As the days roll by, and the sun beats down on the volstaters, patterns begin to emerge. Looking at the tracking sheet, we see each runner’s pattern. Do they move well in the daytime, or more at night? Do they stay with other runners in a pair or group, or do they check-in alone? There are natural patterns that emerge due to the nature of the course (locations of hotels have a strong influence on Read more
july 14 day 66 25 miles total 1,728 all the motels in randolph were full so we had to go back to laurel (including the detour) time. everything bleeds time. the speed with which i travel seems immutable. it is the amount of time i can get on the road that determines my tally. and it sometimes feels that the world is out to delay me in every possible way. tomorrow was going to be Read more
The second full day on the open road was not kind to our intrepid wanderers. Burned soles (and souls) are threatening to fill up a meat wagon bus to The Rock this morning. Blisters and Pain are the main culprits. Not blisters, actually, but BLISTERS. The volstate blister, left growing too long due to light headed brain fog in the heat, can easily cover the entire ball of the foot. It’s an excruciating experience that Read more
t is still a few miles ahead but we are approaching the second curve since midnight!!!
The first rays of sun that hit you on day 2 at volstate are a right of passage. Not a single runner experiences it and thinks, “oh, thank goodness, finally the sun is back!” The actual reaction is generally to recoil violently, and search the horizon for any merciful promise of shade trees or clouds. No one had an easy day today, as the cloudless Tennessee skies tormented the runners with heat from above, and Read more
july 13 day 65 23 miles total 1,703 nebraska has not wasted any time revealing the new adventures waiting for me. 23 miles really does not do my day justice. after fighting thru a dust storm that threatened to blow me off the road i spent most of the night playing hopscotch with electrical storms that put on quite a show all around me. ginger drove behind me with flashers on, so i could hop Read more
All along the road last night, the runners marched alone, in couples, and in packs. The impact of the town aid stations was apparent again this morning. At 24 hours the count was 10 runners at the Farmers Market in Dresden 16 runners in the Fire Station in Gleason, and 13 runners at the market in McKenzie. There is just something about the hospitality of these fine rural Tennesseans. Even the Canadian runners are saying, Read more
i crossed in the rain like american ninja warrior good thing it was raining or they’d have never let me climb the crane! laz