Race: Genesee Valley Ultra 24 Hour Race

Runner: TRR Coach Ryan Williams

Race Date: 03/29/2025

Location: Parkton, Maryland

Result: 90 miles in 23:52:25; 4th place overall

Strava Activity Link: https://www.strava.com/activities/14030805201/overview

3 Bests – What aspects of the race did you like the most?

1. Community: I love that the community is building for this race. Some more local ultra runners are getting out to it and it’s start to feel like a party.
2. Race Director: The RD Jason Mabe is fantastic. He is there the entire time. He’s supportive and engaged and logistically that are no issues.
3. Time of year: It’s such a great early spring event. The weather is always up in the air; you can guarantee you’ll get some wind, but also flowers on the course.

Not so much – Aspects of the race that didn’t do it for you

The on course offerings are quirky to say the least! We always call it “Genesee Valley aid”: there will be pancakes but no syrup or utensils. This year, in the middle of the night, someone will brought hushpuppies that no one wanted to eat that in the middle of an ultra. They’ll also have a lot of random food that has been donated. You don’t know what is going to be there or when it is going to come, but that is sort of the old school vibe of it.

Weird factor – What’s the weirdest thing about this race?

Running 2.5 mile trail loops for 24 hours with about 225 feet of vert per loop is pretty weird! Part of the loop is through wide open fields where you just get wrecked by wind.

Highlights of your race – What did you do well and enjoy about your race in particular?

On the same course and in the same time, I ran two miles further this year than last year. This was in spite of unseasonably hot conditions this year, suggesting I did a good job of staying on top of my hydration, even though it was nearly impossible to do so. I’m happy with reaching my “C” goal: I set a new 24-hour distance PR of 90 miles!

Lessons for others – Share your pro-tips on the race to help the next runner

It’s a 24 hour race, so you really need to pace yourself! For the past two years, I’ve been in 1st place for the first 100K, before slowly falling apart after the 12 hour mark, reducing me to walking. This course seems like an easy loop but it can beat you up over a 24 hour time period. My advice is to walk the hills, take advantage of the flats, and be prepared for it to get cold at night. Also, know that there is a 90% chance of winds over 15 mph because of the location and lack of wind shields on the second half of the loop.

Lessons you learned that will help you next time around

Pacing! This is a skill that comes with time, but I knew enough to be concerned about being in first place even around 50 miles. Each loop, I’d focus too much on trying to stretch out the gap between me and second place. As a result, I wasn’t running my own race anymore. I needed to go a lot slower. This race doesn’t start until 50 miles, so who cares if I’m leading before that? In future, I need to keep a steady pace for the entire time limit. I don’t want five hours of power hiking at the end.

Most important course specific knowledge to know about the race

There are some technical trail sections, but 80% of the course is either on grass, smooth double track, or open field. I think you could do really well with just a cushioned road shoe for the 24 hours. I’ve used trail shoes the past two years but I’m over that. At the same time, both years the person who has out-lasted me was just wearing road shoes. I think that’s something worth paying attention to!

Aesthetics – Is it a pretty course?

Very pretty! The course is on an environmental center in rural Maryland. You’re in these beautiful open fields and in the woods. It’s a beautiful loop that you won’t mind running over and over again.

Difficulty – Is it a tough course?

It shouldn’t be but it is. There is a big incline in the middle of the loop that takes it toll over 30-40 loops. While the diverse surfaces you’re running on offer variety for the legs, it also tends to beat you up over the time duration. With half of each loop (and thus half of the race) in a valley, it’s usually really cold or really hot here. This year, it was just stagnate air in the valley and you couldn’t breath or get your heart rate down when you were in there.

The biggest challenge is the weather. For every year this race has been held (three so far), it has either been freezing cold with rain and wind, or very hot and stagnate.

Organized and well run – Did it feel like a well-oiled machine or were they flying by the seat of their pants?

The Genesee Valley Ultra 24 Hour Race is very well-oiled machine! The RD Jason Mabe runs an amazing race. It was super hot this year, and once that heat set in, Jason had ice and cold water out on the course for us. He’s far enough away to direct, but close enough to help out.

Competition – Is there a strong field?

To some extent. While there aren’t any pros that come, each year some good local talent always show out.

Logistics – Does it require a special handshake, registration a year in advance, hotels all booked? Give us the low down on the nuts and bolts of making the race happen.

No issues at all here. You can probably sign up for the Genesee Valley Ultra 24 Hour Race the day before. There aren’t really any hotels locally, but the race does offer camping the night before and during the race. They have a big field set up with water access for camping.

Aid Stations – Standard fare or anything special to know about the aid stations in terms of what’s available or when?

There is only one aid station in Race HQ, accessible every 2.5 miles. As mentioned before, the food options are limited. Most runners set up their own table and personal aid station on the course by the start/finish. You can just pop off the course and access your aid each loop. That seems to work the best.

Weather and typical race conditions

If you’ve made it this far, you probably already know the answer: variable, lol!! With half of each loop (and thus half of the race) in a valley, it’s usually really cold or really hot here. This year, it was just stagnate air in the valley and you couldn’t breath or get your heart rate down when you were in there.

Besides the duration, the biggest challenge of the Genesee Valley Ultra 24 Hour Race is the weather. For every year this race has been held (three so far), it has either been freezing cold with rain and wind, or very hot and stagnate. And always be prepared for wind!

Gear – Did you need anything special or is there anything you’d recommend for the next runner?

Nothing special, except you are required to have a headlamp for the overnight hours (which I’m not sure why you would want to run without). I’d recommend setting up your own aid station on the course. You can waste a lot of time going into Race HQ for suboptimal food offerings.

Spectators – Is this a friendly course for your friends?

Yes definitely! The great thing about repeating a small 2.5 mile loop is that spectators can see you every loop. They also allow pacers, so friends could even sign up to run a bit with you.

How’s the Swag?

Think old school ultra. You get a t-shirt. Minimal awards. The way it should be, lol!

The Overall Score – How many stars do you give this race and do you recommend that others run it?

I give the Genesee Valley Ultra 24 Hour Race 5 stars! I would definitely recommend it to anyone looking to explore the mind-challenging format of a 2.5 mile trail loop for 24 hours!

Ryan Williams is a parent, proud dog dad, athlete and coach who believes running is a metaphor for life. He specializes in forming positive bonds with runners of all ages, distances, and abilities from couch-to-5k to ultramarathon.