vol stare toad race random update . the darkness grows. . outside the sky is growing dark and threatening. the heat is still stifling. but the still air is filled with anticipation. the first rumbles of thunder have not yet been heard but there is mayhem brewing. . being july some runners are watching the sky turn ugly and wondering where they will seek shelter while others are seeing nothing except blue hell overhead. . Read more
vol stare toad race day 3 part 2 . so the gap between first and second tightened overnight. both johan and john climbed out of the basin. john is now in manchester at 250 miles, and johan is 7 miles back at whispering oaks. they will start the day racing across the highland rim plateau (one of the hottest and most exposed stretches in the race) to the long climb up monteagle mountain. . we Read more
vol state road race 3 days . it isnt really quite at 3 days yet. but i figured i would get an early start while waiting on the checkins to fill out. . what are you doing this pretty sunday morning? sitting on the porch with a cup of coffee and watching the sun come up? sleeping in? . for 106 people (at last count) this day started like the previous three. they are somewhere Read more
vol stare toad race2.5 days.runners are hearing this from the locals all along the route;“just be glad you werent here last week.”“what?”.yes, it is true.last week was hot.this week it is only toying around 100.last week was really hot!even today the runners’ luck held.the temperature in kimball (at the 300 mile mark) came up just short of 110.but the leaders were still 100 miles awayenjoying temperatures 10 degrees cooler!see, 100 isnt so bad after all..at Read more
vol stare toad race48 hours!.a lonely figure moves beside the road.at firstfrom a distanceit might be a mailbox..but as we get closer it grows into a lonely figuremoving.we have seen them for hours now,they have been scattered along the last 130 miles of road.each differenteach the same.some runningmost walkingsome move forward with an efficient rhythmeating the groundsome limp alongmany seem to walk delicatelymincing steps with feet that do not want to touch the ground.but onwardever Read more
vol stare toad race36 hours update;.john wright solidified his hold on first place during the day today..piecing together sightings and check ins,we think both he and johan took a break for sleep at some point.what we know for sure is that he extended his lead to 15 miles:150 to 135….after a day and a half on the road,even john is not quite halfway.there is a lot of race left to be run….but i would still Read more
vol stare toad race:24 hour update!.while we slept a form began to take shape in the shadows of night.the form of a race….as spectators we knew so little about the runners as they came off the ferry yesterday.john wright…. was he real,or was he memorex?.by the 12 hour checkin we knew he had one part of the required skillset.he could lay down miles in the heat.while the day fell short of the 100 degree high Read more
vol stare toad race;.12 hours update:it is easy to forget that there is a race at the front.there is a different breed of humansfor whom running 314 miles is not in and of itself the achievement of a lifetime.they come to race…it takes a few miles for things to sort themselves out at the front.when the smoke settled,it was oregonian john wright in the lead.he was past mckenzie and well on the way to huntingdon Read more