Construction

the day begins as a lightening of the sky.then a slight pink appears along the eastern horizon..with surprising speed the first twinkle of the yellow ball of fire pierces the darkness.the light reveals a shambling, sorry lotfollowing the endless white line..bleary eyed, sunburnt.some have attempted washing their clothes in a sinkthe result is less than perfect.others have turned into topo maps of salt lines and sweat stains.when you carry all your possessions with youyou do Read more…

vole stare toad race: 108 hour update.this one will be a little hurried,as matthew bird is in no hopeand on the way to the turn up sand mountain.we have to finish a quick meal and head up that way to get his finish.also to pack up stuff to begin life at the rock full time.it looks like we will have finishers coming in all night..if you can imagine,after all this time,the halfway update is not Read more…

vole stare toad race: hour 96 update.yes, i am 5 hours late starting this.there are still 85 runners on the road,and it is becoming increasingly more important to sleep when i can.at some point we go to the rock to take a finish….and never get to come back!.carl has just left to pick up 6 more who have fallen along the way.for some of the ones back there fighting oprahthe constant clicking of those stiletto Read more…

vole stare toad race 84 hour update:.we are entering a new phase of the race.the first thing you notice is that you do not instantly know how many days 86 hours represents(only 3 and a half)the second is that they have adapted to the climate.less was said about the heat today,when almost everyone experienced temperatures over 100 degrees(not heat index, raw temperature)than was said on day one when it was in the low 90s..the third Read more…

vole stare toad race 72 hour update:.the 4th sunrise was not beautiful to the bleary eyed vol staters.the sky was almost cloudless,and the first rays of the sun striking their bodies triggered ptsd without the p.it cant be “post” until it is overtoday it is rtsdrepeated traumatic stress disordertoday is going to be blistering hot.again..the white line is no longer a marking on the roadit is a way of life.you follow it.that is what you Read more…

vole stare toad race: 60 hour update.after 2 and a half days on the road,the vole stare toad race has become many different races..at the front we have chris varnadoe against addison hendricks.these guys are now in the final stages,making the last push to the rock..chris built a huge lead between 12 and 36 hours,at one point 31 miles ahead of second.addison has been aggressively trying to reduce that lead for the last day,but as Read more…

Adjusting expectations:When runners come to the vol state,they usually come with expectations.The vast majority of them find that those expectationsare optimistic!days 2 and 3 are when these expectations are either: No one ever got to The Rock and regretted adjusting expectations and finishing what they came to do.20 years later, I still kick myself for dropping from my first attempt.I came in thinking worst case scenario I’d cover 60 miles a day….on the third morning Read more…

while you slept the survivors fought on.two days in they are facing their bitterest challenge…..not the heat, not the distance,not blisters, not chafing,not the sun, not sleep deprivation….the toughest opponent is their own mind..at this point in the raceyour relationship with your own mind is your only hope.you have passed all the parameters where your physical systems tell you that it is time to stop.you have done more than your body was built to withstand.dogs Read more…