The 62nd annual JFK 50 Mile will be held Saturday, November 23, 2024!

Registration opened March 1, 2024.

The entire field will start in one mass start at 6:30 a.m. with a 13-hour time limit.

The JFK 50 Mile will start promptly at 6:30 a.m. in downtown Boonsboro (across from the Historic Boonsboro Inn).

THE ACTUAL START LINE IS A 10-MINUTE WALK FROM BOONSBORO SCHOOL COMPLEX PARKING LOTS. PLEASE PLAN ACCORDINGLY.

DIRECTIONS:
From the North, take Interstate 81 South to Interstate 70
East, exit Interstate 70 on to MD Rt. 66 and proceed South towards Boonsboro.
From the South, take Interstate 81 North to Interstate 70 East, exit Interstate 70 on to MD Rt.
66 South towards Boonsboro.
From the East, take interstate 70 West to MD Rt. 66
South towards Boonsboro.
From the West, take Interstate 70 East to MD Rt. 66, Take
MD Rt. 66 South toward Boonsboro.
Parking is at Boonsboro High School in the Boonsboro Educational Complex at the intersection of
MD Rt. 66 and U.S. Alternate Rt. 40.

Bag transport service is provided from the start staging area (adjacent to the starting line) to the finish line area. Make sure identification (include name, mailing address and telephone number) is attached to the bag.
DO NOT LEAVE VALUABLES IN THE BAGS.

Personal listening devices are strictly prohibited at the JFK 50 Mile. The Appalachian Trail has dangerous footing and is a single track trail. If you cannot hear the person behind you asking for the trail you are creating a dangerous situation. Race Officials will be situated along the course. If caught using a personal listening device anywhere on the course, you will be disqualified.

Along with the point-to-point tracking, our timing company, Racine MultiSports, also is offering GPS tracking for the third straight year. This tracking will show a participant’s exact location “live” while on the course (provided there is cell service). How will this work? Participants will be given instruction, as we get closer to race day, to download an app and carry their phone during the race. Family and friends can then use the app on their phone to track a participant “live.” We realize there are spots on the course that have poor cell service, so there will be short periods of time that the tracking may freeze. But once the phone pings a tower again, the app will update the participant’s location. Participants will still be subject to the strict policy on not using personal listening devices. However, the phone can be used at the start to activate the GPS app. Then once the app is activated, the phone must be stored and not used, unless in an emergency. This is a free service and not required. If you prefer not to run with a phone, that will be completely acceptable.

To learn how to download and use the app, please use the button below.

This year’s JFK 50 Mile will have a minimum of 14 fully stocked Aid Stations on the course. Provisions at these stations will include: colas, electrolyte replace drinks, water, sandwiches, salted items, sweet items, energy gels, energy bars and basic first aid supplies. Some later aid stations may have hot drinks. The tentative locations are at approximately the 4, 9, 16, 19, 22, 25, 27, 30, 34, 38, 42, 44, 46 and 48 mile points.

Personal Handlers/Crew are allowed at points designated by race organizers on the course. These locations are: Weverton Cliffs exit (15.0 miles), Antietam Aqueduct (27.3 miles) and Taylor’s Landing (38.7 miles).

Due to heavy congestion problems along the course —causing major concerns from the local police and National Park Service—the race organizers ask, that if at all possible, please leave the “course support” up to the race officials and volunteers out on the course. If you do decide to use personal handlers/crew, make sure they only meet you at the aforementioned race designated points and that they are instructed to yield “right-of-way” at all times to Park Service Personnel, officials, volunteers, participants, vehicles and pedestrians on the course.

SPECIAL NOTE TO HANDLERS/CREW: Vehicle traffic on the JFK 50 Mile’s final 8.4 mile road section will be limited to only race organizers, law enforcement vehicles, and local traffic between the hours of 11:00 a.m. and 7:30 p.m. on race day. Handlers/Crew will not be allowed access to the final 8.4 mile section of the JFK 50 Mile course. Violators of this request will subject their participants to disqualification. NO BICYCLE HANDLERS/CREW ARE PERMITTED ON ANY PART OF THE COURSE.

Pacers and/or companions are no longer allowed at the JFK 50 Mile. Any participant accompanied by a pacer/companion (not officially entered in the event and starting from the beginning of the event) will be disqualified.

The first 5.5 miles (starting on road surface and joining the Appalachian Trail at 2.5 miles) gains 1,172 feet in elevation. The course from 2.5 to 15.5 miles is on the Appalachian Trail (except for two miles of paved road between 3.5 and 5.5 miles). This section of the AT is very rocky in sections as it rolls across the mountain ridge. At approximately 14.5 miles the course drops over 1,000 feet in a series of steep “switchbacks” that then crosses under Rt. 340 and connects with the C&O Canal towpath. The “Canal” section of the JFK 50 Mile is 26.3 miles (from 15.5-41.8 miles) of almost totally flat unpaved dirt/gravel surface that is free of all automotive vehicle traffic. The JFK 50 Mile route leaves the C&O Canal towpath at Dam #4 and proceeds to follow gently rolling paved country roads the last 8.4 miles to the finish. The Boonsboro start is at an elevation of 570 feet. The Williamsport finish is at 452 feet above sea level.

2.5 Miles (South Mountain Inn): 45 minutes (7:15 a.m.)

9.3 Miles (Gathland Gap): 2 hours and 45 minutes (9:15 a.m.)

15.5 Miles (Weverton Aid Station): 5 hours and 00 minutes (11:30 a.m.)

27.3 Miles (Antietam Aid Station): 7 hours and 30 minutes (2:00 p.m.)

34.4 Miles (Snyder’s Landing): 9 hours and 15 minutes (3:45 p.m.)

38.7 Miles (Taylor’s Landing): 10 hours and 15 minutes (4:45 p.m.)

41.8 Miles (Dam #4): 11 hours and 00 minutes (5:30 p.m.)

46.0 Miles (Downsville): 12 hours and 00 minutes (6:30 p.m.)

50.2 Miles (Finish Line): 13 hours and 00 minutes (7:30 p.m.)

IMPORTANT NOTE: Due to insurance regulations, no participants can be allowed access to any part of the course after 7:30 p.m. Any participants still on the course after 7:30 p.m. will be picked up by official sweeper vehicles and transported to Springfield Middle School. No times will be recorded — or medals awarded— after the official 7:30 p.m finish line time cut-off. Participants missing any time cut-offs along the course must withdraw. Any participant not abiding by this request will be denied entry to future JFK 50 Mile events.

The JFK 50 Mile course is a point-to-point “horse-shoe” configuration finishing at Springfield Middle School in Williamsport, Maryland. School buses will be on hand to bring participants back to the Boonsboro Educational Complex beginning at 3:00 p.m. and will run regularly until 8:30 p.m.

Spectators and handlers should park in the adjacent Williamsport High School parking lots. Shuttle van service will run between the parking lots of Williamsport High School and Springfield Middle School.

All finishers within the official 13-hour time-limit will receive a beautiful, uniquely designed JFK 50 mile finisher’s medallion immediately after crossing the finish line. The top 10 men and women as well as the first male and female in the following age divisions (19-and-under, 40-49, 50-59, 60-69, 70-79 and 80-and-over) will be recognized at the awards ceremony in the Springfield Middle School Gymnasium. The awards ceremony will be held as soon as possible for the top 10 men and top 10 women.

ALL MALE TEAM and ALL FEMALE TEAM COMPETITION: Team Championship Awards will be presented to the top scoring (based on total time) Men’s and Women’s teams. A team can consist of up to five of the same sex, but only the first three finishers will be scored.

MILITARY TEAM COMPETITION: The first five finishers of the same military branch (from the same Military Base or Academy) will have their combined times tallied. The low time-score will take home the Kennedy Cup. Teams can consist of as many as ten entrants.

Cash awards will be presented to the top 10 male and female finishers (lst = $1,500, 2nd = $1,000, 3rd = $800, 4th = $600, 5th = $500, 6th=$400, 7th=$350, 8th=$325, 9th=$275, 10th=$250) with an additional $3,000 bonus for the establishment of a new men’s or women’s course record.

The 62nd annual JFK 50 Mile post-race celebration will be held 7:30-11:30 p.m. at the Hagerstown Homewood Suites by Hilton on Saturday, November 23, 2024.