General
Race Date: Saturday June 21, 2025 ENTRY opens January 2, 2025 Runner Limits: 50k (200) 25k (110) No entry after registration deadline
Registration includes Park fees
CLICK HERE FOR PHOTO'S FROM PAST YEARS
CLICK HERE FOR ALL YEARS ALL FINISHERS LIST
75% refund of Entry by June 12 See "Refund" section at bottom. No deferrals or bib transfers
The Start/Finish (Manor) does not have an "official" address. If you don't select from the Ultrasignup directions link (upper left of webpage) then use the address 6709 Cunningham Falls Park Rd, Thurmont, MD 21788
50k runners will not be allowed to drop down to the Half Cat once the Half Cat fills. If you enter on or after June 13 we cannot guarantee a tee shirt as Tee shirts will be ordered with limited "extras"..
Schedule for Both Races
- Bib Pickup begins at 6:30 am at Manor for BOTH races. Do NOT arrive before 6:00 a.m. Gates are locked.
- Bib Pickup ends at 7:30 am
- Pre Race at Manor at 7:40 am for BOTH races
- 50k Races starts at 8:00 am
- Half Cat busses leave from MANOR at 8:02 am and travel to HIGH KNOB
- Half Cat starts at 9:00 am at High Knob
- **NEW 2024** BOTH races end at 5:30 pm at Manor (15 additional minutes over previous years)
The Course:
Course Map (Thank you Bill Susa)
It's an out-and-back on rocky, slow, difficult and demanding (but yet run-able) trail. Starting at the Manor Parking Area in Cunningham Falls State Park runners proceed up Bob's Hill then take a left and follow the Catoctin Blue Trail south bound across the stream, then across Catoctin Hollow Rd then up the hill towards the over look. At the overlook you continue on the Catoctin Blue Trail through the Frederick Water Shed to the Delauter Aid Station then the Hamburg Aid Station. You will continue south on the Catoctin trail though Gambrill State Park till arriving at the Trail Head for the Catoctin Blue trail. There, runners cross Gambrill Park Rd and proceed up the hill to the High Knob area. Once at the top runner bear slightly right to the covered pavilion. Runners will NOT run by the Tea Room. Turn around and repeat back to the start/finish. Mantra: No matter the direction it's always up hill :-)
The Half Cat starts at the High Knob area (50k turn around point) and runs to Manor (50k start and finish for both distances).
There are a couple of favorable points to this challenging yet entertaining run: (1) Shade. The course is almost entirely covered with luscious tree foliage. (2) Streams. there are several stream crossings where you can twinkle your toes in cool "beer commercial" type of mountain water and cool down. If we don't have a lot of rain and it's a hot summer the streams will wither up and dry and will tease you with the thought of what they once were. When it's hot it's usually really hot. It's puke your guts our type of heat where you want to lay down but that feels worse if you do. If it rains hard during the race then the trail becomes a major water way and it's... hello, where did I put my goggles.
This is an out and back on an established trail and has been permanently blazed with light blue blazes on a fair number of trees. The trail will not be marked with the customary engineering ribbons or chalk. No trail maps or orienteering seminars will be conducted. Simply follow the runner in front of you. This should work as long as they don't get lost or take a wrong turn.
Once you reach the half way point its simply a matter of turning around and retracing your steps. Getting lost is always possible but let's hope for the best. Sixty percent of the runners get off course at least once. This course will penalize any runner who runs "heads down". The Catoctin 50k trail run requires that you slow down/stop and look around at each intersection. If you think you know the way without looking around then we wish you good luck and hope your detour is minimal. If you have a habit of not following directions then please don't run. There's no search and rescue which means race management and volunteers have to cover the course and surrounding areas. This is a very unpleasant situation and makes us very "grumpy".
Course questions will be answered at the pre-race briefing. Unreasonable complaints, criticisms, and selfish attitudes will be ignored and race management and/or the appropriate volunteer will administer humility to the participant in question.
Conditons:
Race day will be hot, the rubber on the bottom of your shoes gets really gooey hot, melt synthetic clothing hot, sweat buckets of H2O hot. 2019 is now referred to as the Hell Cat because it was so hot.. Runners were crying on the course and the Finish line looked like a MASH unit. Then again, it might rain. The summer of 1999 the temperature dropped 20 degrees on race day. The over abundance of rocks will be sizzling and the dirt will turn into throat choking dust. Along with the heat is the humidity. It gets, "cut it with a knife" humid. You'll feel like you're swimming in the open air. No matter how acclimated you are this run demands that you carry water. In fact it's mandatory! ALL RUNNERS MUST CARRY AT LEAST ONE 20 oz WATER BOTTLE and TWO bottles if you want to finish the race. In 2007 one bottle runners had an extremely hard and difficult race. An equipment check will be conducted prior to the start to ensure safety and fashion. The Hagerstown Almanac (which has an unnatural record for predicting race day temperatures) predicts that race day will bring us temperatures worthy of ultra lore... hot, humid, hazy, possibility of rain and frustrating. You'll curse the day they created the Catoctin Trail.
First Time Ultra Runners and Hikers :
We're not going to discourage anyone from trying but... this is a slow and demanding course and not necessarily the best venue to run your first 50k ultra. The entire course is "runnable" but the relentless rocks and hills has been known to make grown men weep and woman to curse the day race management was born. Once the race starts, sympathy is not displayed to anyone regardless of the circumstance. This is an ultra event and will be conducted accordingly.
If you're using this race to train for anything else but an ultramarathon of 50 miles or longer then you're wasting your effort. If you're trying to get in shape for that special Triathlon, Ironman or Marathon we strongly suggest that you choose the Half Cat or a road course for training.
For you hikers... if you think you can walk it and finish the 50k in the time allowed... you can't. It's been tried on numerous occasions and everyone has failed. Besides, this is a run, not a hike. If you dress like some hiker in the Swiss alps for the 50k then be prepared for ample heckling and humiliation from the trail running police. Once again... the Half Cat is perfect for you. The Half Cat is a perfect introduction to an Ultra Race or for those that struggle with cut offs. Trekking poles... are not our favorite and would prefer if you left them at home. However... they will be tolerated if you are unable to run a rocky trail because you are prone to falling or you have legitimate balance issues.
Aid Stations:
Click the following link(s) for location(s) in Google Maps. Manor / Delauter / Hamburg / High Knob
There are three aid stations along the course making a total of 6 aid opportunities during the race, not including the start/finish area. The stations are fully stocked and supplies will consist of water, soda, TAILWIND sports drink , cookies, pretzels, Pringles, candy, bananas, Succeed! Caps (1 Gram Buffer/Electrolyte Nutritional Supplement) and many other assorted goodies. Pharmaceutical needs are the responsibility of the runner.
| Aid Station | Mile'ish | Time |
| Manor - START | 0 miles | Start: 8:00 am |
| Delauter Rd. | 6 miles outbound | Cutoff: 10:05 am |
| Hamburg Rd. | 9 miles outbound | Cutoff: 10:55 am |
| High Knob - TURN AROUND | 16 miles | Cutoff: 12:35 pm |
| Hamburg Rd. | 22 miles inbound | Cutoff: 2:35 pm |
| Delauter Rd. | 25 miles inbound | Cutoff: 3:25 pm |
| Manor - FINISH | 32'ish miles | Cutoff: 5:30 pm |
What You Don't Get
Since this race is geared towards ultrarunners / trail runners, we would rather concentrate on what you don't get rather than what you do get. After all, this isn't a plush west coast race with goodie bags, massage practitioners at every aid station, and impeccably groomed trails that you could run on with wing-tip shoes. So keep the following in mind when considering if you want or would be able to run this race:
- No engineer ribbons to mark the course (we don't want to have to set it up and take it down)
- No personal assistants at aid stations (leave that for the high $$ races)
- No sympathy
- No drop bags
- No rides back to the start/finish line (we don't want to embarrass anyone)
- No credit for going off course and adding mileage.
- No trail sweeps to pickup after you or get you moving if you take an extended break.
- No credit for completing the race if you approach the finish line from any direction other than the official course . Can't finish the race if you can't follow the course.
Crew:
Crews are only allowed at the Start/Finish (Manor), Hamburg Rd. Aid Station and the High Knob Aid Station (turn around). Crews are NOT ALLOWED at Delauter Rd. Aid Station. If a runners is "crew'ed from any other location then they will be DISQUALIFIED. There's no pacing, companion runners, mountain bikers or friends keeping you company on the trail. You must be able to complete this 50k on your own motivation.
Pre-Race Briefing and Check-in:
Check-in and number pickup is from 6:30 to 7:40 am. Pre race briefing is at 7:40 AM sharp at the start line at Manor for BOTH races. DON"T BE LATE!
Parking:
There are more runners than designated parking spots. For that reason we are promoting and strongly encouraging carpooling. So... anyone arriving as a solo driver will be asked for $10 cash. No cost for carpools or drop offs whose driver leaves after you get out of the car and they do NOT wait for the race to start. 100% of all money collected goes to the Frederick Civitan Organization. All parking volunteers are associated with Frederick Civitan. All 2023 parking fees went to providing personalized Christmas gifts to designated youth.
Sanitation:
There are bathrooms at Manor and the turn around point (High Knob). Please remember that the race is on public land, so leave no litter of any kind, biodegradable or otherwise. Other organizations have been permanently banned for environmental abuse. We don't want that to happen to us.
Awards:
You get a one of or a combination of... a wink, smile, handshake, fist bump. Hugs are only given to those about to collapse. We do this so you don't fall and embarrass yourself when the wheels fall off (so to speak). During this welcome back process you be given a prestigious Cat or Half Cat Card. This professionally hand crafted wallet size card entitles the barer to bragging rights and a rightful place in ultra running history.
Post Race Eats:
Around 11:30 pm we do food. Our long time "Rogue Chef"... Bob Fabia... has retired after many years of dedicated service. "aka Friscos" is now catering the event so you can expect some great sandwiches, exploded potatoes, sides, chips, water melon, lemonade and ice cold water. There's ample room in the Pavilion as well as trees for a shady comfortable post race collapsing experience. A setting in which to ponder why you ran a race on what could be the hottest day of the year. The Park service allows beer in and around the Pavilion. So it's BYOB if that's part of your post race recovery plan.
Refunds
As stated in the "General" section... it's a 75% refund by June 12. Please send an email to request a refund. Beginning June 13... NO refunds will be given. If the race is cancelled (i.e. world wide pandemic) then it's a refund minus any expenses spent by that time. My policy is to be fair and will do my best to refund as much of your money as possible. No bib transfers. No deferrals.
Donations
The "Catoctin Blue Trail" takes place within two State Parks and the City of Frederick Watershed. During registration the entrant will be asked if they would like to make a donation. The donations received go to "The Friends of Gambrill and Cunningham State Parks" and to the "City of Frederick" for trail maintenance. A history of your donations can be found. HERE
History:
"Cat50k" Rick and Nancy Hamilton conceived and held the first run on Saturday March 5, 1994. The first run was considered a "fun" run with no "official" race results retained or distributed. In 1995 and 1996 it was run as an "official" race. During those two years there was also a 30k race for those unable or unwilling to run the full 50k distance. For those three years the course was a point-to-point. It started at Chestnut Picnic Area in Catoctin Mountain Park and ended at High Knob in Gambrill State Park. Due to logistics and remodeling of the Tea Room and time commitment for the Hamilton's the race was cancelled in 1997 and 1998. After intense negotiations between Ric Hamilton and Kevin Sayers (current race director) the race was revived on Saturday March 13, 1999. That same year a second race was held in August. The decision had been made to permanently moved from the frigid month of March to the hot, humid and intolerable month of August. In 2010 the race was moved to 3rd weekend in July. In 2012 the race was moved to the second weekend of July so the RD could make the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally in time.
"Half Cat" At the Finish Line in 2015 the RD was talking with ultrarunning legend Tom Green about his tragic accident. He was spectating and we missed seeing him on the course. He was asked a simple question… if there was a 25k would he return? His response was yes and because of that response the Half Cat was born. After further thought… and with consideration to other ultrarunning veterans who might now be struggling with cutoffs… another decision was made. The 25k was only open to those who were 55 or older. If an entrant was still capable of running a 50k then their entry was denied. In order to be more inclusive… it was decided in 2020 to open up the Half Cat to all ages. It has sold out every year since. The purpose of the Half Cat is now (1) allow the Ultrarunning veterans who struggles with speed to enjoy the experience without fear of cutoffs and (2) Encourage new comers to the sport of trail ultrarunning without killing them on this demanding and humbling course.
About the Race Director
Hi, My name is Kevin Sayers and I'm the Race Director. The year was 1994, and I ran across an article about ultrarunning in a magazine and said "I just gotta do that". One hundred miles in 24 hours? What's not to like? Since that time I enjoyed a 39,000 mile running adventure throughout North America. Now, I’m a race director and have made it my mission “to conduct and promote fun and rewarding running events for entrants, crews and volunteers alike”.
As the Race Director I consider my myself a cheerleader who encourages and inspires all to reach their goal. My commitment is to be available at all times during a race and greet every runner at the finish with a smile, hand shake, high five, fist bump or a combination there of.
My running history on UltraSignup (1996 - current)
UltRunR.com website since 1996
Completed the Grand Slam of Ultra Running in 1998 Completed the JFK 50 Mile Run as a 100 miler (1998, 1999)
Aid Station Captain - Bull Run Run 50 Mile - Centerville A.S. since 1999
Received Vermont 100 "1,000 Mile" belt buckle in 2007
Race Director - Catoctin 50k Trail Run & Half Cat since 1999 Race Director - Massanutten Mountain Trails 100 Mile Run 2011- 2022
Race Director - Greenbrier Ultra's since 2018 Race Director - Bobcat Trail Run (11 Miles) since 2018 Race Director - Cow Bone 6-12-24 Hour 2019-2023 Permanently canceled due to the host venue.
Live Results From 2019
Click Here For FINISH times
Event's current local time: 12:09 PM ET
