Day 4: The Last Annual Vol State 500K Live Blog

From: Carl Laniak
Date: Sun, Jul 17, 2011 at 8:40 PM
Subject: i have come so far, and i am nowhere: vol state 11
To: Volstate List , ultra List

this lesser update brought to you from carl, who is home working for 24 hours while laz and sandra keep watch on the road…

the leaders are starting to strategize about winning,
the midpackers are feeling like they are impossibly far from the rock…..impossibly far….
the back of the pack is fully consumed by staying on a 50k/day pace…..

each time a runner calls in, they get a cheerful hello.
it might be the only cheerful voice they hear for 6 or 8 hours….aside from their own lonesome ramblings.
i wonder as the phone rings, are they going to ask for a ride?
are they going to surprise me with extra miles?
do they have another dog story?
are they going to tell me they’ve been picked up by relatives and are already at home in fresh clothes?

so far, we have a phenomenal retention rate.
17 of the 19 starters still have intentions to reach that damn rock!

*****************For those of you who live in the southeast and dream about the vol state**************
the middle of this week is going to be a transcendental experience. i hope many of you are already making your plans to come witness a finish or two.
you can see someone, in the moment, who has truly “done something special.”
standing on the rock and seeing their headlamp ascend sand mountain, with just 4 miles to go, you will think,
“i would trade ANYTHING to be in their shoes right now!”
it will inspire you, it will probably make you cry. it will almost certainly make you wish you’d been on the road at vol state 2011
*****************************************************************************************************************

at 84 hours, 3.5 days….it was like this:

UltraDon has had an afternoon rest cycle, and is cruising at mile 205.
Mike M is resting in columbia, 180 miles, heading back out tonight.
abi has had a cell phone deconstruction, but managed to get to 169.
joe judd moved all day and picked up some places, he’s at 165.
sherry meador continues to complain about her feet, but they are moving her up in the field, to mile 153.
the rest of the threesome, naresh and sal, are a few miles back at 149.
fred murolo has rested during the afternoon, and is at 145, planning to go hard all night.
josh holmes has also rested, and will get going soon from mile 130.
the fightin’ mathenys are already out of linden at 127…looking at a night trek to hohenwald
the rest of the pack is in/around linden:
john price – 125 and heading out this evening
shannon b – 125 will get going in the morning
stu gleman – 125 – hopes to mooch from shannon’s crew after a bonk this afternoon
fred davis – 124 and plans to go all night
diane taylor – 123 shooting for linden tonight
paul lefelhocz – 122 also has a room in linden

joe n and marv s are envied by all the other runners….they will wake up tomorrow without any miles to cover on foot.

carl

Joshua Holmes
‎12:30pm stopping for hotel. 11:06 on road 30 miles since left last hotel 12.5 hours ago. Got hour nap 5:30.

Vol State 2011 Tire Change Stop

State 2011 Day 4 Beautiful Morning

From: lazarus lake
Date: Sun, Jul 17, 2011 at 9:51 AM
Subject: 3 days down, how many to go? vol-state 10
To: volstate@irun100s.com, ultra@listserv.dartmouth.edu

the racing has begun.
despite briefly losing his lead yesterday evening,
don has extended it by 2 miles from yesterday’s morning checkin
(from 15 to 17 miles)
it looks like the crown is riding between mike matteson & don,
and at 73 yo, don knows he cant win a 50 or 60 mile sprint finish.
so he has to break mike down now…
or else build an insurmountable lead.
with his experience, you can bet don is up to the challenge.
the question is, can young mike answer?
it will cost him.

stay tuned to find out what happens…

after 3 full days:

don winkley thru columbia at 180
mike matteson is past hampshire at 163
abi meadows in hohenwald at 145
sal coll, naresh kumar, and sherry meador in hohenwald at 143
(sherry says she has; “a little pain in my feet…. excrutiating.”)
joe judd, and fred murolo are past linden at 133
josh holmes is living the dream… across the tennessee river at 120
john price is approaching the river at 111

106 seems to be the magic number today.
shannon burke & stu gleman are leaving parsons & just past 106
lynnor & erika matheny are entering parsons coming up on 106
fred davis was last sighted at 106
(altho we dont know where he is now- there is a cell-service-gap after parsons)
and joe ninke dropped at 106
paul lefelhocz is past lexington at 99, and moving thru the tail end of the field
diane taylor is leaving lexington at 97
and marv skagerberg is in clarksburg (76) and contemplating dropping with his bad feet.

laz

Vol State 2011 Josh Holmes, with Crew

3:30 am Sunday: Feeling really good. So cop (sheriff) pulls me over to warn of a wild BAAAAAARRRRRR up ahead. Confused me because ive never heard of a bear in these parts. I said, “bear?” and he said, “yeah, them drunks come out of there wide open. I just wanted to warn ya! I thanked him and he basically escorted me through the small town with his lights on.

Started back 11:55pm. Slept 1.5 hours but several hours off feet. I just talked to Naresh. He is moving at 125. His feet are all blisters, in pain. But he is tough- Josh Holmes

Vol State 2011 Day 4 Map

Been laying here 3 hours sleepless. I give. I’m toast if I don’t get zzzz soon

Navin Sadarangani likes this.

Missy Hensley-Ivie Take at least one 25 mg benadryl and set the alarm clock. Cold shower when you get back up to wake you up good, as well as help with your muscles like you’ve been doing. Maybe that will help? You have to sleep so your body repairs itself or it will eventually shut down…so you may need a little help with the benadryl. Goodluck! You can do this! If anyone can, YOU can!:)12 hours ago · Like

Stephanie Irwin Murdock Do some deep breathing – slow in thru your nose, slow out thru your mouth. Your energy is amazing. But rest now. Let your team do the thinking. 12 hours ago · Like

Navin Sadarangani I agree with Stephanie. Do some relaxed breathing brother. it helps, not just mentally. even physically, releases all the strain and balance your energy levels in your body.11 hours ago · Like

Tracy Pellizzari i agree too… ‘cept i like to breathe in through my nose and out through my nose. i focus on breathing like a baby… where your tummy expands as you breathe in, and goes back down as you breathe out. seems to calm me.11 hours ago · Like

Lisa Gonzales All good advie from everyone. I hope you get some sleep! Rest up!11 hours ago · Like

Joseph Nance Sounds like your heart rate is up if you are having issues with sleeping. With the blood pumping through your body faster than normal you probably should work on some deep breathing to help control it. I hope you are hydrated, and your blood hasn’t started to thicken, because that could possibly cause this also. Either way rest as long as you need, the road will still be there when you’re ready.10 hours ago · Like

Joshua Holmes Thanks for the great tips.

This is Laz’s Update from last night although things have probably changed shape again throughout the night and wee morning hours.

From: lazarus lake <drystoneman@hotmail.com>

Date: July 16, 2011 8:38:11 PM CDT

To: <ultra@listserv.dartmouth.edu>, <volstate@irun100s.com>

Subject: alliances vol-state 9

a regular, and expected feature of the vol-state

are the numerous lead changes & ever shifting positions among the field.

what sometimes escapes notice are the alliances.

small bands of runners,

often composed of the most unlikely combinations,

form and dissolve as the days and nights on the road pass by.

sure, everyone is racing to be first to the rock,

and most of these runners will not hesitate to take advantage of weakness

when the rock finally comes into view…

but when the rock is so far away,

sometimes it is the strength they draw from one another

that will carry them throught the difficult stretches.

one of the driving forces that places runners together,

or separates them

(and keeps the order of placement in constant upheaval)

is the need for rest.

all the runners must leave the course now and then,

but there is no single approach embraced by all.

some sleep at night, some during the day.

most aim for minimal breaks,

but anyone could be forced to take a long one now and then.

for all the value that a temporary alliance might have,

everyone knows the truth.

when your companion is no longer moving at a pace,

or folowing a schedule, that helps you,

it is time to split up.

2 days 12 hours update:

don winkley 150-past hohenwald & moving

mike matteson 144-in hohenwald & stopped

(matteson briefly caught winkley in hohenwald)

abi meadows 127-sitting in the buffalo river just past linden

joe judd 125-sleeping in linden with a swollen ankle

sal coll, naresh kumar, and sherry meador 108-past parsons & moving

fred davis & fred murolo 106-sleeping in the same motel in parsons, altho neither knows the other is there

joe ninke 106-his race ended in parsons

josh holmes 102-sleeping

stu gleman, john price, & shannon burke 102 -approaching parsons and passing josh (if you snooze, you looze)

lynnor & erika matheny 96 -leaving lexington & on the move

paul lefelhocz 92-sleeping in lexington, but climbing into the race after an 18 hourt late start

diane taylor- last seen at 92, passing back by paul

marvin skagerberg-61 nearing huntingdon after a major break in mckenzie

laz

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- who has written 1138 posts on Run It Fast®.

Joshua Holmes has completed 325 marathons/ultramarathons while running 100+ miles 62 including races such as the Badwater 135 (9x), Western States 100, The Last Annual Vol State 500K (4x). He is the founder of Run It Fast, the most driven club on the planet. His favorite races to date are the Vol State 500K, Badwater 135, Barkley Fall Classic, Catalina Eco Marathon, Chimera 100, Across The Years, Savage Gulf Trail Marathon, Strolling Jim 40 Miler, Tunnel Hill 100, RUTS, EC100 and the Flying Monkey Marathon in his home state of Tennessee. Follow @bayou Follow @joshuaholmes on Instagram

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