Potomac Heritage

Cost

As with all VHTRC Events, there is no fee to run. You will get a confirmation once you’ve entered that you are on the Official Entrants list. If the race is full, please email the RD to ask to be put on the ‘waitlist’.
Expect an email reminder 2 weeks from race day, then an email race week and a final email on Friday before the race.

Course

Mostly trail, with a couple of miles on dirt along the canal, and a mile or two of pavement. The route begins at Peirce Mill in Rock Creek Park in DC, crosses over the Key Bridge into Virginia, continues on single track up to the Beltway, then returns to DC over the Chain Bridge.

Aid stations

Markings

The trail will be marked in DC with flour/chalk. In Virginia, you will follow blue blazes, with the exception of the detour to the Turkey Run Aid station. This portion will be marked with flour/chalk.

Pre-run Briefing

Check-in is required of all runners prior to the start. There will be a volunteer there with clipboard to ensure that everyone registered is accounted for. Pre-run briefing at 7:50 A.M. at the start line. Finishers of any distance should be sure to check-in and report they are done at the same place where they checked in pre-run.

Post race party

The post race party will include plenty of food and refreshments! You will want to plan to spend some time after your run enjoying the hospitality of the VHTRC.

Results

Results will be posted, but will not be reported to Ultrarunning Magazine or any other publication. Check the results from previous years to get a sense of why that is the case. Please be patient in the final tabulation of the results as there is a lot of jockeying that happens with the ‘bonus’ points.

To help in this, please ensure that each aid station has marked you down and marked that you have done whatever is needed to earn your appropriate ‘Bonus’ points. And while we know you have just set a new 50k PR, and you will be basking in your sub-4 hour time, do remember that at the end of the day, this is a Fun run and more a chance to get out on the trails with friends, test those legs out at a longer distance or an excuse to get outside! Thanks!

Potomac Heritage 50 km History

The Potomac Heritage 50km was created by Jeanne Christie and Larry DeHof. Larry was the RD for many years. When Jeanne and Larry left for Maine, Kerry Owens took over the event in 2003 and gave it a new start/finish, where it continued to flourish. The event has continued on since Kerry’s move out West. The current RD is “White House” Tom McNulty, with two subsequent changes in location for the host site during his tenure; as of 2021 the start/finish location has been at Peirce Mill in Rock Creek Park. See the former PHT 50km page.