⏵ Course guide · Mid-Atlantic club 50K
The Annapolis Striders' Rosaryville Veterans Day 50K sends its field around a rolling, leaf-covered 9.5-mile perimeter trail at Rosaryville State Park in Upper Marlboro, Maryland, 3.25 loops for the 50K, 1.25 for the 20K. Now in its 17th year, it is a classic, affordable club race. I will walk you through the loop and its cutoffs first, then give you a pacing and fueling plan built for rolling single track, plus free tools to dial in your own numbers.
These facts come from the official race registration page. Check the current year details, cutoffs, and aid stations before you commit. Race logistics change year to year.
The 50K runs 3.25 loops of the 9.5-mile single-track perimeter trail; the 20K runs 1.25 loops. Both start with a short 0.7-mile stretch of paved road from the Pavilion picnic area before entering the woods and running counter-clockwise around the park.
Rosaryville carries about 2,600 feet of total gain across the 50K, spread as steady rolling hills rather than any single big climb. The trail itself is mostly buffed-out single track that the race calls accessible to runners of all skill levels. The real hazard is timing: by mid-November, roots, rocks, and stumps are covered in a thick layer of fallen leaves, so the footing demands more attention than the elevation profile suggests.
Two aid stations sit on every 9.5-mile loop, roughly 0.7 miles and 5.2 miles in, so you get real support access twice per lap. On top of that, your drop bag, staged a short walk from the start/finish, is accessible at approximately the 5K, 20K, and 35K points on course, giving 50K runners three real chances to restock or change gear.
The race allows a pacer on Loop #3 for 50K runners, as long as the pacer is on foot, not a bike. Headphones, pets, and baby joggers are not permitted, both for runner safety and due to the race's insurance requirements, so plan accordingly if any of those are part of your normal routine.
The overall 8-hour limit is generous for a rolling 50K, but the real number to plan around is the 1:20 PM cutoff to reach the bag-drop area and exit for your final loop.
With an 8:00 AM start, 1:20 PM gives you 5 hours and 20 minutes to complete two full loops before your final lap begins, then 2 hours and 40 minutes to finish that last loop and the short dash to the finish. A finish-time projection built off your first loop split tells you honestly whether you are on track for that 1:20 PM checkpoint, which matters more than the overall 8-hour number on paper.
With about 2,600 feet spread across 3.25 loops rather than one big climb, a grade-adjusted pace target smooths out the rolling hills into an honest per-loop number. Add a buffer for leaf-covered footing in November, since hidden roots and rocks slow you in ways elevation math alone will not predict.
⏵ Free tools to pace this course
Aid twice a loop plus drop bag access at three points on course gives you real chances to fuel deliberately rather than carrying everything from the start.
Aim for roughly 60 to 90 grams of carbohydrate per hour. With aid stations at roughly 0.7 and 5.2 miles into every 9.5-mile loop, you have a natural rhythm to restock on, and your drop bag access at the 5K, 20K, and 35K marks lets you stage anything more specific you need.
The race explicitly recommends a water bottle or hydration pack even with two aid stations per loop, and mid-November temperatures in Maryland can swing from cool mornings to a warmer afternoon. Keep sodium in the 300 to 700 mg per liter range and adjust up if the day runs warmer than expected.
⏵ Build your fueling plan
Get a carb, sodium, fluid, and caffeine plan per hour built for your weight, your goal time, and a rolling Mid-Atlantic 50K with the free ultra fueling calculator. Browse the rest of the free running tools at the tools hub.
⏵ Train for it with Summit Line
Get a race-day plan built around YOUR fitness, this exact looped Rosaryville course, and your projected splits. Summit Line reads your real training, builds a plan for rolling single-track loops, and rehearses your fueling so race day is something you execute, not guess at.
It is a genuinely accessible 50K by ultra standards. The 9.5-mile perimeter trail is mostly buffed-out single track through deep woods with rolling hills, no major climbs or descents, and roughly 2,600 feet of total gain across the full 3.25 loops. The real challenge is early November footing (roots, rocks, and stumps hidden under a thick blanket of fallen leaves) more than the elevation profile itself, which is why the race warns first-timers not to admire the scenery too much.
The 50K carries about 2,600 feet of total elevation gain across its 3.25 loops of the 9.5-mile perimeter trail. There are no big single climbs or descents, just steady rolling hills that add up over three-plus laps rather than one defining grade.
Two aid stations sit along each 9.5-mile loop, roughly 0.7 miles and 5.2 miles into the lap, so you get real support twice a loop on top of your own drop bag. Runners have access to that drop bag at approximately the 5K, 20K, and 35K points on course. Aim for roughly 60 to 90 grams of carbohydrate per hour and bring a water bottle or hydration pack, since the aid stations supplement but should not replace a personal hydration plan. Build your numbers with the free ultra fueling calculator before race day.
The overall limit is 8 hours for the 50K and 7 hours for the 20K, but the real number to plan around is the intermediate one: 50K runners must reach the bag-drop area (the exit point for the final full 9.5-mile loop) by 1:20 PM. That gives 2 hours and 40 minutes to finish the last full loop and the short dash to the finish; miss it having completed only 2 full loops and you will not be permitted to continue.
The course runs almost entirely through deep woods on largely buffed-out single track, described by the race as accessible to runners of all skill levels but not very technical. Early November means a thick layer of fallen leaves covers roots, rocks, and stumps, so the terrain is more about hidden footing than sustained difficulty. The race starts with a short 0.7-mile stretch of paved road before entering the perimeter trail, run counter-clockwise.
Yes. The Annapolis Striders describe it as a classic trail race with an old-school feel, and the combination of rolling (not steep) terrain, a generous 8-hour limit against a moderate 2,600 ft of gain, aid twice a loop plus drop bag access three times on course, and a 250-runner cap for a manageable field makes it one of the more approachable first-50K options in the Mid-Atlantic. The loop format also means you never stray far from help if something goes wrong. Just budget real time for the leaf-covered footing rather than assuming an easy single-track course means an easy pace.
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<a href="https://runsummitline.com/guides/rosaryville-veterans-day-50k">The Rosaryville Veterans Day 50K course guide</a><iframe src="https://runsummitline.com/embed/race/rosaryville-veterans-day-50k" style="width:100%;max-width:420px;height:180px;border:0;" loading="lazy" title="Rosaryville Veterans Day 50K course guide by Summit Line"></iframe>This guide is independent and for planning only. The course details, dates, cutoffs, and aid stations come from public sources and can change year to year, so confirm the current specifics with the official race before you register or run. The fueling and pacing advice is general and not medical advice.
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