WASHINGTON COUNTY, MD - It's been 50 years since athletes have been running the ultimate 50-mile race. Now, all records are broken after the 50th John F. Kennedy 50 Mile Race.
"It's the most American race you can get, right?," says Max King, the first place runner in the 50th JFK 50 Mile Race.
Max King took first place out of more than 1,000 runners. He finished in five hours and 35 minutes, six minutes faster than the previous race record.
"A lot of people think that the longer you go, the harder it gets, but it's just not true: The shorter you go, the faster you have to run to make it more competitive and they're all different. So they're all hard in their own way, and it's only how you run is how hard you make it," says King.
The first place woman, Ellie Greenwood, also broke the fastest women's course record, finishing at six hours and 12 minutes.
Volunteers were speckled throughout the race course, proud to help out the runners.
"The local ham clubs, we use these as drills for emergency preparedness. It's just like driving a car, if you don't drive for a while, you have trouble getting back into it," says George Burral, a safety volunteer.
The aid station at the 46 mile mark says this race is a tribute to President Kennedy wanting Americans to be active in the 1960's.
"I think that's where America is now as well: Get off the couch, challenge yourself. It's good to be fit, it's good to be fit with the childhood obesity rates, where they are right now, it's kind of scary. We want to motivate the kids as well to get out and get off the couch and participate," says Richard Secrest, an aid station volunteer.
With the race finished the runners say it's time to recoup.
"I'm still hurting. There's not a lot of oxygen going to the brain right now; there hasn't been for the last six hours," says King.
Then it's on to training for the next big race.
For more information on the 50th JFK 50 Mile Race, see their website.
"It's the most American race you can get, right?," says Max King, the first place runner in the 50th JFK 50 Mile Race.
Max King took first place out of more than 1,000 runners. He finished in five hours and 35 minutes, six minutes faster than the previous race record.
"A lot of people think that the longer you go, the harder it gets, but it's just not true: The shorter you go, the faster you have to run to make it more competitive and they're all different. So they're all hard in their own way, and it's only how you run is how hard you make it," says King.
The first place woman, Ellie Greenwood, also broke the fastest women's course record, finishing at six hours and 12 minutes.
Volunteers were speckled throughout the race course, proud to help out the runners.
"The local ham clubs, we use these as drills for emergency preparedness. It's just like driving a car, if you don't drive for a while, you have trouble getting back into it," says George Burral, a safety volunteer.
The aid station at the 46 mile mark says this race is a tribute to President Kennedy wanting Americans to be active in the 1960's.
"I think that's where America is now as well: Get off the couch, challenge yourself. It's good to be fit, it's good to be fit with the childhood obesity rates, where they are right now, it's kind of scary. We want to motivate the kids as well to get out and get off the couch and participate," says Richard Secrest, an aid station volunteer.
With the race finished the runners say it's time to recoup.
"I'm still hurting. There's not a lot of oxygen going to the brain right now; there hasn't been for the last six hours," says King.
Then it's on to training for the next big race.
For more information on the 50th JFK 50 Mile Race, see their website.
