Alabama - Delano Park 12 Hour

Since I have been absolutely the most lazy blogger ever, I have decided to bullet point my race.

• Arrived at 11 p.m. the night before the race.
• Rented Vehicle
• Drove straight to Decatur
• Went wrong way two or three times
• Got to Decatur with an hour and a half before the race
• Woke up in time for the race
• Headed to the Park
• Found a good spot to park
• Prepared to get ready
• Forgot Shorts
• Went to Walmart
• Could only find x-large sized shorts
• Went back couldn't find a spot, parked on the other side.
• Got out started the race.
• Got super bad sun burn.
• Immediately drove back to Knoxville
• Daylight savings time plus lost an hour going from central to eastern time.
• Slept at the motel 6
• Missed my flight
• Had to buy a new flight
• Only option to fly into LAX
• tried to charge battery the best I could.
• Phone died
• Ride got upset
• He went to wrong airport
• Tried to rent vehicle, none available
• Tried to get a shared ride
• Got ride back...

With three months since my last update, attached is my newest map for the states.

Hawaii - Hilo to Volcano 50k

Running a marathon in a state that you've never been to can be taxing logistically. I tend to over analyze and prepare. In this case, I met my match but came up short. On thursday morning I sat up and looked at the time. Today was the vacation of my life, because I would be flying to Kailua-Kona, Hawaii. For most people this would be a relaxing vacation, without life's stresses and worries. For those who know me, it is not about relaxing that brings me to these locations. I travel because it is the journey and the sights. Each state holds a memory, and a position in my heart. However sappy that may seem, it is true.

I arrived in LAX in plenty of time to catch my flight. I just bided my time and eventually the moment to take off arrived. It was just after noon that I arrived in Kailua-Kona. I was excited and nervous. This was paradise and I wasn't sure how I would handle it. I picked up the rental vehicle and headed to get food. Now the correct action when getting food in a strange place shouldn't be to sink your teeth into fast food. That just what I did though, as I headed towards the K-Mart for a little bit of Detroit (Little Caesars.) I went for a short drive up the coast, but after this I headed to the Hostel where I would be spending the night. I spent the night at the Pineapple Park Hostel which was located near Captain Cook. There I watched the sun go down over the pacific.

The next morning, I awoke early to get a head start on the tourist aspect of the "Big Island." As I waited for the showers to open, I searched the must see locations on the island. I marked off 7 or 8 locations and determined to see them all. While many of the locations were north, my favorite locations seemed to be south near the Puna area. The first area I decided to see was the Pu'uhonua O Honaunau national historical park.

I drove south towards Pu'uhonua O Honaunau and was witness to a Hawaiian style sunrise. With the sun peaking over the Pacific, I entered the state area. I was stumped when I reached the entrance gate with no guard. I paused a while to see if anyone would approach my vehicle. After a while I gave up and accepted the free entrance to the park. I wasn't quite sure what to expect, since I didn't exactly understand reason for the park's existence (Later I learned that it was a former religious site.) I exited my vehicle and entered the information area. Entering this facility, there were Hawaiian hand made sculptures, and native creation folklore explained through speakers in the ceiling. I descended a ramp that lead down to a closed off beach. There were signs warning of sacred grounds and to stay on the path. The state had done an amazing job replicating and/or restoring the buildings on the facility. The highlight of the area, was a roped off area where rare sea turtles are known to nest.

After nearly an hour and a half at the Historic site, I left for the next destination. Next I chose to tour the green beaches of south point. The road to south point was a long drive through the rural coastal areas on Mamalahoa Highway. Dotting the road south were local fruit stands and tiny friendly diners. Finally making the turn on South Point road I proceeded toward the beach. I was not aware at any point, that the road would become as rough and bumpy as it became. The condition of the road degraded to gravel as I approached the parking lot that I would be leaving for my trek from. I finally parked in the lot and headed on foot towards the green sand beach.

I left the safety of my rental vehicle and headed towards what I believed to be the direction of the green sand. My short progress was halted by a few locals who asked if I was in need of a ride to the beach. The individuals seemed sketchy, so I opted against the ride. I descended a long hill leading to a beach which would connect up to the path to the green sand. Nearly ten minutes into the walk, I was stopped again. This time I was stopped by a good Samaritan asking if I needed water. I kindly refused and continued walking. After a long grueling, rock hopping adventurous walk, I made it to the green sand beach described on the internet.

I approached the beach from an elevated cliff like point above. I slowly inched my way down the steep grade that lead to the beach. I could see the sheen of the beach from above, but I had to take a closer look. I neared the bottom and witnessed for myself the beauty of the sand. This beach was a once in a lifetime experience.

After nearly an hour walk each direction and another hour at the beach, I departed and headed back to the highway. I stopped briefly at the true south point, which marks the most southern point in the United States. There wasn't much to see there, so I headed back and decided to head north again past Kona on Hi-19 to Hilo.

On the long drive around the north side of the Big Island, I underestimated the drive and lost too much daylight to do too much sight seeing. With the tiny bit of daylight remaining, I decided to head to a beach mostly popular with locals called Kua Bay beach. The beach was busy, but not crowded and I had a great time moving with the tall waves that rolled towards the shore. Another hour or so was spent at this beautiful beach, and I decided to travel on.

The rest of the drive to Hilo was spent without so much as a rest stop and a couple of hours later I finally reached the eastern side of the island. Hilo is a modern tourist city, with tiny tourist souvenir shops lining the corners. I drove over a few streets and located the local Walmart. I walked through the aisles, and procured the makings for a dinner. My reservations for the night were supposed to be at the McKenzie state park on the southern side of the east shore. With the time spent sight seeing all day, I wasn't prepared for yet another drive. Therefore with much consideration, I made the decision to sleep in my rental vehicle, in the store parking lot.

With less than comfortable arrangements I made my best effort to sleep. I awoke to the sound of my phone's alarm and made my way to Coconut Island Park. Coconut Island Park was located east of the city along the coast and happened to be the starting location for the 2012 Hilo to Volcano 50k. I arrived in the darkness of 5 a.m and waited for the runners to show up. I witnessed early starting runners both showing up and leaving. I dressed out, and mentally prepared for the race. I chose to wait to register for the ultra and instead show up day of the race to register. This decision turned out to be a terrible one. I had to wait nearly two hours for the race director and staff to arrive.

At 6:45 a.m the race director and staff arrived and set up their table. I paid the entrance fee, grabbed a bib number, and gained approval to begin. The race consisted of a point to point course from Coconut Island Park, Hilo to Cooper Center, Volcano. The race was an open course with runners forced to run on the sidewalks and shoulder of the roads encountered. The run consisted of constant mild ascent seemingly from beginning to end. Each runner was required to have a crew team to assist with the unavailability of aid stations. Even at the beginning I was unprepared for what lied ahead.

I began the race and immediately met two local women who were starting early as well. They had babysitters and were starting early in order to finish early. I chatted with them for the first few miles as I was without a headlamp and it was dark. Eventually the sun began to rise over the horizon and I began to slow down. Initially, I knew that the race was not going to be easy, but I doubted it was difficult.

The race transitioned from the city of Hilo to the suburb city of Volcano. Early on in the race, the sky was clear, but as the race progressed there were intermittent showers. Progressing slowly from mile to mile, the most difficult part of the race was the combination of sun, elevation, and lack of support. Without adequate sleep, the race proved to magnify the increasingly ascending road. I plodded along and the miles slowly passed. Every few miles there came a relay exchange point, which improved morale, and kept spirits high with the cheering and bustling nature. Through neighboring towns the course wound, and up and up the road continued.

At mile 20 I found myself with dehydration looming and nearly nothing left in my "tank." I had failed to adequately prepare for a scenario like this. I began to contemplate asking runners at the next exchange point for any support they could provide. I approached the next exchange point looking completely defeated and I was asked if I needed anything by a relay runner. I replied that I needed water, and/or food. With open arms I was given Cytomax drink mix, a whole water bottle and energy chews.

With much gratefulness I thanked them and continued. They next few miles became somewhat easier and I slowly continued. Reaching the last few miles before the turn towards the community center and finish I was greeted by a phone call by my Girlfriend. She was concerned and wanted to hear about everything. I was hesitant to tell her everything, but I did clue her into my physical situation, and I could tell she might have been worried.

Because of the sluggish nature of my run, I was easily passed by a majority of the runners in the race. I was almost certain that I was in last place, when behind me I heard a voice that drew my attention. Behind me there was a woman who seemed to be in a similar physical condition that I was and we ran together for a mile or so until the turn.

As I approached the turn, I could hear the roar of the finish line but I knew that would be short lived since I would be running right past the finish and down to the turn around. Off to the right I began to see the center with the finishers and the feeling of seeing the finish line invigorated my mental state. I continued down through rolling hills in a secluded neighborhood to eventually the turn around.

After making the turn around I used all of the physical capacity I could muster and headed straight back to the finish line. Twice as quickly as I made it to the turn around I made it to the finish line. There were only a few runners left and the finish line was all but torn down and stowed. The timing team was still there and it was sweet to finish this grueling race. As I looked for a place to sit down, I was forced to realize that my flight to Maui would be difficult to make, since I would be looking for a ride back to the starting line from either a local or another runner. Luckily there was a runner that I had met earlier in the race that recognized me and offered to take me back to my car. I thanked him and his family for their kindness and they brought me the half an hour drive back to my car. On the way, the gentleman and I discussed all of my questions about the Hawaiian islands. I finally arrived back to the parking lot at the Coconut Island park and thanked the gentleman again for his hospitality.

As I departed the park, I couldn't help but marvel at the massive banyan trees that lined the drive out. I had mapped out the drive from Hilo to Kona's airport with the quickest route possible. I decided to use route 200, and rush as fast as possible. Taking nearly the entire trip at 60+ miles per hour I arrived at the rental car facility, dropped off the rental car and proceeded to wait for the shuttle. I had nearly 25 minutes to check my bags, and get to the airplane. I hadn't anticipated that the rental shuttle would take 10 minutes to arrive. Entering the shuttle and only 15 minutes until take off, I quickly disembarked the shuttle in hopes of a miracle. No such miracle was on tap for the day.

I walked up to the airline kiosk, I was the ninth person in line... By the time I approached the desk to gather my tickets it was already after takeoff. I looked for an alternative, was was blessed with another flight that took off promptly an hour later. An hour later, still dirty and dingy, I embark on my flight from Kona to Honolulu, and then to Maui.

After a quick layover I land in Maui, and prepared to make reservations for the night. I was appalled to learn that the cheapest hotel/motel in Maui was 390$. After gasping for breath, I forewent booking a hotel/motel and moved on to booking a rental car. I secured a decent rental car deal, and caught a shuttle to pick up the rental car.

After arriving at the rental car facility and procuring a set of keys, I set out to explore my new surroundings. The highest priority for my newly acquainted settings was to find a hot shower. Unfortunately this was not to be, since the time was late. I thought that I stumbled into a possibility of a shower when I located a 24 hour fitness, but It wasn't open! I settled for a nights rest in the car, and I would start fresh the next morning. Still gross from the previous race day, I decided to wait for the 24 hour fitness to open. Finally around 5 a.m. I went into the location and obtained a guest pass which allowed access for my much needed shower.

I had originally signed up for the Maui Oceanfront Marathon, but after repeated attempts to contact the Marathon organizers I had failed to do so, and was out of a hundred dollars as a result on race day. As the sun rose on Maui I decided to explore the island. I was intrigued by the high class lifestyle on Maui in comparison to the much more native population of the big island. One goal of my trip to Hawaii was to immerse myself in what I believe to be the cultural aspect of the islands. Around noon I booked a luau at the Royal Lahaina Resort a resort on the northwestern part of the island. The luau did not begin until later, so much of the time was spent sightseeing in the area. The time for the show arrived and I enjoyed an amazing sunset luau filled with native Polynesian dancers and full buffet. The highlight of the show as the fire dancing. The show ended and I drove back to Pukalani. I spent the night in my vehicle and drew out the plans for my last day on the islands.

I awoke on the last day of my nearly week long trip to the Hawaiian islands. As the sun rose over the island, I decided to start early and take in the last hours I had. Many of the resources I used had point my course to what is considered by many to be the most beautiful drives in the world. This voyage is commonly referred to as the road to Hana. The trip takes all day and is filled with beautiful cliff views, bountiful wet rainforests and raging waterfalls. During the trip I made my way through the stunning red sand beaches of Koki, and the St. Gabriel's church of the 1800's.

As night fell, I made my way back to Kahului and made preparations for leaving. Before I knew it I was on the plane preparing to head back to the contiguous 48.

Another race done, another state done.

Check back soon for another race report.

One Epic Run: Spartanburg, South Carolina

It has been over a month since my last race, and I have had the best intentions of updating the blog with the stories of my December race. After my university let school out for the winter break, I decided to take a detour on the way back home. A month earlier I had learned of a great run in Spartanburg, South Carolina simply called One Epic Run My plane left Orange County early, heading for Atlanta. Upon landing in Atlanta, I watched the sunset from the dashboard of my rental car. Four hours later I entered the small suburb of Charlotte. Spartanburg, South Carolina has a small but warm southern charm. I would have loved to spend more time in the area, but most of my time was spent on the race course. I awoke on Saturday and slowly prepared myself for the race at hand. The race didn't begin until 9 A.M. so I had plenty of time to plan.
I spent Friday night at the Motel 6, which was nearly half an hour from the race starting line. I arrived to the course with nearly half an hour left until the start of the race. As I arrived there I noticed there was a handful of people at the starting line. I would later figure out this was the race briefing. I quickly parked my vehicle and prepared to pick up my race bib. I made my way back to my vehicle, and prepared myself for the journey. One Epic Run was a 24 Hour, so I had plenty of time to relax and take in the atmosphere.
The race started out frigid, but soon warmed up as the day progressed. I began the race at the back of the pack and finished up there. The race consisted of 3 mile loops. With a run as you go type policy. The race course was a challenging one with mild climbs and rocky somewhat technical terrain.



Starting in the back of the race has it's advantages. One of those advantages is that the most interesting people thrive there. Starting the race I met ultra veterans Gene Bruckert and Terri Hayes. They had planned only for a 50 kilometer finish, but I had larger goals in mind. I began with three steady loops with the ultra veterans before lapping them and catching up with them again. While the two of them were running a little bit slow, I couldn't help but enjoy their company. After nearly nine laps with in their company I decided to depart and run faster. I ran by myself for a while and got into a rhythm. The miles ticked away, as the daylight seemed to hold. As I would pass by the timing/aid station every lap I would have one of the volunteers time my lap. For the first 12 laps my times were consistently under an hour.


Eventually, the once mildly annoying and technical terrain became rough and unsettling difficult. Occasionally I passed Gene and Terri but for the most part it became a solo endeavor. That is until I bumped into Bo and Amanda on the 14th lap who were going at a pretty good speed towards a 50 mile goal. The sun was just setting as I met the two of them. As the sun was setting the temperature dropped considerably leaving me without many options. As I left for the 15th lap I stopped by the rental car to pick up any cold weather clothes that I could summon.
I quickly caught up with the two of them and we headed out into the darkness. The three of us made conversation and the next few laps were made quite easily as a result. Soon they both finished and I was alone yet again and the darkness took its toll and my mind and body took a hold in a negative way.
As I started my 18th lap the course which only hours before which consisted of hills, became the rocky mountains. My digestive system which was an engine hours before was degraded into a heap of mush. I grinded out a few difficult laps and I couldn't muster the discipline to enter into another cold grueling lap, ending the night with only 57 miles.



Dissappointed, yet content I walked towards my vehicle to sleep off the pain which I endured over 18 full hours. After a few hours of rest I left the warmth of the rental vehicle to clean up, and slowly make my way to the airport. Later that day I would spend time at various locations, finally making my way back to Atlanta and the Hartsfield International Airport.

39 States Completed 11 Left.
Stay Tuned for the next race(s)taking place January 21st and January 22nd from Big Island/ Maui, Hawaii.

Oklahoma - Route 66 Marathon (Post 4.)

Upon finishing the White River Marathon I took group photos with Larry Macon, Jim Simpson, and Al Emma. After that was over we boarded a van and headed back to the Cotter school a mile away. There was soup and warm rolls served at the school and showers facilities were provided as well. After showering I waddled back to my rental car and began the drive back to Tulsa. The drive was nearly as arduous as the last time and involved a detour of sorts when I headed 25 miles north past the Missouri state line. I eventually arrived in Tulsa around midnight and headed to the Studio 6 where I was spending the night. I watched some television and researched the race, eventually retiring for the night. I awoke the next morning, dressed and drove to the finish area outlined on the race website. The website mentioned that there would be shuttles that would take you to the starting area. Arriving at the starting line around 7:15 A.M I was amazing to see how many people had already arrived. As I rounded the corner there was a VIP staging tent near the starting line. I was surprised by the great concession the race had provided in their treatment of the Marathon Maniacs. While waiting for the race to begin most of the Marathon Maniacs gathered to take photos and greet one another. The special tent had a number of port-a-potties set aside for the sole use of the club. After a short while speaking with those who I remembered from the day before, I headed to the starting corral. Because of my time mentioned during registration, the race had placed me into the corral C. The weather on race day was a chilly windy 40 degrees, the weather would never warm up. As I stood and shivered the clock drew ever nearer to the start time. It felt like ages before the gun went off, but it eventually did and we were off. The crowd crept forward and after a while began to jog. The first mile flew by and so did the second and third and fourth. As I moved through the pack I kept in mind that I would eventually run out of energy and submit to walking. This didn't change the fact that I felt good, and I wanted to go fast. Moving through the crowd I waved hello to the Marathon Maniacs that I saw. This race drew all types of runners and this was no exception for the Marathon Maniacs. As the race course proceeded on, the runners witnessed both sides of the city; the urban and the suburban. At mile 13 I stopped to chat with an older Maniac and share stories. I could tell that he was having a hard time, and I wanted to provide encouragement. The Maniac told me that he had participated in a marathon the previous day as well, and was very sore. While I would have loved to stay and chat, the 5 hour pace group passed by, and I wanted to maintain that pace as long as possible. Soon the 5 hour group had passed and I tried the best I could to maintain a pace that was faster than the previous day. Eventually I found myself at the Center of the Universe Detour. I still am not completely sure what it is all about. On I went back onto the course and I met up with another Marathon Maniac. I talked with him for a while and again said goodbye as I continued on. I could feel myself slowing down, but it is bound to happen with the pounding I placed on my body the day before. I slogged another mile or two before I met up with another Marathon Maniac. He was a local named Thomas Gibson. We talked and shared stories, and while the miles added up they were sure made easier by the conversation. I eventually reached the last mile, and produced a kick that surprised even me. Upon reaching the finish line I was greeted by a space blanket and a medal. I proceeded on through to the finish line tent where there was an assortment of beverages, pizza and bagels. From there I went to the VIP area set aside for Marathon Maniacs and 50 States members. In this tent there was a vast selection of food and deserts. I sat at a table and rested from the race took in food and chatted with others. Upon reaching my car I realized I didn't have much time and prepared to leave.

Arkansas - White River Marathon (Part 3.)

I awoke Friday morning prepared to take on another double weekend. This time I was off to Tulsa, Oklahoma to begin the sequence of weekend events. I attended around 15 minutes of my Friday morning class and headed back to my dorm room to wake my roommate. Soon I was off to the airport awaiting my flight. I was to be laying over in Salt Lake City before heading to Tulsa. I arrived in Tulsa just before 5 P.M. and grabbed my bags and headed to the rental car facility. Many airports don't have room for their rental car facilities and dedicate separate buildings sometimes miles from the airport (Houston,Billings,Las Vegas). Tulsa had the rental car facility conveniently placed on site. I easily grabbed my vehicle and headed toward downtown Tulsa. After a bit of confusion I realized that any street metered parking is free after 5 P.M. and on the weekends. I located a spot and walked to the Tulsa Convention Center. The event expo was well put together with adequate time for anyone to pick-up their packet relieving the crowds. I walked in and picked up my race packet and t-shirt. Without hesitation I walked back to my vehicle and headed out of town.
Every indication from the GPS unit and Google maps pointed to highway 412 as the main route to Mountain Home, Arkansas. The trip to Mountain Home consisted of one part freeway and two parts county road. Around the state line the highway 412 had a toll. While the toll was only 2.50$ it expected exact change. I pose this question to anyone reading, who has 2.50$ exactly in the car? Maybe some people, but not someone traveling from out of state that is for sure. I digress, the road began to narrow and eventually began traveling through local communities slowing the speed to as little as 25 mph in some areas. Never the less, eventually I arrived in Mountain Home, Arkansas. I soon found my hotel and checked in. I watched a bit of television before dissolving into a sleeping beast.
I awoke at 5:15 A.M. Saturday morning to the sounds of the room's heater rumbling away. Although it had been working all night the room was freezing cold. I rolled out of bed and lumbered to the shower. Soon I was dressed and ready to head to the race site. Although the marathon didn't start until 7 A.M I hadn't picked up my race number. I drove up to the cotter county school and headed across the parking lot to the building. Within minutes I was back in the rental car with the packet in my hand. Without much else to do I slept for another 25 minutes until it was about time for the race to begin. Rounding 7 A.M I exited my vehicle and headed to the starting line.
Before long the command was given to start, and the crowd was off. While I had not run in weeks I could tell my muscles had not fully recovered from the beating taken three weeks prior. I started off fast catching runner after runner, I finally found a pace which I felt comfortable with. I located three marathon maniacs and I began talking with them. The race consisted of two out and back sections each around 6.5 miles out and 6.5 miles back. While talking with these three gentleman we easily turned around and headed back. After a while I needed to use the restroom so I bid well wishes and stopped to use a port-a-potty. I was soon back on the course and ready to head back to the start/finish area to begin the second loop. On the way I met up with a local Springfield, Missouri based runner. We chatted about races, and we connected over running the Blue Springs 50/50. While I was worse for the wear I kept my thoughts positive and made it back to the starting area. I crossed the finishing area and looped around, and back out again for the continuation into my second lap.
With a sense of accomplishment running through my veins, my excitement grew. I hurried off and before I knew it I was at the first mile of my second lap. Upon reaching this milestone I came across a runner, at first I thought he was a Marathon Maniac but as I grew closer it turned out that he wasn't. I drew closer and spoke with him. It turned out he was much more interesting than I had previously imagined. His name was Al Emma and he was Mel Brooks doppelganger. I was so intrigued by this fellow that I almost completely forgot, I was running a marathon. Al is 71 years old and running 40 marathons in one year. Al had done century rides in all 50 states and the Canadian Providences. We even talked of religion and politics. Throughout this race I had occasionally seen Larry Macon and Jim Simpson walking or running by (they took an early start) and it was my goal to catch up with them eventually. As we neared the last few miles of the race I could see Larry and Jim off in the distance. Al and I pressed in and on the final mile we caught them. We all finished together in 5 hours and 26 minutes.

Missouri - Blue Springs 50K (Part 2.)

Upon returning to Kansas City I immediately headed downtown. Although I frequently choose to participate in running races outside of larger cities, occasionally I appreciate visiting large cities. After shopping at Country Club Plaza downtown Kansas City, I retired to the hotel in Lee's Summit, Missouri. Before falling asleep I began to concoct the plans for the next morning. The race start was surprisingly difficult to locate. The confusion behind finding the start of the race was partially due to planning difficulties. I found out later that the race failed to gain the proper permits to operate and as such would be hosted as a "training session" of sorts. I arrived race morning at 6 A.M. only to find no organization at all. I soon realized that the race starting location was somewhere nearby, but this clearly wasn't it. I used my mobile phone to visit the website and noticed that I wasn't at the location that they had suggested. I quickly realized my mistake and found the starting location. I parked my car and headed to where the mass of people were located around. Sure enough this was the place to in a sense "register" but not technically. I was given a number and I placed that onto my race belt. Around 7 A.M. the race began, and while initially sore from the race the previous day I felt completely at ease. The race course for the 50 Kilometer portion is run to the north end of the trail then coming back through the start/finish line and then proceeding to the southern end of the trail and back. The race had evenly distributed aid stations furnished with typical ultra fare.

The race started out well with the sun just peeking over the horizon as the runners darted off. After running to my rental car to drop off my jacket the runners took off. I was not the only straggler and I soon found myself talking with a local. She was only doing the half marathon, and had to get back to take her son to a doctors appointment. After running with her for a couple miles I couldn't keep up and I bid her farewell. I soon found myself in the midst of many who started on time. After a few miles I needed to begin a run walk system. This system worked well throughout the race. As I continued on the miles ticked away one after another. Occasionally aid stations popped up and provided many nutritious treats such as oranges and bananas. At one such aid station early in the race I spoke to one runner who took off moments before I did, and while he only seemed to run a bit faster than I had been I was unable to catch up. Throughout the remainder of the race I made it a goal to catch up to him, and while I never did it kept my mind focused on a goal. Under an overpass, around and up the Little Blue Trace Trail.
Eventually I reached the north end of the trail and headed back towards the starting area. Upon which I used this convenience to replace my shirt and grab my camera for a photo opportunity. In a somewhat surprising manner this turned out to be my most competitive section of the run. Throughout this race I was stricken with the beauty of Missouri and the colors of fall, which is one thing California can't provide. As I made my way down the trail I began to increase the pace of my run to walk ratio. Mile after mile I would take encouragement from passing other runners. As I reached the first aid station the volunteer informed me of the additional out and back portion I would need to take. I descended a small hill and met up with a runner wearing Vibram five fingers. I made small talk with him for a while and he informed me that he was having trouble keeping down his water. I dispensed a little bit of wisdom and continued on. I soon reached the end of the trail. Due to a bit of confusion I continued forward into a corn field.

I soon suspected something was wrong and turned around, and headed around a half of a mile or so back to the course. I worked as hard as I could to return to my position and eventually caught up to the gentleman with the stomach issues. I soon reached the aid station where I needed to add the distance with an out and back section. I made an out and back and returned to the aid station. There I consumed some fruit and a cookie and prepared to make my way back to the finish line. I took off and moving as fast as possible managed to get to the finish. While I am not sure my exact time because of the circumstances, but I suspect I finished around 6 hours and 52 minutes or so. After finishing I made my way to the YMCA where I utilized the facilities and headed to the airport.