The Cave Creek Thriller 50K is the third race in the Desert Runner Trail (DRT) Series. It is unique in that it has the only point to point courses in the entire 7 race Series. Last year’s event was my third 50K (after running the Pass Mountain and McDowell Mountain Frenzy 50Ks).
The 50K course, the longest distance at Cave Creek Thriller, begins out of the Agua Fria Trailhead and follows the Maricopa Trail most of the way to Cave Creek Regional Park.
50K runners who are taking the shuttle will need to be at the finish line in Cave Creek Regional Park prior to 5:30AM. If you can talk someone into driving you to the Agua Fria trailhead (and picking you up afterwards) they can drop you off and you might be able to sneak-in an extra hour of sleep.
The starting line is less than one mile from the lake but don’t go into it expecting views of the Lake Pleasant… While the on-course scenery is awesome as you traverse the Maricopa Loop and Black Canyon Trails, I can honestly say that I never even caught a glimpse of the lake during the race last year.
Having a 6:30AM start time means the race starts about an hour before the sunrise, so you’ll definitely want a headlamp and some layers. Last year was cold and windy… real windy. According to my watch the wind speed was just over 15MPH, although temperature was only 50 degrees. I assure you it felt colder.
The start of last year’s race was a but of a blur. I began in a T-shirt, shorts, arm sleeves and gloves. I remember feeling like I should have brought more layers as we waited at the starting line for Noah to send us off into the blackness.
Through the first couple miles of the course you’ll be on tight single track trail. If you want to go fast out of the gate, you’ll need to get out in front early. Otherwise, tuck in the single file line for the first couple miles and the trail will open up for you around 2 miles in, just as the first light begins to appear over the horizon in front of you.
The first 2 miles includes most of the climbing for the first half of the race. There are two small but punchy climbs before topping out at mile 2.1. Once you get here, the route very runnable for the next 15 miles or so. Last year, I remember making it to the high point just after mile 2 before being immediately blasted by an intense headwind. Normally this wouldn’t be too much of a factor in a trail race, but when the race is a point to point, it means you’re going to be running through extra resistance for the entire effort.
Through this section there were several runners who tucked behind and began drafting off of Aravaipa Racing Team Member, Peter Mortimer. The scene was similar to something you would see watching a road cycling race. Pete’s tall frame makes him excellent as a windbreaker and he took several of the front runners, along with him as he bounded down the trail in-front of me.
By this point I was mostly warmed up and was glad I had not brought additional layers, although I used my gloves on and off throughout the day. There are several stretches of the Maricopa Trail that seem to receive a lot more wind than others so my gloves were on and off periodically throughout the course.
I ran past the Deadman Wash aid-station without refilling water. Luckily this didn’t come back to bite me.
Disclaimer: You’ll probably want to take advantage of more than just 1 of the 4 four aid-stations along the 50K course.
Around the mid-point of the race you’ll pass under the I-17 through Anthem, which is just before you pass by Anthem Aid. Last year this was the first and only aid-station I refilled at throughout the entire 50K. This is also where the 24K race starts, although they will have started well before you reach this point.
The trail from mile 3 to around mile 19 is smooth sailing but that does change quite dramatically as you begin ascending into Cave Creek Regional park. Don’t get me wrong, these climbs are significant, but they felt way difficult than I had expected. The transition to running steep grades after running flat and fast for 20ish miles takes a toll on your legs. I feel that the climbs are usually where I have an advantage in a trail races but the first 20 miles had completely drained my legs and I was putting in a lot of effort to maintain even a light jog uphill.
Mile 19 through 30 is where the bulk of the climbing is. It’s also going to be the hottest portion of the race. Hang on for the climbs and try to keep your momentum on the downhill sections. Once you top out just after mile 29 it is a fun and flowy descent to the finish at Go John Trail Head.
I finished in a time of 4:35:50, 7th overall and 4th Male. The top 6 at last years Cave Creek Thriller 50K was an even split between male and female. Shout out to Megan Kupres, Natalie Sandoval and Lauren Coury who all ran smoking fast times last year.
The finish line vibes at the Cave Creek Thriller Finish Line are awesome. You’ll definitely want to plan on sticking around for a bit, with great weather and even better company.