vole stare

the three day window is closed
.
the check ins are coming slow this morning.
for many in the long line of battered runners this is a time of reflection.
the finish has receded from sight.
the call of the rock is a faint echo,
drowned out by the more immediate concerns of
blistered feet
exhausted legs
hunger
thirst
and a weariness that they never imagined was possible.
.
they have been baked in the sun
and battered by fierce storms.
the bravado and determination of the ferry
have been replaced by a grim struggle just to stay alive and keep moving…
.
it is day 4
and many fell during the night…
.
ironic,
because this was probably the “easiest” night of the race.
the storms of yesterday afternoon drifted to the south
leaving behind cooler temperatures
and a pleasant night…
.
for anyone still capable of utilizing it.
.
addison certainly flourished
and has almost reached wartrace.
he is not much more than a day from finishing.
.
kyle malone had a decent night
but he is just coming into wheel,
22 miles back.
.
kyle may have lost ground on addison,
but he got a little breathing room on michelle leduc.
and michelle regained a little of her lead on adam walker.
.
so the kyle, michelle, and adam head into day 3 jockeying for position.
over the next 24 hours they will be trying to stage themselves for a final push to the rock.
who has slept, and when has become of critical importance.
who can burn the candle at both ends
and make a strong final push with the most sleep deficit?
second thru fourth are up for grabs.
.
a hundred miles behind them it is a different story taking place.
oprah has taken a lead over the final 8 runners.
three of them gave up last night.
four more made the mandatory turn at lexington,
but faced with having only 24 hours to reach linden,
they caved.
.
only louise wallace strapped it on real good
and headed on down the road.
.
making the turn in lexington is required to be allowed to continue.
but the vol stater who has only just made that at the end of day 3 faces long odds.
.
they have to be in linden by the start of day 4.
and that is a long, tough stretch of road.
.
it can be done
and it has…
.
but it takes a lot of fight to come back from that far.
.
louise wallace still has fight in her.
she wont roll over for oprah,
oprah will have to take her down.