What: Big Schloss 50K
When: September 26th, 2026
Where: Bucktail Trailhead (Aid Station Location)
Result: N/A (Volunteer)
Some Brief Notes/Observations
The original plan was to run this year’s event (I’ve finished before in 2023 & 2025), but I decided at the end of August to withdraw. With The Ring/Pine Creek double on the horizon, I didn’t feel like adding a 33-mile loop with 6,000+ feet of vert two weeks after the double to the calendar was a smart idea (it’s taken me a long time, but I’ve learned a thing or two over the years). Instead, I decided to volunteer.
Of course, I didn’t go at it alone. With the idea of volunteering firmly in mind, I recruited two friends, Mark and Richard, to join me, and on September 26th, the three of us took off at 0500 for the Big Schloss 50K.
Until three or four years ago, I was never much of a volunteer. I would show up at events, run them, and not put too much thought into the particulars. The volunteers were great, but I wasn’t all that concerned with “doing my part” and “giving back.” That all changed when I began to volunteer with HURT at the Keep Tryst aid station at the C&O 100-mile. For the first time, I got a peek behind the curtain and was able to see just how much work went into these things. Putting on a race is a team effort, driven forward by selfless people who go above and beyond to support, in many cases, complete and total strangers. It’s a marvel to behold, and one I’m saddened to have neglected for as long as I did.
Since my first volunteer stint with HURT at Keep Tryst, I’ve volunteered at multiple other events, including the Bull Run Run 50-mile, Catoctin 50K, and Freedom’s Run Marathon. I make it a point to volunteer at least two or three times per year, though I hope to bump that number up in the future as I transition to running mostly 100-mile events.
This year was my first time volunteering at the Big Schloss 50K. In terms of fat-ass 50Ks, it doesn’t get much better than the Big Schloss. Not only is the event “free” to participants (except for the communal aid item each runner is assigned to bring), but the course is marked, the loop is unique, and the trails are beautiful. The VHTRC is hands down the premier trail and ultrarunning run club on the East Coast. It doesn’t matter which event you’re running; if you run a VHTRC event, you will be taken care of.
As for this weekend, we decided to volunteer at the Bucktail Trailhead aid station, which is the first aid station at the Big Schloss 50K. Mark, Richard, and I, alongside Jeff Best, VHTRC’s resident “food master,” Silas Deren, Cara Mason, Big Schloss RD, and a handful of others (I’m terrible with names), would manage the first of three stops for the runners.
Bucktail Trail Sign
One of the things you learn when working an aid station is that when it rains, it pours. Case in point, after setting everything up, we had our first runner come through around 0830, then our second about 10 minutes later, and then…. One after the other, sometimes in groups of four or six, person after person. We spent almost 3 hours out at the trailhead, but the bulk of the runners came through in a period of about 45 minutes. In ultras, it’s a waiting game…until it isn’t.
View of the Aid Station from the Trail
A good crew can be the difference between a smooth experience and a not-so-smooth experience. Thankfully, with a VHTRC event, you don’t have to worry about having a bad crew. We had the aid station set up and ready to go well before the first runner arrived, and even had an array of hot food waiting for the field, as well (seriously, Jeff Best cooked sausages, pancakes, and Tater Tots).
What other fat-ass events serve breakfast?
Mark, Richard, and I have known each other for years now, but I don’t get to see them as often as I used to in the past (things change!!), so it was good to spend Saturday morning reconnecting with them. One of the best parts about working aid stations is getting the chance to connect with old friends, in addition to making new ones. You can make similar connections out on the trail, but it’s different when you’re not running.
The “food table” at the Bucktail Trailhead Aid Station
The “drink table” at the Bucktail Trailhead Aid Station
I’m a firm believer in volunteering at races being an integral part of a well-rounded ultrarunner. The experience itself is rewarding, but more than that, it’s also the right thing to do. For a long time, I took for granted how much work went into making these events run. You don’t realize how many moving pieces there are until you participate yourself, whether small or large, in making them happen. Without volunteers, none of this is possible. So next time you’re thinking about whether you should run X or Y again, maybe consider volunteering instead. You might find yourself having an even better time than you would out on the trails.
Until next time.