2025 Devil Dog

2025 Devil Dog Race Report
I tried not to do this race — in fact, I tried to give the bib away. Pat Early, co–race director, somehow knew how to reel me in and do this one. I’ve run Devil Dog since 2018. This was my 6th time. Finished the 100k, DNF’d the 100 miler twice, and finished the 100 miler three times.

I grew up as a runner with this race, having seen it passed from Toni Toni Becerra to my guys Pat, Justin, Wes, and all the other Dairy Queen Track Club guys that I absolutely love and respect like family.

This was a really hard race for me to do. I had to get right in a lot of ways to get out there and had a lot of help along the way — family, friends, hours and hours in the gym and training. I’ll try to tell the tale as best I can.

Packet Pickup / Anxiety Starts
When I went to pick up my bib, I wasn’t thrilled I got the number 13. I’ve DNF’d with that one before, but already being nervous that I hadn’t completed a 100 all year, I didn’t need additional fear. Thoughts of Friday the 13th, Alex Rodriguez, and on and on clouded my mind.
I had a really busy week — my mom got injured, my daughter has a lot going on with school — and it was a lot leading up to this one.

Sleepover!
Ben Nalette and his beautiful family let Erick Kuhlman and me crash for the race. He got us the most Domino’s pizza I’ve ever seen in my life. We played with his kids and his daughter made me laugh so much. Totally reminded me of my daughter Jillian. She knighted us with a toy sword but took Ben’s knighthood away and messed with him giving it back and taking it away. As much as women I date can make me insane on my search for my trail queen, I try to tell myself they were all like this at one point and not to get upset at them even when they make me sad — they don’t mean it. Ultimately knighthood isn’t forever! I understand I’m far from normal, and ladies, I get it — I’ve got nothing but love.
It was a great time and I really needed it. Thank you, Leah and Ben.

A Fallen Brother
I talked to a friend about her brother who passed away, and she showed me a picture of him. It got me emotional but at the same time motivated me to run hard for him and give him a show in heaven. Thinking about him helped me escape nerves and my own struggles and helped me think about how I could run a good race to help remember someone else — someone I never even got a chance to meet in this world.

Race Morning
I was so out of it. I hadn’t slept much all week and we had to get up at 3 a.m., get ready, and leave around 4.
Ben and I kept talking and I missed like every turn going to the bus stop. We laughed because Erick is such a loyal friend he followed us on the first couple wrong turns then understandably bailed, and we met him there and had a laugh about it at the bus.

On the bus, Ben and I were just weird, and I’m sure freaked out everyone around us. I’m sorry, bus. It was early.
When we got there, we just did the usual — nervous peeing, pre-race snacks, talked to people, and hung out at the lodge waiting on the pre-race brief.

Things Start Moving in Fast Forward
At this point it felt like someone skipped a few chapters on the DVD on me. We lined up, listened to the anthem, and headed out.

I hung with Ben and kept our weird act from the bus going. Time went quick and we kept a good, consistent pace.

The Goal
My main goal was to finish under 30 hours. I totally had the fitness to achieve this but when it’s Devil Dog, do not underestimate Prince William Forest Park. For me it always has the upper hand. The weather is never comfortable and the trail is too runnable and easy to bonk on. It’s always been a struggle since the days of being a Cub Scout to do well here.

Rome
To live up to my bib number and rise above some demons haunting me, spectating on the trail, I had to assume the identity of Titus Pullo. This may be the point you ask, “What are you on, John?” but no — Titus Pullo is a character on HBO’s Rome.

Titus Pullo is the ultimate chaotic-good Roman soldier — loud, loyal, always in trouble, but always coming through. He’s a fighter with a big heart, the perfect wild counter to Vorenus. Above all, Pullo lives and breathes the 13th Legion. “Thirteen!” isn’t just a battle cry for him — it’s who he is.

I yelled “13!” at every aid station I went to as if I was Titus.

Mom’s Birthday
My mom’s birthday is also the 13th. I thought a lot about my mom on this run. She got hurt during the week and I’ve been helping her. I love my mom. Going back to my relationship with women, we don’t always get along, but I would do anything for her, so she was in my heart out there.

Charlie and Caleb
Going on to South Valley after Toothy on loop one, I caught up with my guys Charlie and Caleb. We got so silly — as crazy as I get hanging with Ben, having all three of us together was really uplifting. I’m not going to share our jokes, impressions, etc. out of fear of cancellation. These are my guys though. I was so happy we all caught up with each other and could hang.

Things Fall Apart
Coming out of Remi our group started to fade. Caleb had to go to the bathroom and was going to catch up, Ben was fading, and Charlie and I waited for him as long as we could to keep catching up, but we had to move on. Charlie was the last with me; I didn’t want to leave him but I had to keep moving. I knew the night would slow me down and if I were to go sub-30 I had to keep going.

An Incredible Stranger
I lost Charlie but picked up a Marine. We talked about movies, books, and I really believe he may be the kindest and smartest person I’ve ever met on the trail. He sealed this by telling me a poem that really fit nicely with our discussion about art and life and just my total situation coming into this race. I can’t remember the poem and I don’t know this man’s name. I can’t remember. If you are reading this, please reach out to me. If not, maybe we will meet again on the trail — if not, know you definitely impacted my life being there.

Loop 3 — A Lonely Journey
I honestly do not have much memory of this loop at all. My goal here was to get it done as fast as I could without bonking, riding that fine line. I don’t think I really ran with anyone on this loop until I got to my pacer at Toothy. I picked up Don and things got a little weird.

I don’t really like what came next and I apologize to anyone that heard me out there. I wasn’t cool. What Don did do, though, was light a fire in me. He even said he shouldn’t have told me — and he definitely shouldn’t have — but it definitely got me back to Remi quickly and I was a loose cannon.

Don
It’s incredible how a 6-mile stretch can change things in a race, but it did. Don paced me 6 miles but completely changed my mindset. It was toxic, and he didn’t mean it, but it happened. I don’t know how I feel about this part of the race. I really need to unpack some things said and definitely how I reacted. Don and I are good friends, but this also happened when I was initially coming off injury and we ran at Holy Cowans Gap together. Don doesn’t mess around — he’s loyal — and I probably did him a disservice at Devil Dog. Don, I appreciate you pacing me and lighting the fire again. I don’t like running with that mindset; I’d rather be joking with friends, but it was effective to get me back to Remi fast and ready to tackle loop 4.

Things Get Dark
I still had the fire in me from Don and I was ready for the worst of this race: loop 4. This is the one that eats people. My body felt warm but my hands were freezing, and I couldn’t run fast at all from Remi to Gunny. I don’t even want to look at my splits here — it got rough. I had a deep discussion with a guy; I can’t recall his name or remember if he went ahead or I did, but when I got to Gunny I remember being alone.

I Needed Help
As highly as I think about DQTC, I’ve always really thought Ben Schoffstall was a modern-day paladin. I take bits and pieces of runners I look up to and he’s definitely one of them. He’s a Marine, a family man, compassionate — especially when I was a caregiver with Donald — and I’ve always looked up to and respected him.

My hands were really cold. A volunteer gave me another set of gloves, Ben gave me hand warmers and food and coffee. I sat by the heater for a minute, thanked them all, and headed out.

Things Get Really Weird
Coming off that real dark part, I was able to run faster. It wasn’t great, but I was strong enough that I could run with others. I teamed up with some people on the fire road. We talked some, and I used it to get right mentally and back in the game. Then off and on to Toothy I ran with groups of people.

No Recollection of Toothy to Gunny
For the life of me I don’t know if I just deleted this one from memory or what. I know it was horrible, but I cannot remember the trip from Toothy to Remi on loop 4. All I remember about it is getting back to Remi and heading out quick to finish this thing.

Almost Done
It was still dark when I got on loop 5. Usually in the past it was daylight or about to be daylight when I’ve finished this one, but I was on track for my PR goal. This was all new. Didn’t have to chase cutoffs here like the past. It was nice.
I feel like Remi to Gunny was the most uncomfortable part of this race cold-wise because I couldn’t go fast here and my hands froze each time, and I had to get the Gunny aid station volunteers to help fix me.
I owe this race to them — make no mistake. Every time I came in there I was extremely broken. They fixed me up every time and I could run after.

Wayne!
I bumped into Wayne! He was pacing and I tried to hang with them for a bit, and it helped me get my running legs back as the sun was coming up. This really helped me get right here. Thank you, Wayne.

I’m Alone But Not Lonely
I passed a lot of people on the way back to the finish but talked to them all and tried my best to make them all smile, and they did the same for me. I felt a lot of remorse for running angry earlier. It’s not me. I thought some extremely intense thoughts on the stretch from Toothy to Remi and it was brutal. I kept pushing though and fighting the battle in my body and my mind. When I got to the end, I was so happy to see the DQTC fam and immediately asked about what happened to my friends I left.

Sadly, They DNF’d
I initially felt responsible for leaving them, but I spoke to them after and they understood and I had to do what I needed to do to make my goal. I did let toxic motivation lead this going back to running with Don, but I’m going to use this situation not to be petty and try to be a better person moving forward.

This Race Was a Lot
It was really hard. I hadn’t finished a 100 all year and I had to really battle to get in good enough shape to be out there. Also, I’m still trying to get into a good headspace from last year. This is progress though, and I’ll always think about it if I see myself drifting into bad territory. I needed joy after this one and to see some happy faces. I ran another 3 miles with Ainsley’s Angels in Fredericksburg doing the Joy Run. They were exactly what I needed after this experience. Not that Devil Dog was bad — I PR’d and did great — but it was a mental roller coaster for me out there. I felt so much love with Ainsley’s I had to hide tears.

Guys
Going back to the women who impacted me leading up to this run — and for all the other women out there — please know guys don’t know what we’re doing with you amazing creatures and mean the best. We’re wild and just trying to survive out here. We really do mean well.

As much as I love this race — the RDs, the runners who do it, the volunteers, everyone — this will be my last time running Devil Dog. I’m going to tackle another Devil moving forward at Hellgate. Make no mistake, though, Devil Dog is amazing, but I’m sure as you read in my report, it’s time to move on. Eventually, after doing something for a while, you have to move on. I’ll always promote and support this race from afar, though — it helped me grow as a runner and as a person.

Photos