Peace, Love, and Trails: My Run Woodstock 50K Adventure

Brian Johnson (MM8807, HF7287, DA707) -Run Woodstock Weekend Race Recap, Gregory, MI. September 6-8, 2024

Run Woodstock 50K

• State #27 (Michigan)
• Marathon Distance or Longer: #52

The race was closer to 33 miles, but my Garmin died at mile 30.

I had this race in my sights pre-COVID, but then the world changed. Eventually, it came back onto my radar.

The race was just a short four-hour drive from Columbus to Gregory, MI. I had read a little bit about it, so I had a general idea of what to expect.

Camping and Pre-Race

Run Woodstock is a true camping weekend. You bring any food or drinks you’ll need for two days. On the way, I made a quick Walmart run before continuing north.

The campground is expansive and remote. Cell signal? Don’t count on it. There are a dozen camping areas, all with hippie-inspired names. My campsite was called “Love-In.” I set up my home for the next two days.

There’s no power at the campsites, so bringing your own power supply is essential.

Packet pickup was straightforward,

I spent some time exploring the camp, meeting up with friends along the way.

By early Friday afternoon, the 100-miler and 100K races were underway. I watched a few runners start their epic journeys while enjoying an incredible guitarist who played a Jimi Hendrix-style rendition of the National Anthem. She was AMAZING.

Friday Evening: Far Out 5K

When you’re in the middle of nowhere without internet, you make your own entertainment—wandering, exploring, and relaxing.

During the weekend, there are several optional runs:

• A free “Far Out 5K” on Friday night
• The main Saturday races
• Another 5K on Saturday night
• A 5-mile fun run on Sunday

You can earn buttons for each event you complete. There’s also yoga and other activities, but I was there just for the runs.

Before the start of the 5k, the same guitarist played again. Again. Just amazing.

The “Far Out 5K” requires a headlamp—it gets pitch black in rural Michigan. There’s also a natural run option for the daring (and an open bar!).

Friday night late was unseasonably cold for September (low 40s) and rainy, making it quite an experience.

Race Day: Saturday

I signed up for the 50K, which starts early—6:00 a.m. The event is called “Peace, Love & 50 Miles & Freak 50K.”

I made two mistakes before the start:

1. I forgot my earphones.
2. I didn’t charge my Garmin.

Both mistakes would cost me later.

The best advice for this race is to take your time at the start. The first few miles are single-width trails, with limited opportunities to pass.

Aid stations are spaced a few miles apart, and in the second half of the course, the trails open up slightly.

Just anticipate spending the entire day on 100% trails.

Without earphones, it was harder to find my running rhythm. The course also felt like it was perpetually uphill.

The first lap (16 miles) took me nearly 5 hours.

Then there was the second lap! (also 16 miles)

At the start of the second lap, I stopped by my campsite to grab my earphones, which helped—but the constant hills made running difficult. I quickly realized how out of shape I was for hill running.

By 9 ½ hours in, my Garmin started giving low-battery warnings. It finally died around the 10-hour mark, with only 30 miles recorded. My earphones died about 30 minutes later. Running without any aid was a challenge I hadn’t faced in a long time.

Eventually, I completed the second lap! I finished much slower than I hoped (12 hours), but I finished.

e post-race meal was good—you choose your food during registration.

After eating, I went back to my campsite to recharge my gear and rest briefly before heading out for the “Feelin’ Groovy 5K” Saturday night.

Saturday Night: Feelin’ Groovy 5K

You’ll definitely need a headlamp for this one.

Random picture of the stary night

After the 5K and a fair amount of alcohol, I wandered back to the campsite, where everyone was gathered around the fire.

Despite the temperatures dropping into the 30s, the camaraderie and conversation kept us warm—along with a few adult beverages. Eventually, I crawled back to my tent for the night.

Sunday Morning

I opted out of the 5-mile fun run. My body hurt too much from Saturday’s efforts. I broke camp, packed up, and headed home to Columbus.

Final Thoughts

You’ve got to do this race at least once. It’s an experience unlike any other. If you want to practice trail racing, it’s a great opportunity. However, I highly recommend incorporating hill training into your prep—it’ll make the day a lot easier.