sorry for the no 0800 report.
the lay of the land
(and the distribution of runners)
determines my schedule.
.
and what we had after kimberly durst’s finish last night
was about a 30 mile gap to the next runner
with the surviving field strung out in close order behind.
.
this could have been the last opportunity to sleep until sunday.
i thought it would be a good idea to use it!
.
the cost of the two sections of mountains in the second half of the race is stark.
we lost a couple more today already.
playing things close to the vest and staying ahead of cutoffs by small margins does not pay dividends
when the course gets harder in the second half.
.
for the 6 who have been battling that reaper fellow the past few days
the race continues to be a high pressure endeavour.
josh and jamie are still with him.
melissa and tony
odie and diana
they were just a bit behind.
but that was where the motel was.
.
the rest is important
but the need to cover miles inescapable.
it becomes a matter of how long a person can operate
under constant pressure
exhausted and in pain.
before they break.
back in the back
the HOTS has become a contest of the will to survive
there is no man against man left.
only all the men against the course
.
word this morning is that melissa may be near the end.
what that means for tony remains to be seen.
he is moving on alone at the moment.
.
21 of the 47 runners who have not dropped
still have to do the kimsey highway.
.
god help them.