HOTS UPDATE: 204 HOURS: respect
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sorry for the delayed report.
we have been following the progress of incoming runners
and affording the finishers their moment atop the thrown.
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after 8 and a half days 19 had finished
and 45 were still on the road…
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since then we have had 4 more come in,
and there is a veritable parade following them.
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back at the back derek murphy finally fell.
and to my surprise kim drake also.
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kim atkins is now the closest to the reaper.
she has an 8 mile cushion,
but no one wants to be the next in line!
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sitting here in the quiet between finishers
i am left to reflect on what it is that makes these people different.
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there is one thing immediately apparent about the finishers so far.
under the most difficult of circumstances they have managed to take care of their feet.
the meat wagon is full of woeful toes
and macerated feet.
the finish line has seen a parade of healthy feet.
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once again we find that preparation pays off.
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skill and attention to detail are important in every sport.
but none so much as journey running
(indeed, any long distance running sport)
the ability to endure discomfort is important.
but the ability to care for your equipment under any conditions is critical.
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and in journey running your most important equipment is your body.
now, most of the shoes that have reached the rock are finished.
the tread is gone.
they are tattered and stained.
most have been “remodeled” during the run
with holes cut in them to reduce friction
or make room for the swelling that accompanies 400 miles of pounding.
but the feet that reached the rock in those shoes are a different story.
other than the swelling they are almost pristine.
we have seen very few blisters.
almost no calluses
the toenails are intact.
to be honest, they are in better condition than most non-runners’ feet.
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in spite of periods of intense heat
the runners reaching the rock dont have many tales of nausea
or dehydration.
they have carefully studied the situation ahead of them
and carried enough supplies to get them through the periods of deprivation.
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altho reduced to eating what they can find,
often at any filling station or convenience market that is open when they pass by,
they have cobbled together as close to real meals as is possible.
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this is a game of enduring hardship,
and making do with what is available.
but it is also a game of reducing unnecessary hardship,
and turning what is available into serviceable substitutes for the ideal.
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as admirable as i find the determination of these athletes,
i am equally as impressed by their approach.
they bring a certain professionalism to their game..
they are good at what they do.
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we have a couple more who will be entering the trail section any minute now.
so i reckon i will be going over in a few minutes to watch for their lights in the woods
far below my perch here on the rock.
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lisa is a seasoned veteran of many such events.
an old friend whose ability i admire.
amy is brand new.
this is her first attempt at a journey run.
actually, she crewed for me during my transcon attempt in 2024.
i like to think that seeing how far an ordinary person like me could go
sparked a belief that she could do it also.
and i indulge myself in believing that the techniques she observed during the time we were together
gave her a good foundation for preparing to take on a race as difficult as this…
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but just like any successful journey runner,
the credit for what she has done over the last 9 days
is all hers.
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every one of the runners who have stood on the rock this week
has accomplished something truly amazing.
if they feel proud of their finish,
they dam well should.
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every time someone takes their seat on the thrown
it is a vicarious thrill for me.
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but it will be a special treat to see amy there.
when i first met her she said;
“i could never do something like that”
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in just a little while she will have done what she did not believe she could…
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how cool is that?