Day 4 Vol State Race

Everything is a bit blurry on what day it is nowadays. So it's Sunday, I'm pretty sure and I started running/walking yesterday around 9 pm Saturday night, just in time for all the party people to drive past me real fast. Myself and many, many other racers are on Hwy 412 making our way from Parsons, hoping to get to Linden by after midnight, and then attempt to get to Hohenwald. There was only one turn, and by gawd I was determined not to miss it. 

Of course, as convenience stores from midnight to 6 am seem to be closed, at least out here on these smaller highways. I get it, just not enough traffic to warrant staying open during those hours. So what the people of Tennessee are doing along the course/route, have set up makeshift Aid Stations for all the now-walkers and used-to-runners.Not alot of people are actually running at this point. With sore, stiff legs and feet overcome with blisters - we continue to move down the road at whatever speed possible. Moving is good.

As I started Saturday night around 9 pm, knowing I would run/walk all night, I did my usual blister management with bandaids and blister bandaids, as they are called. This is what keeps my feet in check. We had stayed at the Parsons Inn and what a blessing it was. There were racers waiting out front to get a room there (when we were leaving) so they too can rest/shower, as it's the only motel in town. When they saw us leave, they knew one lucky racer would get a room. It's a bit unusual to check in a motel at 10 am and check out that same day at 7 pm. But that's what happens when we begin sleeping during the day and moving down the road - all night.

Literally lights the way

The weather was the most pleasant its been thus far on this particular night. The moon was out, as were the Saturday night partiers. You must be very careful and watch each car as they go by,  and always be ready to jump in the ditch if necessary. 

As I spent the entire night out on the road, last night, I saw all the love from each community. Even though they were all in bed, tucked in tight, those people who live off this route had place coolers with waters and Gatorade along with snacks so that the racers would have an opportunity for drinking food while the world was closed. These communities take the time to find their coolers, get ice, buy the supplies, put chairs out, and some even put Band-Aids, wipes, tissues, fruit and just about anything else you can think of, for their own little aid stations. It’s just so heartwarming. And ever so helpful, especially when you’re in the middle of the night and have access to nothing. I, as a crewed racer, have access to David. Who has access to most everything. So I have not stopped at these aid stations to take anything, because I need to be taking instead from my own crew. But it’s still heartwarming to watch how these communities come together to help everyone get across Tennessee and live out their dream to finish this grueling race. 

😍

I did finally arrive in Hohenwald this morning by 7 AM. I was tired, yet mostly sleepy. Wait, no I was and tired and sleepy. I can't remember reversing my nights and days (I guess why would I) so I’m pretty much a mess. Anyway, I digress, I take those last couple of miles to get into town at a slow walk and usually try to grab a cup of coffee if there’s something open for which to get a cup of coffee. David had gone ahead to get us a room at the local motel called Embassy Inn. This is not part of a chain of hotels, but a family from India who bought this little motel ('Under New Management' on the sign out front) and runs/rents it to those passing through this cute little town. We are probably janky-looking to them because we are asking for a hotel room from 7 AM until 5 PM. Who does that. Well, apparently we do. Once I do finally arrive to the motel, I just want to get out of my wet, sweaty clothes and shower. It’s about this time that David went to a local small café and got a whole selection of foods like French toast, bacon, egg and biscuit, biscuits and gravy and brought it back to the motel room and we sat on the bed and had a Buffet together. These really are the best moments. The absolute best. We share breakfast, we talk about what our night looked like, and I tell him about all the noises I heard in the dark at night on Highway 412.

This is the best case scenario. 
Wide shoulders!

I heard noises like someone is twanging a huge rubber band and I think it’s some type of bird doing that. There appears to be tree frogs high up in the trees and the ribbits of a frog truly sound like the word ribbit. There’s always a rustling every now and again in the tree brush just to the left of me (as I’m going against traffic because that’s the rules) and the rustling means that there’s probably an animal there. There was even a animal that I must have startled who sounded like it was the size of a Clydesdale horse and the clip clop of its feet in the dark scared me such that my fight or flight reaction went into play  and I just started running faster than I thought I could even run. I was trying to think if I could out-run it. But I think I just must have gone by it and scared it or woke it up. It didn’t seem like it was after me after all. 

My favorite sounds on the side of the road besides all the regular nature noises, are the water trickling sounds where there’s creeks with little waterfalls, and water moving along this earth all within reach. It’s such a peaceful and calming sound that is much needed. 

As David and I sit on the bed and talk about what the night brought us, we share a meal together and every bite is the most delicious bite. I’m so hungry, and I love our communion together while we have the time. This race takes up so much of my time either moving on the side of the road or sleeping or resting or eating or drinking. It’s good to catch up with David in person. So many times there’s not cell service to even be able to connect with him on the road. 

After I enjoyed a Sunday morning buffet of every kind of breakfast food that you can think of, I go shower. I don’t care what the showers look like anymore or the towels or the floor or the bedspread. I’m just happy to be here. After I shower, I lay down and the world goes away for six hours. I don’t remember anything, and I wake up to ask David what’s been going on in that time. He sleeps part of it, but he also does other things too, as he needs some David-time in his life too.

I start to think about everything I ate overnight in those 37 miles, and I come to the conclusion that I had dinner of a quesadilla before I started, then I stopped for some Hostess chocolate little donuts at a convenient store before I crossed the Tennessee River. Which, by the way, the bridge above the Tennessee river is so high that I could hear the water but it was too hard to actually see the water, even though I could see the moon reflecting off of it. Lots of party people in that area by the Tennessee River. Especially on a Saturday night. I eat my donuts and continue on , actually I only ate five out of the six little chocolate donuts in the package. I move down the road and I eventually have a peanut butter Cliff bar after some time, and then I can’t remember if I had anything else. Mostly water and unsweet tea here and there.  I do a lot of sweating. And then I think about the big breakfast I just had which was very nourishing to my body. Especially before the deep sleep happens. On a run like this, I eat whatever sounds good to me, as well as the food David is able to get. I'm lucky to have it all.

After awakening from my slumber, David has already scoped out the little cafés in the town of Hohenwald and found a little hamburger place. He leaves to go get us a hamburger, and comes back with the best hamburger and curly fries, extra salt please. I eat it so fast that David tells me to slow down. But I can’t. I’m just so hungry. I am at mile 143 and will hit the halfway mark when I get out on the road here in a little while. 

And that’s exactly what I do. I put the same dirty sweaty clothes back on, the same socks that I’ve had time to dry and my Altra running shoes. Why Altras? Because the toebox is very wide and allows room for your feet to swell after running long distances. I think Altras are meant for ultras actually, and for those needing a wider toebox. They’re my favorite. 

So I don’t see any reason to put new clothes on because it had time to dry in the motel room while I slept and I’m just about to go get sweaty again, and even more exciting, maybe some rain tonight.

I head out the door with my cart and Sugar, and off we go from Hohenwald to head to Columbia, it’s going to be about another 37 mile day, ha ha or night should I say. 

She's always ready to go

But I’ll get there. We’ll get there. I have an umbrella, and my clothes are going to be wet from sweating anyway. I have no choice. I have to make it to Columbia. When I get to Columbia, I’ll be around the 178 mile mark. Something around there. 

Shoulders like this make everything better

How am I this fortunate 

I had to turn around and catch the sun’s beauty. These shoulders are short-lived, but sweet while I have them. 

As I move down the road heading out of town here in Hohenwald, there are a lot of people in cars honking and supporting runners. I had one Cadillac Escalade see me, turn around on the highway, come back and pull over on the shoulder in front of me. They roll the window down and it’s three young women, approximately in their 30s who have been to a winery for the day, they report. They are sunkissed bronze-skinned women with beautiful smiles and popular-girl straight hair that’s not frizzy, and the kind of outgoing that we all desire to be in life. They have moved to Tennessee recently from California and were intrigued about this race across Tennessee. They gave me every water that was in their car and insisted I take it. They wanted a picture of Sugar and I, and wished us well, and off they went. People are so innately good.  It’s been such a treat to meet so many awesome people on this journey. With many more to come.

Since I find myself blogging on the road tonight, I have now moved down the road just enough to be technically at the halfway mark. 157 miles with 157 more miles to go. The mountains are ahead which will slow me down, and slow everybody down. But it’s just so beautiful that it’s impossible to complain. It’s now sprinkling, and rain is forecasted often on through the night and more heavily in the early morning hours. I have an umbrella, and will get to Columbia. My good news tonight? Is that David drove on into Columbia and already booked a hotel room there at the Richland Inn so that when I arrive we get to go straight in and relax. Who knows what time that will be? Depends on how I’m feeling, the rain, the road, the mountains, my feet and I can go on and on. But I will get there. And we’ll talk more as Day 5 looms ahead. 

Much love for your support, 

Cyndi 

20 racers have quit the race so far. It’s getting real, more and more real each day. The expodentiality, along with the mountains, is what makes this race so tough. Yes I just made that word up. It just means that the exponential-ness and accumulation of miles over days and challenging terrain borders on cruel. But I think that’s how Laz’s brain works. 

I love David’s regular race reports:

Yes, that’s an Enrique Iglesias’ photo that I have on David’s contact in my phone. Plus notice the crown and the poo emojis. Sometimes we call him King Poo. No need to explain.