2023 Promised Land 50k++ Race Report

A race to remember.

It has taken me quite a few days post-race to sit down to write this, mostly because it’s taken that long to start unpacking my experience last Saturday on the ever classic Promised Land 50k course.

Let me begin by saying, my expectations for the race itself and the overall experience was completely blown out of the water. I was hoping for a great adventure, which is exactly what I got, and then some. The build up to the race promised a fast, exciting, and unpredictable day with impressive performances all around.

What’s crazy about this year’s race was how it ended up playing out very much the way I thought it might, and yet held a few surprising twists. So without further introduction, here is my report:

Part 1: Pre-Race

Saturday’s race was preceding by a humid and slightly warm Friday night sleeping my truck bed. I did in fact drag the mattress from my bedroom outside outfitted with sheets and a sleeping bag, the perfect home away from home ensuring I got a decent nights sleep before the race. I woke around 4:15am, drank some coffee, ate a hardboiled egg and avocado, and made a miraculous deposit at the bathhouse. I then changed into my race kit, checked in, and warmed up a bit just before the race started at 5:30am. The atmosphere around the pavilion was the same as always, nervous energy radiating through the air about as thick as the April pollen dumping from the trees in central Virginia.

I knew that Michael Owen would be back to defend his multi-year win streak at this race, and I knew my mentor Jacob Singleton was back for redemption after dropping behind Michael just 2 miles from the finish line last year. I also knew the top ten men’s finishes would be running fast and highly competitive. I personally came into this year’s race feeling the fittest I’ve ever felt, due to a good combination of being fiercely protective of my rest and applying just the right amount of intensity to my training. I believed I could run around a four hour forty-five minute Promised Land this year, which could be a win based off many of the past years.

Although I was confident I would run under five hours at this years race, I was not confident I could beat Michael or Jacob, based off their extensive racing experience and host of impressive performances. I was confident, however, that they would lead the majority of this race, and in order to have a shot at first place, I would have to stick with them.

the 2008 map happens to be the same as the 2023 race, with the exception of aid station #2.

Part 2: The Fun Begins

We sang the national anthem, prayed, and were off running. The climb up Overstreet Falls was over in the blink of an eye, the pack at the front had to be massive and lasting a while even almost to the single track. It was humid, and my long hair was soaked in sweat by the time we hopped off the road, I knew staying hydrated was going to be essential, even with a cloudy rainy forecast for the day. I was huffing and puffing when the gravel road turned into trail at 2.8 miles, as I tried to stick with Jacob, who was right on Michaels heels. I was really comfortable on that first climb, energy wise, but felt nervous. Once the front pack cleared out and it was down to four of us, we reached the top of the first climb we settled into a quiet groove. Jacob, Michael, shirtless Dan and I lead the race through the first 10-ish miles. The second aid station was pushed back to mile 11, with the iconic third aid station at Sunset Fields on the Blue Ridge Parkway only 2 miles away from aid station #3, I knew we were going to fill up water at the second aid station and simply blow past Sunset Fields, not losing any momentum from the flat gravel road. I worked up the courage to chat a little bit with Michael. For fear of being the annoying ‘little brother’ (which I always end up being with these competitors 5-10 years older than me) I tried not to talk too much. If you ask my fiancé she’ll tell you I am nervous talker, so that was kind of challenging, but I managed.

Part 3: The Dark Side

The Dark Side is where things got interesting and fun. Jacob Michael and I, having dropped shirtless Dan who at Sunset Fields, ran gingerly down the seemingly more-technical-every-time-you-run-it section dropping several thousand feet into the Cornelius Creek aid station around mile 17ish. I was leading, probably 30 seconds ahead of the fellas, when I stopped to tie my shoe. Jacob and Michael surged past while I grumbled about my stupid shoelaces, and in a hurry to catch back up to them I near face-planted on some loose rocks just past a stream crossings. As I slammed onto the dry riverbed, my left hand and left shin took the brunt of the fall. I stood up shakily, assessed my fingers to see if I had any bones sticking out. My shin was pouring blood, my knees scraped, and my left middle finger bleeding pretty good. I quickly rubbed the dirt off my hands with my shorts, and sallied forth.

if you look closely you can see a stream of blood on my shin…

Somehow catching Michael at Cornelius Creek aid station after my fall, adrenaline surged through me. Michael and I ran a couple 6/6:30 miles on the flat gravel road at the bottom of the valley as the creek gently flowed along besides us. Miraculously the sun came out, and everything was lovely for a moment as we cruised down the gravel.

Jacob was nowhere to be seen, pulling way ahead on the road and disappearing onto the single track, he was testing the waters of how' Michael and I would respond. I let Michael go a little bit, keeping him within in reach but easing up on myself, hoping he’d chase Jacob and get tired too early in the race. I felt nervous and excited for the loop that would take us to get back to Cornelius before the massive climb from miles 26-29 that typically ends up being the crux of the race. Michael and I went back and forth on those rolling hills out of Colon Hollow, I myself was really trying to hold back and save some energy for the final climb and what I knew would be blazing fast 5 miles into the finish line. The balance of keeping Michael in sight, but not expending too much seemed to work, because when we finally arrived at Cornelius Creek aid station for the second time the Three Amigos reunited.

To set the scene: Jacob is standing at the aid station stretching and clearly cramping, Michael and I rushing to get our water bottles filled, complete with Horton yelling bloody murder at all three of us. “It’s gonna be YOU or YOU!” Horton said, pointing his finger at me and then Michael. “He’s FINISHED!” Horton said, pointing at poor cramping Jacob. So Michael and I wasted no time and took off out of the aid station. I was feeling good, right on Michaels heels up the first mile towards the waterfalls.

Apple Orchard Falls climb circled in red…

The apple orchard waterfalls climb really lulls you to sleep at the start, gradually picking up the rockiness and steepness. Then mile two just pile-drives you like a WWE wrestler smashing a table. Then miles 2.1.-2.8 of the climb are pretty runnable, but you just got smoked by the actual waterfall section, which sucks. As we started hiking up the falls, Jacob miraculously appears. Once again, the three of us, trudging along. I knew we were sandbagging, none of us running nearly as hard as we could have, waiting to see who was going to make a move. This is where I made my biggest mistake of the race. I let Michael dictate the pace, even though I felt great and knew I could have ripped up the climb 2-3x faster than our pace ended up being. I was cramping in my calves a little bit at the base of the climb, and doubted myself more than I should have, allowing Michael to dictate how it played out. I kept turning around and smiling at Jacob, thinking to myself, “man Michael is either feeling really bad, or he’s trying to bait me into going ahead.” Either way I thought I outrun the two of them from the Sunset Fields Aid station to the finish.

Part 4: The Storm

We spent most of the climb in silence, but as we approached the final ascent, the sky turned dark purple, and I said something about wishing I had my headlamp, that’s how dark it was. It started raining lightly about a quarter mile from the aid station. Within minutes, it was dumping rain, lighting and thunder crashing all around, and the three amigos still trudging. I wondered out loud if there would even be an aid station at the top. Sure enough as we crested the hill, the tents for the aid station were flying around like kites while soaking wet volunteers held them down. I quickly got water from an Aid station worker and got the heck out of there. Jacob and Michael were getting water and standing around when I left, I was simply too cold to stay still and I knew it was my chance to create a gap. As I ran across the Blue Ridge Parkway onto the single track once more, a lightning bolt came straight as an arrow out of the sky and had to have struck Onion Mountain, the one I was running towards, no less then a half mile away from me. I shuddered, hunching my shoulders mid stride and prayed to God I would not get struck by lightning. If that happened there would be no way my Mother would let me run one of these races again. I could smell a burnt scent in the air and as I began ascending the final hill. It was on this hill I was pelted by dime sized hail while the thunder rolled on. I keep turning back to see if the amigos were making a return, wondering if they had got held a the aid station. At this point, I was focused on not dying, and not falling again. Winning was not at the forefront of my mind, I was in strict survival mode, even though I was leading the race with less than 4 miles to go!

Three amigos at sunset fields in torrential downpour.

I heard Michael’s footsteps behind me on the last bit of technical single track. The trail was flooding, literally a makeshift river bed under us, so I focused on going as quick as I could while still trying to be safe. Michael and Jacob now right back behind me, I heard a scream, which sounded like a scream of joy actually. I turn and looked to see Sawyer Magnet, currently winning the women’s race and having caught up to the mens leaders was audibly very excited. I knew it was because she is an incredible uphill athlete, and us boys really slowed down on that climb.

So Jacob, Michael and I all thinking the same thing, “you’ve got to be kidding” and blasted down the trail pulling away from Sawyer, spilling out at the top of Overstreet Falls, 2.8 miles away from the finish, together. I laughed out loud to myself and said “this is nuts” as we all hauled down the steep gravel road. We all knew that was the end of our fun run together, someone had to pull away and end this crazy race. Jacob surged forward, giving everything he had. Michael followed and I sat on their heels about 100 feet behind, running a very uncomfortable 5/6 minute mile pace, feeling the tremendously painful blister on my right heel ripping open with every step. Michael moved ahead of Jacob as the grade evened out, just like the race had gone last year for the two of them. Except I was there, little-brothering them for the majority of the race all the way up to these final moments.

As I pulled up next to Jacob, he looked at me with a smile and said “I gave it all I got but that’s it,” I looked at him empathetically and said, “we gave him a real run for his money, but he’s too fast.”

One of the mistakes I made during this race was giving into the thought that because Michael had won the race so many times, it was a given that he would win it again. I couldn’t beat him, no way. The 5 time winner with 11 years of racing experience on me had it in the bag.

I almost proved myself wrong. As Jacob and I ripped down the gravel as fast as we could, I could see Michael letting up, his posture drooping. I thought to myself, “He thinks this is over, he’s letting up”. I looked at Jacob, and something in me overcame all the pain in my heel and my aching legs. “I’m gonna try,” I said, and Jacob smiled at me and said “Do it, Sean”. So with everything I had I straightened up, leaned forward, and poured on every bit of strength and speed within me. I started closing on Michael with about .6 of a mile to go. He turned sometime before the gravel turned into pavement, and quickly straightened up, clearly concerned about my new pace. I ran as fast as I could, my stupid head bobbing side to side as we crossed the driveway onto the grass of the finish shoot. My sister and future father in-law standing on the corner next to the camp gate were screaming “GO SEAN! RUN!” and I saw my vision tunneling into black. I could feel my face screwing up in pain as lactic acid coursed through my muscles.

Michael crossed the finish line 6 seconds in front of me. Not out of rage, but out of the sheer raw emotion, I threw my handheld bottle on the ground as hard as I could right at the finish. Michael and I collapsed just after the finish line on the wet grass, gasping for air while Horton yelled and the small crowd cheered.

I had no idea I was capable of closing on someone like that at the finish of a 34 mile race. It wasn't until I was seconds too late I found the confidence to try and go for the win. I could sit all day and think about every little decision, but that will never change the results. I had the race of a lifetime competing with Jacob and Michael, and I have a ton of respect for both of them as athletes and individuals. I surprised myself with that finish, and Michael too.

I’m still processing all the lessons from the race, but one of them is to never give up until the race is done. Easy to say, and sounds cliche/obvious, but not giving up is actually incredibly hard to do. It was so tempting to just let Michael go, and take the win, because he was supposed to win right? Wrong, no matter how many times you win a race, you earn it every time.

Winning isn’t everything, racing fast is a lot of fun.

With no major races on my calendar any time soon, I am excited to continue to process this years Promised Land and take these new tools with me in my training and future racing. If you made it this far, thanks for reading! Consider becoming a subscriber for more adventure, running, training related content as well as musing and lifestyle newsletters.

Yours truly,

-S.Cate