warm pre-race. Multiple hammocks and picnic tables were also available. The North Face also had a tent set up with race specific gear for purchase. Hammer Nutrition had a tent set up with free gu’s for people to try different flavors. A massive water cooler was also available for people to fill water bottles. Of note, this same container still had plenty of water after I finished the race 6.5 hours later.
Related Post: My 50k Gear/Packing Checklist
Race:
50k Course: The race was started in four waves for the 50k. Each wave was separated by one minute. The course was an out and back along the Potomac River to Great Falls Park (turn around point for the marathon). Once you reached Great Falls Park, the 50k course did one loop (about 5 miles) before heading back to the start/finish line. While running the loop in Great Falls Park, your bib was marked four times (entering and leaving the loop, and then at two out and back turn arounds). There were a ton of spectators at Great Falls Park and the looped portion of the course allowed you to see multiple other athletes. If you had friends or family, Great Falls Park was a perfect opportunity for them to see you multiple times before heading back to the finish line.
Aid Stations: All of the aid stations were well stocked with peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, pretzels, oranges, bananas, water, electrolytes, coke, and mountain dew. There were also plenty of medical staff at each aid station. Of note – this race was cupless. Meaning there were no cups at the aid stations. You were provided a hydroflask cup at packet pick for use at all the aid stations however. I just clipped this cup to my hydration pack so I didn’t have to worry about carrying it.
Here is my map of the course:
Of note, my garmin elevation was incorrect for this race. The actual elevation gain is closer to about 3,200 feet.
Post-Race: Immediately crossing the finish line, there was a tent with peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, oranges, bananas, and bagels. There was also a tent set up with four laptops so you could retrieve your results. Most importantly, there was a tent set up with norma-tech boots!
Food: The post-race food included BBQ chicken, corn, beans, and Pepsi. There was also a food truck on site and a beer garden, where participants received their first beer for free.
November Project Meetup
Overall: This was a great race for my first 50k. Everything about this race was well executed and organized. The scenery and course were amazing. I would highly recommend The North Face DC for your first 50k race.
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