Delaware Trail Fest Race Recap

Despite the freshly fallen leaves covering all the rocks, roots, and ruts that are trying to kill you at every step, October is the best month for running on trails. The crisp early morning air is life-affirming, and on the best October days, it leads into some warm sunny afternoons where things are darn near perfect for ditching the indoors and exploring the great outdoors.

The inaugural Delaware Trail Fest on Saturday, October 18, 2025, was blessed by Mother Nature with this optimal weather that helped set the tone for a rewarding day of running with chill vibes, beautiful scenery, a supportive community, and an exciting last-minute finish! I was stoked for race director Stephan and the whole Uber Endurance Sports crew as they expanded their roster of races to include Delaware and the super flowy and fun Lums Pond 7-mile loop.

I think Stephan first posted about this new race back in March. I was excited for something new, so I headed out for a recon run soon after. I did two different loops around the pond and was surprised by the lack of hills and ascent. Hiking, jogging, or tip-toeing up steep ascents during trail ultras is something I look forward to. You get to use different muscles, and after a few hours of running on a course, it’s nice to switch things up and eat some grilled cheese squares while hiking upwards and working out the quads.

No big ascents meant a lot of straight-up running, and thankfully, this was a very runnable environment with a great mix of single-track, service roads, a meadow, gravel, and some greatly-appreciated shade along the majority of the route. The trails were not very techy or rocky, but there were a good number of roots to keep things interesting.

A timed race was also a big draw, and 12 hours was a nice big chunk to see what you could get done. If you are new to trail races, I highly recommend this type of event. A nice young guy named Brendan and his awesome crew, headed up by his wife Jasmine, were set up next to my little camp. She said that this was his first ultra after doing marathons, and he was excited to give it a go (spoiler: he crushed it). It’s really fun watching someone achieve their goals with the support of their loved ones, spending their entire day cheering them on.

Alright, getting a little ahead of myself here. Let me quickly retrace my steps and get back on course.

My Year So Far

I’ve had a pretty solid year of training and running so far in 2025. I finished a 50k for the Fraud Street Loop in early April, finished the Schuylkill River 50k in late April, and I did 40 miles at the Bashore Bash before I had to bow out early to drive two hours home to take my daughter to an event.

I lightened the training load a bit for the summer (not the biggest fan of long hot runs), with my eye on the Delaware Trail Fest 12-Hour Lone Ranger for a solid 50-mile attempt.

While my running was good, I was dealing with a painful, non-running-related injury due to 30 years of not-great posture at the computer. Since early March, I have been having sharp pains in my upper middle back and shooting pains down my upper right arm. It was nerve pain, and it was pretty awful. No pain meds helped, and it took a few months to figure out I had three compressed vertebrae in my neck area that were pinching the hell out of the nerves that led to my back and arm. An X-ray, an MRI, and three consultation trips to the orthopedic surgeon led to me getting a steroid injection into my spine. And guess what? It worked!

On August 29th, I got the injection, and a few days later, I felt about 70% better. I was so happy.

On August 30th, my sweet dog Shelby died.

Thank Goodness for Running

Throughout the months of nerve pain, I was still able to run. Running did not make the pain worse, and at times, it subsided quite a bit while I was hitting the trails or the road. So I ran a lot.

Running is beneficial for many physical and mental health reasons, and it also comes in handy when you need to get a good long cry out every day because you miss your dog and still have problems accepting she is gone. Grief is a bitch and and every loss seems to get harder as you get older. I’m glad I have an outlet like running that helps a lot.

Okay, let’s talk about the race.

A Perfect Day to Do Some Loops

I got my second steroid injection on the Wednesday before the race. My back was still a bit sore on Saturday morning, but everything else felt fine.

Said to my wife the day before, “I feel really good about the race. My fitness is there, no injuries, and I am actually excited and not stressed out at all. That can only mean one thing… It’s gonna go horribly wrong.”

We both laughed.

Everything about this event’s organization set you up for success. There was ample parking about 20 yards from the start/finish line, super easy and friendly bib pick up, top-notch restrooms, and a lovely grassy area right along the course where you could set up your camp. A perfect pit stop. This type of race planning takes so much stress out of the equation for the participants.

So here’s my little camp. Pretty sweet, huh? All the standard stuff is right there for you when you finish a loop to refuel, change a shirt, apply more sunscreen, drink an entire bottle of Powerade, swat away multiple bees, etc. You’ll notice a chair in the photo. A wise man told me a few years back to only use it once, at the end of the race to take off your shoes, not during the race, or you might not get up again. I always heed this advice. “No chair for Jeff!” Gotta earn that chair.

I had my gels and blocks and powders (all of which I was totally sick of by mile 30). My cooler was full of drinks with two bottles of Coke at the bottom as a reward for finishing (and caffeine to help with the drive home). Uber Endurance races always have great food and the best volunteers, so you don’t need to bring your own. I always recommend oranges at every stop, and potatoes with salt, and PBJ or grilled cheese squares as the day grows longer and you need more substantial food, quality gas in the tank.

I wrote about eating during an ultra here — Food for the Long Run — if you want some details about how I (stuff my face) fuel during the day.

And We’re Off!

Once camp was fully set up, and three trips to the bathroom later (I know, what the hell?), I was ready to head out with a bunch of other “lone rangers” and relay team members at 7:30 am on the dot. The 12K and 24K runners headed out at 8 am.

After one loop around the pond (c’mon, it’s the size of a lake!) and getting comfortable with the layout and taking some mental notes, I felt comfortable and confident for future laps.

Keeping Busy on the Course

A thing I really enjoy about looped races is heading out for the next loop. You finish a loop, refuel, grab a snack, and then you are off, a bit refreshed and ready for more. You usually can carve out your own space on the next loop, and even in big races, you can find yourself alone for long stretches. I like those bits of solitude where it’s just you in the woods, wondering “What type of bird is that chirping?” and “Are there bears in Delaware?”

I also enjoy running with others, especially near the end of a race when any distractions are good. Time seems to go by quickly when you are conversing or keeping tabs on those in front of you. Apologies to those around me during my last lap; I get a bit chatty.

Music or no music? I ran with no music for the first two laps because it was crowded with all of the runners in all of the distances on the course at the same time, and I wanted to keep my ears free in case people wanted to pass (a lot of fast crushers out there). On laps three through five, I put on my earphones and enjoyed my favorite playlist, and then, no music for the last two laps so I could suck it all in. Late afternoon leaf rustling and ambient trail sounds are good for the tired soul.

What do you think about? I try not to think about anything important, just enjoy the moment and the opportunity to be outside all day. As I mentioned before, I thought about Shelby often and how lucky we were to have her and how lucky we are to still have her sister, Starr.

I think about all the long weekend training runs and coming home, wiped out and always greeted at the door by our two pups, eagerly awaiting/demanding their dinner. No matter how thirsty and exhausted you were, the dogs got their food first because they were very good girls.

Mostly, I just think about what I will eat or drink every three and a half miles. Every race I do, I just divide it up into 4- to 5-mile chunks and try not to think about the big picture. During this race, there was a two- or three-mile stretch where I was in the “zone” or the “flow state” a few times, where I did not remember running. It was cool, but also scary because you have to concentrate so much because there are so many things trying to trip you. Speaking of…

Fall on Me

Around Mile 40 or so, on Swamp Forest Trail, I was chugging along on the very narrow single track when two very friendly hikers with great smiles approached me, stepped aside, and wished me good luck. I made the mistake of looking up for a second too long to thank them, and completely ate it right in front of them. Yup, tripped hard on a root, crashed down on both forearms, my bottle broke my fall on one side, bloodied elbow on the other.

The gasps and looks on their faces were alarming. It was like I was shot. “Are you okay? Do you need us to get help?” I replied, “No, thank you, I’m fine, this happens all the time.” I laughed, hoping to diffuse their horror. I was actually fine, and I am pretty good at breaking falls. Plus, I had my handy blood-stopping bandana in my pocket for some quick first aid. You always have that 20-second post-fall body check where you fear you broke something. The relief you feel when everything checks out okay and you start jogging again is pretty sweet.

Again, sorry to those hikers. Seeing an old man fall can ruin your day. Another runner saw the dirt on my backside on the next lap, and we exchanged our fall stories. “Taking a bit of the course with you,” is the adage, I think.

Finishing Up

The laps kinda flew by with no major suffering. I trained hard the past two months, and it was nice to see it pay off.

Hands down, my favorite part of the course was the last third of a mile when you come out of the woods and hop onto the track that leads to the finish. You can see the pavilions and hear the supporters and relay team members mingling and having a good time in their camps. What a beautiful site. It put some pep in my step every time.

Huge shout-out to the other runners in these camps, clapping and ringing their bells as runners passed on each lap. It really felt awesome, especially on the last lap when you need some extra inspiration for that last big kick.

I was so tired of my dumb vest at this point. I actually took it off with a few hundred yards to go and threw it at my little camp as I passed. It felt so damn good. One of the supporters yelled, “Take it off, he’s stripping!” LOL!

I got seven loops in for 50 miles. It took me 10 hours 25 minutes, and I came in 12th out of 78 finishers in the Lone Ranger division. I was very happy with the effort and had an extremely enjoyable time trekking through nature with a bunch of inspiring people.

Shout Outs

Thank you to all the aid station volunteers at the start/finish and the halfway point. They are the absolute best, not only filling bottles and making food, but also giving you the right amount of encouragement and humor needed to keep you going. Also, volunteering is fun. Definitely consider joining the ranks if you are not running the next race. I learned to make good grilled cheese, manning an aid station at the Dirty German.

Thank you to local legend and Vert King Jim Blandford for the multiple safe street crossings at every loop and the nice chats and encouragement. Such a good dude. Thank you to Stephan for creating these fun and affordable ventures. It’s a lot of work and greatly appreciated. Thank you to the other runners. It was fun hanging out and chatting during the race and at the finish, shooting the shit. Nice work, Dave Gilbert! Go Jersey.

And thank you to my wife and daughters for being patient and listening to me talk about all the dogs I met after all my long training runs and all my dumb running plans.

I left the venue around 7:15 pm after multiple awards were given out to the relay teams. I started getting the chills and needed a nice warm car, and my reward: a bottle of Coke and a granola bar. Sadly, I missed the best part. Ken Vetter crossed the line with a couple of minutes to spare to win the 12-hour race. Hell yeah, Ken (a fellow Philly Trail Runners member!), so happy for you, and happy for everybody who crushed some loops at Lums on an epic day.

Hope to see you all in December.

Jeff

I enjoy being outside and running on trails and sometimes I enjoy being online. More >