Vulcan’s Fury Half recap
On Sunday, I headed to Pawtuckaway State Park for the Vulcan’s Fury Half Marathon—about 14 miles and 2,300 feet of gain across some rugged New Hampshire trails. That place is massive, and it was fun to get back out there.
This has been the year of shorter trail races for me: Sunapee Scramble (9 miles), Loon Mountain Race (6 miles), and now Vulcan’s Fury. I’ve really enjoyed these distances—they let you open it up without worrying about saving your legs for a full day.
Heading into this one, I wasn’t sure how I’d do—or even if I’d show up. September was lackluster, and early October wasn’t looking much better. The added pressure: trying to beat my 2019 time.
I kept my watch simple: elapsed time, pace, and heart rate. I don’t usually monitor HR during races, but it helped this time, especially on the early climbs. I let people pass me, knowing I had to run my race. On the descents, I made sure my pace stayed well under my goal average of 10:30/mile. I broke the race into three sections between aid stations and never looked at miles.
Around halfway is my favorite part—the climb up North Mountain through wide open woods and massive boulders, followed by a wild, steep descent off the ridge. It’s a brutal section, but I bombed down it feeling smooth and confident. In 2018 and 2019 it wrecked me, but this time I stayed in control. You’ve got to trust every step.
After one more big climb, it was mostly steady running to the finish. I fueled with three maple syrup packs and a quick swig of Coke at the mile 10 aid station. My energy dipped late, but I kept moving, trying to stay quick through the rolling singletrack. I carried a small water bottle—wasn’t sure if I’d regret it, but on that mid-race climb, I was very glad to have it.
What I was happiest about was how my legs held up. I pushed the descents, climbed strong, and still had enough to keep running the flats. Climbing gets all the attention, but in trail racing—especially these shorter ones—it’s really your downhill speed that determines your result.
Even though it was my slowest Vulcan’s Fury yet, I’m proud of it. 2019 Justin was fast—about ten minutes faster, actually—but this version of me feels fitter and less wrecked from the effort. The season’s been full of “then vs. now” comparisons, and while I didn’t beat my old time, I think I’m stronger and more durable.
Next up: the Great Bay 5K, October 25th!
—Justin Miner
Half the cheer squad