Death By Do Loop

A DC Capital Striders (and now also Virginia Happy Trails Running Club) tradition that predates the Bull Run Run training run series is the infamous Death By Do Loop! Once again in 2025, this will be the second of the three planned BRR prep runs on the 50 miler course.

For the uninitiated, the “Do Loop” is a particularly infamous chunk of the Bull Run Run course. It is the southernmost section, and is accessed from Fountainhead Regional Park. From the large, Bull Run-Occoquan trailhead parking lot, it is a ~7 mile out-and-back lollipop, with lots of rolling hills, some steep but all short. Since it can be easy for the uninitiated to get lost, “Death by Do Loop” is a chance to become familiar with this section of the course while seeing how many laps you can do. The course will be minimally marked; hopefully you will run enough Loops to master this section, and to remove the mystery of the Do Loop prior to the BRR race day in early April! And if you really want to master the Do Loop, the current record is 8 loops for ~56 miles by Ellen Hart.

If you’d like to share, bring some snacks or drinks for common aid; this will stock the pot-luck aid station in the Fountainhead parking lot to allow for refueling between loops. This aid station then converts to a social zone for recovery with friends, in what is traditionally a festive post-Death gathering. So come for the loops and stay for the “wake”!

Death by Do Loop co-founder George Scott has moved to Europe, so he will sadly not be available to host this macabre event. BRR RD Lauren Masterson will be in charge in his place, so feel free to contact Lauren if you have questions about this run!