2025 Report

The 33rd running of the Magnus Gluteus Maximus 50k was another fabulous Virginia Happy Trails Running Club event on December 13, 2025! A seasonally winter’s day, with temps starting in the mid 20’s, but rising to the low 40’s, with abundant sunshine, dry trail conditions and very little wind made for a perfect day on this classic course. One hundred thirty four trail runners spent the day running with friends in the woods and sharing time with each other, just as the MGM founder, Joe Clapper would have wanted!

An unusually large number of our starters finished the full 50k distance this year. Traditionally we do not approach a fifty percent finishers rate, but this year so seventy one complete the full course! Once again the “choose your own adventure” distances were favorites for the others, as they always are at this race. See below for those results and do reach out if you see any errors!

The after-party was catered by Trattoria Villagio from the nearby village of Clifton, and runners again enjoyed this delicious Italian food in the warm lodge at Hemlock. We hope to do this all again in 2026 on the traditional second weekend in December, so pencil in December 12, 2026, with entry opening up on Monday, November 9 at 9 AM.

And in the meantime, your favorite trail running club, the VHTRC, will be offering its usual slew of similar events in the coming year, which can be found on the club’s events calendar.

Scroll down to see links to photographs, the results grid and the list of this year’s MGM 50k volunteers.

Photographs by Leigh Weil, taken on the trails and the aid station at Fountainhead.

Photos

Results

Volunteers