Boyers Furnace Forty-Miler Race Report

The Last Race of 2023

The last time I ran Boyers Furnace was 2021. I had only 10 hours to finish because my daughter and I had plans, so it was a tight timeline. I got lost about 10 miles or so in and unfortunately had to drop so I could get to her in time.

At Devil Dog this year. I talked to Greg Loomis and he told me how he started Boyers … I had no idea! We talked about how great a run it is, and he got me wanting to go back.

[Editor’s Note: Loomdog started the Boyers Furnace Fatass in 2006 and hosted it for several years; he then passed the baton on to then local runners and long-time VHTRC members, Tony Escobar and Carter Wieking (now Carter Cox); and for the last few years, this VHTRC event has been hosted by Carol Cohen.]

I was excited to get back to back to Boyers and get some redemption!

Race Morning

I cannot overstate how important it is to get to the starting area early. I got there with 36 minutes to spare and the lot was already packed.

I got setup, dropped off my contributions to the race, and said hello to everyone out there. Saw my buddy Tony Taylor - we got caught up as we waited for the pre-run brief. As the sun was rising, Carol gave us the rundown and sent us off. She also was a runner this year! She had a special guest RD this year in former RD Tony Escobar, so she could come play.

Go!!!

Tony and I stuck together and headed out. This race is pretty rough (like the ring) because aid station 1 is about 17 miles from the start. With the cooler temps though it’s definitely easier than the ring but you still have to be careful. I definitely did not drink enough water in this first stretch. Tony and I talked and passed time catching up.

This first stretch is very technical but it’s not as bad as the things to come. I kept telling myself that, trying to stay motivated. We ran into Carol Cohen a mile or so before Veach. We talked a lot about races, mainly the area Old Dominion and MMT 100s. They definitely got me to sign up for MMT! Wasn’t planning on it but it’s too good a race to pass on!

Aid Station 1: Veach Gap

We get to Veach and were greeted by Josh Howe. I talked to Brian Carr and his 7-month-old baby Finley about Baltimore real quick. I love talking to Baltimore VHTRC members, because I’m an obsessed Oriole’s fan, love The Wire, Believe in the Run, and pretty much everything about the city. I wish I could have talked longer, but Carol and Tony started rolling out. I took off some layers, quickly ate some food, and rolled out.

Road Miles

I left the aid station and caught up to Carol and Tony. We talked for a bit then Carol took off and went ahead on the road - she was feeling it. Tony and I looked at the pigs on a farm there, and then looked at the signage at some of the properties. It seems like everything is under surveillance. There was a rebel flag and, again, the signs are interesting. The people we saw out working in yards as the sun was rising were friendly though. For some reason I totally forgot that this stretch was all road to the next aid station. Part of me was happy because it is nice to be able to go at a little faster pace but I knew the harder stretch after the second aid station was looming.

Aid Station 2: Woodstock Tower

Tony and I got in here and got a lot of food and drink. Everyone was nice. I was pretty out of it and definitely not looking forward to this next trail section. I knew it was going to be slow, so I just tried to get what I needed, and when Tony was ready we moved on.

The Long Walk

I’m really terrible at this section. Tony definitely could have gone faster without me. It was really cool for him to stay with me. It’s not super technical compared to some parts of Massanutten’s greatest hits but I just really suck here!

Biker Boyz

Tony and I saw the strangest thing. At first I thought I was hallucinating. There were about six dudes on dirt bikes who were riding on the trails. I’ve never seen anything like that back in this part, just hikers and runners. Not even mountain bikers, who are allowed to be on these trails. I told Tony “there’s no freaking way man, I’d be dead trying that.” It got me thinking about the speeder scene in Star Wars: Return of the Jedi.

Aid Station 3: Edinburg Gap

This section took a lot longer than either of us anticipated. Initially we wanted to get this portion done within 10 hours, but it was starting to look like 11:15.

We got to the aid station and were happy to see our trail friends Charlene and John. We joked around for a bit. I wanted to stay longer but we spent so much time on that last section that Tony and I knew we had to get going.

Back On The Road

Tony and I took the initial climbs slow on this part. It started getting cold again. I felt it especially in my hands, so I put on my coat, gloves, and my head lamp, because darkness was imminent.

I was real tired and started feeling rough. This is a good, tough run. Especially for runners like me who struggle on technical terrain, because you switch from trail to road between each aid station, and it can wear you down. Tony and I got to the downhill portion of the first road section (of two) and slowly started moving faster. I think the fastest pace we had was 10:30ish. My knee and parts of my leg were basically screaming: “what are you doing John???”

This part felt endless, too but I just wanted to be done to go see my kiddo, so we just kept rolling. When we got to the actual Camp Roosevelt Road, with the double yellow line, that takes you back to the start, I was so excited. We kicked and screamed our way up that last hill and got to Camp Roosevelt, and heard our buddies cheering. I got the coveted BFF sticker and a bowl of Dan Aghdam’s chili. It was delicious. I ate it in like 10 seconds.

The End

I wanted to stay longer and hang out. I really dislike just rolling out after a race. Thank you to everyone who put on Boyers Furnace. My daughter really missed me. I struggle doing races when I have her. I do a lot with her but I always feel selfish being away from her. She knows I need some time to relax in the strange manner I do but I still have regrets. When I got home she gave me a big hug, and my girlfriend Denise Freeman and I hung out with her for a bit, before I put my daughter to bed.

2023 was a rough year for me, but I’m confident things will get better in 2024. This was what I needed to finish the year off. Thank you to everyone out there!

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