june 19 day 41 29 miles total 1073 this was a great traffic day. much of the morning was spent strolling down our own private half of a 4- lane that had been barreled off for road construction. the truck drivers delivering materials had been seeing the troupe for two days and one asked what was up. word passed thru the construction zone faster than we did and we marched through like conquering heroes… but Read more
Road Warriors of VolState Sweat, pain, pit bulls, and shotguns—welcome to Gary Cantrell’s old-school ultra. by Susan Reynolds Heavy clouds hung low in the sky over Hickman, Kentucky. Seventeen runners gathering for the 2009 Last Annual VolState Road Race greeted one another in good humor, their nerves betrayed only by frequently witnessed fidgets: tugging at compression-shorts hemlines or unpacking and repacking small items in a waist pack. For most, the adventure began on Tuesday, July Read more
june 18 day 40 21 miles total 1,044 i called it early today. 39 days of pushing around the clock was enough and it was time to take a breath. a second straight day of people telling me; “ the heat index is over 100!” made the decision even easier. i was in sort of a grey area. easily reducing my schedule deficit to less than a day. but no chance of making up the Read more
june 17 day 39 31 miles total 1,023 how could a day that started so well turn so grim? another afternoon of high 90’s temperatures and a blazing sun. that’s how. notching a 1,000 miler was a thrill. strolling thru beautiful elkhart completed a perfect morning. then we hit the highway to hell. no shade intermittent sidewalks traffic crushing heat… and the sun that merciless sun. it was not pretty and i don’t know exactly Read more
after 999.75 miles i got lost and had to stop and consult my map to figure out where to go next. despite that i hit 1,000 miles at 38 days 3 hours 35 minuets and 35 seconds! pr pr pr pr! (for you dale) laz Patrick wrote: They say “the journey of a thousand miles begins with but a single step” – but how many of them really know what they’re talking about? You Read more
june 16 day 38 25 miles total 992 no, i didn’t get in the miles i hoped today. an hour late start; part of a compounding problem of coming up short of my goal day after day. and misery from the bad toe i (foolishly-i admit it now) did not get fixed before attempting this run. i started the day in hobbling pain and finally admitted i had to take the drastic action i had Read more
06-15 day 37 26 miles total 967 another glorious day. barry, the mechanical engineer, picked up screws and bolts (for his just in case jar) randy pulled a kitten out of a motor… and i found a penny. a man on a tractor gave us $4 (because americans are just generous) and i found out how amish craftsmen get to the job site. i am going to have to start forgetting what i already know Read more
june 14 day 36 28 miles total 941 i reached the indiana state line and bailed with 10 minutes still on the clock. just lazy, i suppose. ohio was a lot of fun but it is time to move on. i vowed not to write endless transcon reports about pain and injuries. i think it is sort of understood that 941 miles doesn’t pass without some discomfort. but i have to say my little toe Read more