2024 Report

Thanks to all the runners and volunteers who came out on a fairly cold and windy MLK Sunday for the 8th running of the Waterfall 50k, more commonly known (particularly to those who finish this beast) as the WTF 50k. Below are draft results. The guy with the clipboard has notoriously bad handwriting (and now eyesight, too), so it can be hard to decipher times accurately. Please check to make sure that he hasn’t fouled your time up too badly, and shoot Q Master Flash an email or text with any and all corrections, please!

It was a wonderful winter’s day to be out in our mountains and on these Massanutten trails. The trail conditions were a bit muddy and wet, with high stream crossings this year, due to a large amount of rainfall in the days leading up to run weekend. The day itself was cold, starting off in the 30s with some sun, but then a front went through late morning that brought a dash of unexpected snow flurries up until lunch time. The wind was already gusty earlier, but grew more so over the course of the afternoon. Sun for much of that time made the post-run Circle of Trust around the firepit a delightful social occasion. This was made even more so by the efforts of Chef Jeff Best and Sous Chef Elaina Stanton, who were providing the most amazing grilled cheese sandwiches (with spinach and garlic - yum!), delectable chicken noodle soup; and rib-sticking Italian sausage and pepper mini-subs. Continuing one of the best of WTF traditions, Sophie Speidel brought a big pot of her famous Brunswick Stew to share with the runners hanging out by the fire.

Congratulations to Barret Stanton on his overall win in the rather tasty time of 5:38:15! Barret also ran the paired MLK Saturday event, the Massanutten Training Academy Run #1, and was the first runner to finish that 50k (apparently with a lot of time to spare over the rest of the participants). When asked what he planned to do to complete his holiday weekend of mountain running, Barret commented that he planned a Monday running of The Ring …

Second to finish was Erin Kelman, in 6:19, followed by Bradley Hawley, who rounded out the medal winners on this day in a time of 6:35. The very stout 2018 event record of 5:04(!) set by Lance Dockery was not threatened on this day.

King of the Waterfall was Barret Stanton, just a minute or so ahead Andy Stravers. They maintained roughly that degree of separation through the first full aid station at Gap Creek. This looked very much like it was going to be a repeat of the 2023 Battle of Waterfall between Andy and Barret, which Andy had won by 19 minutes. But that was not to be in 2024, as Andy developed some issues over the miles back to the base of Waterfall climb #2, and then opted to call it a day by taking the connector trail back to the start.

Our leading lady for Waterfall 2024 was Nora Jodrey. Nora finished in a crisp time of 6:40, just a few minutes off of Sheila Vibert Martin’s event record from 2021. It appeared that Sarah Grant, just two weeks off of her win at the Boyers Furnace 40 miler, would be the Queen of The Waterfall, as she had led Nora at the 5k point. Sarah, sadly, had an issue develop with an ankle that caused her to fall back and then take the white trail shortcut (just prior to the second climb up Waterfall Mountain) back to the finish.

Keavy Baylor, another recent winner of a VHTRC run (the MGM 50k in December), took over second; Keavy might have finished a tad sooner than her eventual time of 7:12 if she had stayed upright right through to the finish while out on the trails. On the bright side, Keavy did rather “handily” take the Best Blood win, after supermanning at a stream crossing less than a quarter mile from the finish. Llewellyn Engel finished in third in a nice time of 8:06.

Photos from the day, primarily taken by Jeremy Holder!

Photos

Other reports

• Calabrese Corner - Waterfall 2024, by John Calabrese

Results

Splits

Course Definitions:
1 = Complete 50k
2 = Ran to VC Aid Station, then took “party route” back to the finish, for about 22 miles
3 = Ran to VC Aid Station, then took a ride back to the finish, for about 20 miles
4 = Ran to the base of Waterfall II, then took the white trail back to the finish, for about 18 miles.
5 = A Run With Sophie, that at times includes the actual Waterfall course, for about 23 miles
6 = Ran to Gap Creek, then road to VC, then Party Route back, for about 17 miles
7 = Ran to Gap Creek, then road to VC, then hopped in a vehicle, for about 15 miles

Volunteers