so the time is beginning when updates are even more dependent on where the runners are.
updates have to wait on runners finishing
they come after transport
and food.
and they are far behind sleep
(which will be something that we have less and less time for)
updates will even have to wait for showers
(if and when there is a chance for another)
.
christine tokarz made her way to the rock in the wee hours.
she reached kimball in the dark
took a short nap at the clarion and then headed out.
.
after the trackers are picked up we have the luxury of following their progress.
across the blue bridge
thru long island
over hog jaw ridge
up sand mountain.
.
and then we had to go.
.
for the late night finisher there is one more obstacle to overcome…
.
every scary movie they have ever watched.
after running down the driveway of castle rock ranch they enter the corn.
the endless rows of 10 foot tall corn close on both sides
until they are running in a tunnel
the endless straightaways stretching out in front and behind
this is not a cozy place to be alone at night…
.
it is a chance to think about the wildlife sightings.
mountain lions have been seen in these mountains.
wild pigs
once in a while a bear…
.
and then there are the movies
children of the corn is scary there
(even if you never saw it)
.
nobody screws around in the corn alone at night!
.
it only gets better when they finally reach the end of the corn.
then they enter the woods
trees close in overhead
and it really is a tunnel.
dark and mysterious
full of hidden things that rustle around.
.
they wonder if there is a finish at all!
.
no sight has ever been more welcome than the little circle of light on the rock.
with people!!!
.
after christine had her time on the throne
the chance to hold court
and talk about the incredible adventure.
we took the long drive down the mountain.
.
we arrived back at headquarters as the sky was pinking with the coming dawn.
sleep took precedence over the update!
.
right now michael carson is on the home stretch,
and we will soon have to go to catch his finish.
he passed matt barker during last night’s meltdown…
.
matt has recovered and is coming across the cumberland plateau.
i dont envy him what is waiting on the other side.
the ecreaming descent into jasper is more feared than the long climb into monteagle,
and he is lining up to hit the sequatchie valley in the heat of the afternoon….
.
on a foggy morning the valley can be cool and pleasant.
but when the fog burns off
it feels like an oven.
the mountains on either side seem to focus the sun
on that ribbon of road.
.
after matt the pace will quicken for us at the finish.
the runners are coming in a long line
closer and closer together
all the way back to the halfway point.
.
halfway!
.
can you imagine only being halfway this morning?
after 5 days and nights of running,
being at the very edge of your limits
fighting to stay on the right side of the cusp of elimination…
.
and you have to duplicate that in the next 5 days?
.
the prospect cost us two more during the night.
and now there are 99.
.
no one yet has dropped in the second half.
but there are more people battling oprah
than there are approaching the rock.
.
37 that still have to reach culleoka by tomorrow morning
just to stay in the game!
for them, there is no rock to worry about.
just surviving another blistering hot day!
Categories: Vols2025