Run It Fast®

This is the medal for the Zelenograd Half Marathon that was held on July 22, 2012 in Zelenograd, Russia.

MORE PHOTOS OF MARATHON/ULTRA MEDALS AND BUCKLES

[Medal submitted by RIF #133 Michelle Mitchell. Follow her on Twitter @runnerchickey]

We are getting down to the wire and there are still 2 runners on the course! Diane is looking good to make the 10 day cutoff but Marvin…well, he hasn’t given up! And I think that is so awesome. Please join me in sending them all the positive Run It Fast vibes you have as they make their way through these last few miles!

I’ll try to stay post as many updates as we get for Diane and Marvin so check back to see how they are doing.  If you didn’t get a chance to read the live blog for any of the previous 9 days, you can check them out here:

Day 1      Day 2      Day 3     Day 4       Day 5      Day 6       Day 7       Day 8       Day 9

And don’t forget, you can always:

-See what Joshua (@bayou) is up to on twitter or search the tag #VS500 on twitter.
-Check out The Last Annual Vol State Road Race page on Facebook.
-Check out the Vol State 2012 Map to see where the runners are (updated 2x per day w/ last location).
-Carl Laniak is adding photos to his album if you’d like to check those out as well:  Vol State 2012 Album
-Naresh is at the Vol State now and taking photos! Check it out: Naresh’s Vol State 2012 Album 

So far today:

Message from Lisa: Ok, Vol State is done but I’m going to keep posting Marvin updates to this last blog. I don’t know about you but I am so inspired by him and his journey this year. I will be following him all the way to the rock!

Ultrarunningmom is also posting Marvin’s journey (with pictures) here: Ultrarunningmom.blogspot.com

Message from Lisa: I’ve never met Marvin but he has inspired me no end during the past week and a half! What incredible determination in the face of so many obstacles! I am so happy for him! Congratulations Marvin from all of us here at Run It Fast!

Email from Carl at 2:12 pm 

11days 6 hrs 46 min 53 sec

12 marathon distances in 11 days….in july in Tennessee.
(pic from mrs laz)

 

Email from Naresh at 2:06 pm

And he has finished

Email from Naresh at 1:35 pm

He is in the corn fields right now!!!

Email from Carl at 1:05 pm

Marv and stu on castle rock road

Update on Marvin from Laz at 8:38 am

vol-state update 20.2- a place for old men

marvin is across the tennessee river bridge; approx 304 miles done.
10 to go.
 
what a journey.
he came heat trained,
instead got days of rain…
 
his feet were destroyed
(if you havent seen the picture, someone should post a link)
i thought he should quit.
but marv & stu consulted with each other,
and decided to go on.
 
during their struggles to reach hohenwald (only 144 miles in)
i was sure he should quit.
but a visit to a clinic in hohenwald gave the old man team new life.
 
that was the first time stu (stupid to wise-ass telephones) told me;
“marv really wants to finish this. he wants to do ‘one more big thing.’ and i really want to see him do it.”
 
i stood in awe as they fought back against the time limit,
whittling away their deficit.
and just when it looked like they had it….
 
the rains returned.
and marvin’s feet bore the brunt.
 
as i “watched” their terrible struggle from shelbyville (225) to manchester (250)
once again, i thought they should quit.
my “pep talks” centered around not endangering anyone’s health.
 
but the old men never took their eyes off the prize.
and mile by painful mile they fought on.
 
it wasnt until they reached the top of monteagle
that i knew they were really going to do it.
incredible.
against all odds.
in the face of unimaginable adversity.
two old men were going to combine their determination.
as a team they were going to do ‘one more big thing.’
but the vol-state is brutally unforgiving.
even when you know you can make it, it still has to be done the hard way.
there were still 42 miles of long, slow, painful effort to take care of.
 
workmanlike, unflinching, the old man team set about doing it.
this morning stu called to tell me they were “over the bridge.”
vol staters instantly know what that means.
the only sweeter words are “on the rock.”
 
as stu told me;
“you dont have to rush. we arent making a young man’s final push.”
he was talking 6 hours for those last 10 miles…
including the climb up sand mountain,
and (of course) the corn maze.
 
i dont care how long it takes,
i just want to be there.
it ought to be quite a sight.
 
usually we have carl, or naresh (young men)
to make sure the wobbly finishers dont topple off the cliff.
today i guess there will only be me and stu and marv.
i think we will get it done.
 
there was a movie a few years back.
some depressing thing about over the hillers.
it was called “no place for old men.”
there wont probably ever be a movie about marv and stu’s epic adventure.
but if there was, it would have to be called;
“a place for old men.”
 
laz

Email from Stewart at 4:52 am 

update
 
we are here in s. pittsburg, waiting for marvin.
abi and lillie are sleeping in their car, and i am outside watching for the maestro
he may need to sleep here, but i hope he can push to across the bridge first, because the traffic here is fierce and merciless a nd there aint no easy way to get to the bridge. the destructions say basically, good luck you are on your own.
i will call gary when he gets across the bridge, with an estimate of six to eight hours  for him to reach the rock.
its about five am cdst now….best estimate two pm finish time.
what a journey!! 

Email from Stewart at 6:22 pm

status

marvin is on the road again, with a 50k left at this time. he slept in the shade through the heat of the day. i predict and hope for a good night, headed for jasper.
its a wonderful experiment….lets see what happens

Email from Stewart at 1:55 pm

Re: vol-state update 20- ten daze in tenn… see?

yessir!
we are havin fun now counting down the miles….
34 to go!

Update of runner status by Laz at 7:40 am

 vol-state update 20- ten daze in tenn… see?

so now we are down to marvin and stu.
the passage of day 10 finds them just past monteagle,
at mile 277.

they have broken oprah,
and taken the vol-state into overtime.

talked with marvin a while,
he is in good spirits & remains focused on the rock.
hopefully getting his feet re-dressed will be enough to get him one more good day.

as he is on top of the mountain,
the proper cheer is;
“onward, and downward!”

laz

Email from Stewart at 6:08 am

update

marvin at top of monteagle mtn.

49 hrs to make 40 miles

Email from Stewart at 2:54 am (even though he won’t hit the 10 day mark, Marvin is still going! How cool is that!)

marvin update

marvin is clear of pelham
he is going through a good spell
looking forward to climbing the mountain to monteagle,
not so much to the downhill, which scrunches your toes.

abi, after some sleep, will head this way, and we will dry and dress his feet.

he is a little behind the monday am finish schedule, but ahead of a tuesday finish.

he has a real bad foot, and is very very tired, but he is trudging along.

Posted by Naresh at 11:56 pm

Email from Ultrarunningmom at 11:20 pm

#14 – Diane Taylor

9 days, 16 hours, 2 minutes, 1 second

Email from Naresh at 11:08 pm

Re: vol-state update 19- 9.5 days

Diane is lost in the corn field. Laz gave her directions and hope she makes it. Good thing, we have Big with us if we need to sniff her out of the woods.

Email from Naresh at 8:38 pm

Re: vol-state update 19- 9.5 days

Diane is about to make the climb. 10k to the finish.

Naresh added more photos to his album!

Update of runner status by Laz at 7:24 pm

vol-state update 19- 9.5 days

the vol state is winding down.

diane tortured race officials with an extended break in kimball,
but should be on or over the tennessee river bridge at this moment.
10 miles remaining.

marv has made it out of manchester, at 253 miles,
but things are going very slowly.
his able crew, stu, is monitoring him closely.
the motto of team skagerberg has become;
“health is the first priority.”

unconfirmed reports have oprah retiring at 241.

laz (very, very tired)

Posted by Naresh at 12:39 pm

Email from Naresh at 12:17 pm

 Psyche just finished

Psyche finished 09:04:57:01

Email From Stewart at 10:37 am

 marv report

we are getting underway from manchester at about ten thirty am. he slept over twelve hours.

off to the penultimate assault… i hope

Email from Charles at 8:16 am

 Re: vol state update 18-9 days

Psyche headed out @ 5:55 this morning and is halfway to the rock, going through new hope right now

Update of runner status by Laz at 8:04 am

 vol state update 18-9 days

psyche-no report, must assume still at 297
diane 283- looks like night finish
marvin-242- the 10 day finish escaped during yet another thunderstorm

i need to go home & take care of some things.
psyche hasnt reported in 24 hours, altho i got a report from a bystander last night.
hopefully we will hear something in time to meet her at the rock.

marvin’s 10 day finish, already a longshot, evaporated in the latest round of thunderstorms.
he & his magnificent crew, stu, are focused on finishing with health intact…

an approach i thoroughly endorse.

it is not noble to endanger your life in an ultra.
it is foolish at best.
perhaps selfish.

my emotions about marv’s attempt need time to settle in.
there are so many.

but once again he is my hero.

laz

There are only 5 runners left on the Vol State 500K course. Some so close and a few with a long way to go still but they continue to keep moving forward. I saw a post on Facebook about how a lot of the running websites/blogs follow a race just until the front runners come in. Forgetting the fact that there are runners out there until the very end, whether it’s a 48 hour cutoff or a 10 day cutoff. Run It Fast isn’t just about being fast. It’s about pushing your limits and going farther…and sometimes faster…than you’ve ever done before. It’s about seeing what you are made of  and the runners in the Last Annual Vol State 500K certainly embody that. They aren’t in it for the comfort of a cool, flat, fast marathon. They are there to face their fears and weaknesses and find out what strengths they have inside.

Please join me in sending a TON of Run It Fast vibes to these hearty runners who are giving it their all to reach the rock!

Once again, I probably won’t be adding as many updates but check back later just in case.  If you didn’t get a chance to read the live blog for any of the previous 8 days, you can check them out here:

Day 1      Day 2      Day 3     Day 4       Day 5      Day 6       Day 7       Day 8

And don’t forget, you can always:

-See what Joshua (@bayou) is up to on twitter or search the tag #VS500 on twitter.
-Check out The Last Annual Vol State Road Race page on Facebook.
-Check out the Vol State 2012 Map to see where the runners are (updated 2x per day w/ last location).
-Carl Laniak is adding photos to his album if you’d like to check those out as well:  Vol State 2012 Album
-Naresh is at the Vol State now and taking photos! Check it out: Naresh’s Vol State 2012 Album 

So far today:

Email from Shannon at 8:38 pm

#12 Shannon Burke

8:13:13:36

Carl can you please post to ulist (laz is taxing my abilities- finish the race and report my own results)

Email from Carl at 8:35 pm

 Re: Vol state update 17 – 8.5 days – still running

Correction; just heard from psyche, she’s at 297, not 300

Carl

Email from Stewart at 8:00 pm

8pm report

marvin is on sixteenth model road (can anyone tell me the actual way ninth model and sixteenth model roads got their names, authoritatively, accurately, without making up or repeating bullshit?) four miles from rte 41.

i think we are going to get a motel in manchester, then get a one am start. i think he is about ten miles off pace, holding steady there. i might start pushing gently tomorrow.

Update of runner status at 8:00 pm

 Vol state update 17 – 8.5 days – still running

As another mammoth thunderstorm rolls in to make sure the runners get a full measure of fun…..

With most of the miles covered, we ALL wish it was us….

12) Shannon Burke 311 (it feels real now, atop sand mountain)
13) Psyche Wimberly 300 (a little while ago, not sure if still moving)
14) Diane Taylor 272 (monteagle til early morn)
15) Marv Skagerberg 242
16) Oprah 241

Carl

Email from ultrarunningmom at 6:35 pm

#11 – Dusty Hardman

8 days, 11 hours, 4 minutes, 47 seconds

Email from UltraJohn at 2:15 pm

Re: vol-state update 16- 8 days (the heart of a warrior)

At 1:45pm Dusty Hardman was just leaving Kimball and had passed the interstate and started the short climb to South Pittsburg and the second crossing of the Tennessee River!

Shannon Burke had just reached the turn in Jasper to head to Kimball and looks to be on pace for a 8 to 9pm finish! Sure beats making a wrong turn at 124 mile and quiting like last year 😉

I’m heading back in the car in a few to find Psyche and see her progress I’m betting she is either off the mountain or nearly so!

John

Email from Stewart at 12:02 pm (Come on Marvin!)

on the road again

marvin is moving again, through shvl

it took him seven hours last night to make ten miles, so we bagged it at three am.

i woke up when gary called me and can only hope i made sense

the chemo headache kicked in, and i kinda just lay there until ten, when marvin started rustling

i opened the door to go out to the car and find something to eat and drink, which woke marv up

we drank the motel coffee (which is not coffee, and none of the ingerdiments are listed…it is ersatz, postum) ate a bagel and salami and swiss cheese sammich, and hit the road.

marvin redressed his foot, put on copious sunblock, and started trudging from the inbound shevil sign. he is rested, and ok i think. we will see what happens.

i am waiting at the kangaroo station, wher the gas is cheap and the ice is twice the normal price.

there were two dead horses along the way to svl yesterday. this is a terrible thing to do to a lavs runner. maybe they were walking horses and when they saw the lavs walkers, they figured out the logical consequences of this walking stuff, and just died.

we are on the road again

wntr

Update of runner status from Laz at 8:35 am

vol-state update 16- 8 days (the heart of a warrior)

five lonely figures move alongside the road.

the kings and queens have basked on the rock,
and left for home and work and all the trappings of “normal” life.

they will long for the simple days,
when a single peach could be a treasure,
and a drink of cold water the stuff of dreams.
when indoor plumbing stood alongside air conditioning,
as man’s signal achievement.
voice-mail boxes long filled,
e-mail accounts with pages of unread messages.
their 21st century lives have called them back from a simpler time.
when the heart of a warrior was the only thing.

fancy cars and prestigious jobs meant nothing.
big homes and social status afforded no mercy.
the stuff of life was water, food, and shelter…
and perseverance.
the skills of living were stark.
the skills that stood between those lonely figures beside the road,
and an ignominious ride to failure.
treating blisters, finding food and water,
sheltering in the fiercest storms and staying alive in blistering heat.
these were the measures of a man…

that and the heart of a warrior.
for there is no easy path from the ferry to the rock.
all must pay the price to walk thru the corn.

the vol state is a race with winners,
but no losers.
even those who ride off in the “seat of dishonor” have something.
they showed the courage to face the lion.
and as they sit at home and read about the few warriors remaining on the road,
they tell theirselves;
“that could have been me.”
most will ride the ferry again,
and find their way to the rock.

but for today, 5 lonely figures move slowly down the road.
their dream drawing ever closer,
the dream of the ultimate reward….

being able to stop.

11) dusty hardman 282- beyond tracy city. aiming to reach the rock tonight.
12) shannon burke 280- entering tracy city. aiming to reach the rock tonight.
13) psyche winberly 275- past monteagle. she is so hurt we are afraid to mention the rock just yet. but she fights on.
14) diane taylor 250- getting up from breakfast in manchester. tomorrow night calls.
15) marvin skagerberg 225- hammered by yet another storm, taking refuge in shelbyville.
he is back on the road as time grows short in his quest for “one more big thing.”

the odds are against him.

marvin has a lot of skins on his wall. he had proven himself as a warrior in times long past.
before the memories of this generation of ultramarathon warriors.
the years have stolen the speed from his legs. his vision has dimmed and his hearing faded.
but the heart of a lion remains, and he continues his relentless pursuit of “one more big thing.”
is there an old-timer who can keep from following his progress?
he may fail, but he will not lose.
the clock might catch him, but it will find him fighting to the end.

16) oprah 224- everyone keeps asking; “who is oprah?”
you know who oprah is.
she is the spectre that trails the pack at the vol state.
she is the “real” world. where celebrity is the most important thing,
and there are no lonely figures alongside the road, chasing dreams.

laz

One week of the Vol State 500K is done and what a week it was! Heat, rain, lightning, runners getting lost, running in circles…you name it, they probably suffered through it! But we’ve seen 9 finishers so far and all before the 7 day deadline! There are still runners out on the course fighting for every mile. Follow along and see how they do. They could really use some good thoughts going there way.

But…things are slowing down out there so I probably won’t be adding as many updates but check back later just in case. 🙂 If you didn’t get a chance to read the live blog for any of the previous 7 days, you can check them out here:

Day 1      Day 2      Day 3     Day 4       Day 5      Day 6       Day 7

And don’t forget, you can always:

-See what Joshua (@bayou) is up to on twitter or search the tag #VS500 on twitter.
-Check out The Last Annual Vol State Road Race page on Facebook.
-Check out the Vol State 2012 Map to see where the runners are (updated 2x per day w/ last location).
-Carl Laniak is adding photos to his album if you’d like to check those out as well:  Vol State 2012 Album
-Naresh is at the Vol State now and taking photos! Check it out: Naresh’s Vol State 2012 Album 

So far today:

Email from ultrarunningmom at 9:00 pm

 #10 – Sherry meador

7 days 13 hours 42 minutes 10 seconds

Posted by Joshua at 10:24 am

Email from Stewart (Marvin’s crew) at 9:51 am (Go Marvin! Run It Fast!)

marvin status

marvin is asleep in the breakdown lane….he says it is much better to have meditations in the breakdown lane than breakdowns in the meditation lane.
he is giving instructions to fifty people and his arms and legs are twitching.
perhaps he and his fifty friends are chasing rabbits.

i had a real good very smart girl friend once who claimed that there were only fifty real people in the world, and all the rest were androids. i will bet that the real ones were megarunners.

he is a few miles towards shelbyville, on 64.

he stopped a moment to enjoy the shade of his shade tree of despair from two years ago.

we now have a spare battery in the back seat.

when he starts to stagger today we will crash in shelbyville, and mount a night assault on manchester.

i believe he will be in surplus rather than deficit territory by day eight.

oprah is quite determined

but her entourage slows her down somewhat. and it takes energy to generate that aura, you know.

marvin wants to get moving again.

stay tuned for later developments!

stu

Update of runner status at 8:05 am

vol state update 14 – 7 days, doing the impossible

the peloton made it to the rock last night
but not without more jostling and bumping

jay d had a big lead over john and richard
leaving out of kimball.
but a big lead when you’re addled by sleep deprivation and 300 miles
is not a safe thing.

when jay missed the turn onto castle rock road
he lost enough time that richard passed him.

then, at the penultimate turn on the course,
the one into the cornfield, he trekked right on by again.
and by the time he got back
john had passed him up too.

at the finish, when he finally arrived,
jay didn’t show any disappointment or surprise
he was just so happy to stop!

it is worthy of note,
that at the back of the pack
marv skagerberg is setting us up for something special
marv is fighting a mighty battle with the sands of time.

he exalted at the bench of despair last night,
and is building momentum.
he wants this finish as much as any great king of the past.

1-9) dan fox, joshua holmes, paul lefelhocz, juli aistars, sulaiman seriki
richard westbrook, john price, jay dobrowalksi, charlie taylor 314

10) sherry meador 292 (her check in mieage last night was a mistake, she was in monteagle)
11) psyche wimberly 265 (has picked up a crew and is rocking on)
12) dusty hardman 258 (slept in, but the happiest runner checking in)
13) shannon burke 253 (she’s got this)
14) diane taylor 235 (thru wartrace)
15) marvin skagerberg 206 (gaining on the time limit)
16) oprah 205 (like a vulture, waiting)

17) thomas mikkleson 250 RIP
18) jan silverman 218 RIP
19) rita barnes 185 RIP
20) sal coll 156 RIP
21) fred davis 125 RIP
22) erika matheny/adam venn 122 RIP
23) mike melton 121 RIP
24) abi meadows 100 RIP

This is the medal for the Belochka (squirrel) Marathon and 10K that was held on July 14, 2012 i n Moscow, Russia.

SQUIRREL! Sorry, that’s my favorite line from Up. 😉 Cute medal though.

MORE PHOTOS OF MARATHON/ULTRA MEDALS AND BUCKLES

[Medal submitted by RIF #133 Michelle Mitchell. Follow her on Twitter @runnerchickey]

This is the medal for El Scorcho 25K/50K that took place at midnight on July 15, 2012 in Ft. Worth, Texas.

Luckily for the runners, it wasn’t scorching hot this year! Still, I think this medal is worth running in the heat so I would do it anyway. It’s an awesome medal – nice and big, great shape, and fun way to incorporate the moon & stars in the name!

MORE PHOTOS OF MARATHON/ULTRA MEDALS AND BUCKLES

[Medal submitted by Michelle K. Follow her on Twitter @Rnrgrltx]

Who knew a 314 mile race could be such a nail biter! Yesterday we saw Dan Fox win in 5:03:09:33 and break his own record. Then there was a fierce battle for 2nd. Not to mention the rest of the runners battling the TN heat and then a crazy, crazy monsoon/hurricane like storm! Waiting for the updates or any info on the runners made me a nervous wreck! 🙂 Check out all the happenings on Day 6! It is a can’t miss read!

Once again, I’ll be updating today’s live blog throughout the day so check back to see all of today’s happenings. If you didn’t get a chance to read the live blog for any of the previous 6 days, you can check them out here:

Day 1      Day 2      Day 3     Day 4       Day 5      Day 6

And don’t forget, you can always:

-See what Joshua (@bayou) is up to on twitter or search the tag #VS500 on twitter.
-Check out The Last Annual Vol State Road Race page on Facebook.
-Check out the Vol State 2012 Map to see where the runners are (updated 2x per day w/ last location).
-Carl Laniak is adding photos to his album if you’d like to check those out as well:  Vol State 2012 Album
-Naresh is at the Vol State now and taking photos! Check it out: Naresh’s Vol State 2012 Album 

So far today:

Email from Carl at 8:03 am

volstate finishes overnight

sub 7 days were:

richard westbrook 6:20:13:55

john price 6:20:29:56

jay dobrowalski 6:20:46:15

charlie taylor 6:22:56:05

Update of runner status by Carl at 8:25 pm

vol state update 13 – 6.5 days, the peloton approaches

the podium has been established
and even the other 2 breakaways have made it to the rock.

but the peloton is now making its way towards the finish.

at the end of each 24 hour period, the time rolls over to a new day.
as a runner, that roll over (at 18 minutes past 0700 in the morning in this case)
is the most important minute of the day….
it is the difference between a finishing time of 6:XX:xx:XX
and 7:XX:xx:XX

tonight the peloton has to push to keep their finish under 7 days.
500km for a week in the logbook has an irresistible draw.

there are 5 on the road in from tracy city
with a shot to keep laz and the cheering squad at the rock awake all night.

1-5) dan fox, joshua holmes, paul lefelhocz, juli aistars, sulaiman seriki 314

6) jay dobrowalski 300 (eating at mcdonalds and going down for a sleep, getting up early for sub 7?)
7) sherry meador 290 (in jasper and moving, she just wont stop)
8 ) john price 287 (headed down the mountain in the last remaining light)
9) richard westbrook 287 (with john shooting for sub 7)
10) charlie taylor 277 (out of monteagle after a long rest, and shooting for sub 7)
11) dusty hardman 250 (got into manchester early feeling good)
12) shannon burke 250 (right on track)
13) psyche wimberly 248 (struggled to manchester, but picked up a crew and is GOING to FINISH)
14) diane taylor 206 (back ahead of schedule, contingent upon an early morning tomorrow)
15) marvin skagerberg 177 (determined)
16) oprah (steadfast)

17) thomas mikkleson 250 RIP
18) jan silverman 218 RIP
19) rita barnes 185 RIP
20) sal coll 156 RIP
21) fred davis 125 RIP
22) erika matheny/adam venn 122 RIP
23) mike melton 121 RIP
24) abi meadows 100 RIP

Email from Carl at 6:24 pm

6:10:49:44 – #5 Sulaiman Seriki (SS)

Happy to be done!

Carl (who is almost home in SC for the real world tmrw)

Posted by Joshua at 5:16 pm

Some of Naresh’s photos which he was kind enough to let me share:

Email from Naresh at 2:46 pm

Re: Vol State 2012 – Pictures from the road

I have never been in a thunderstorm this bad in my whole life. Nature did put on a beautiful electric show followed by a torrential downpour. It was like as if Hell had diarrhea and it crapped the hell out on Tennessee. Broken branches and debris were all over the sand mountain. Just one of those moments where I think “Thanks God I am not running it this year”

Josh and Paul’s finish line pictures updated in my album.  http://tinyurl.com/buvwot4  (Scroll down all the way)
Paul Lefelhocz celebrated his victory in style. Check it out for yourself 🙂

-Naresh
(Whose friends refuses to get in his car anymore)

Posted by Joshua at 12:02 pm

Email from Carl at 11:37 am

6:04:18:34 #4 – juli aistars

No lean!

Carl

Update of runner status by Laz at 8:40 am

vol state update 12-day 6, give ’em blood

word is, the vol-state fans want blood.
we gotcher blood fer ye.

jan silverman is gone. she solved the problem of how to get back on the course…
she aint going.

psyche did get taken in last night.
dusty awoke in the night, and heard someone crying outside her window.
it was psyche, and she let her in.
what did we say about living like a stray dog?
this morning psyche said she is “trying to figure out how to walk”
and she will let us know about her vol-state future.

juli survived the storm.
she is one remarkable woman. resilient, resourceful, and determined.
my own sleep (the time i now call happy hour) was interrupted by a great comedy routine.
one end of a phone conversation between carl and juli.
carl was addled by lack of sleep,
juli was addled by lack of sleep.
she had stopped at mcdonalds and couldnt figure out which way to go.
carl couldnt figure out where she was.
after several phone calls and much discussion,
they finally figured it out.
she was 100 yards from where we were sleeping.
yes fans, even carl has become a casualty.
(people who actually need to sleep nearly every day should avoid the vol-state)

i am losing carl to work responsibilities, and with him the ability to post.
as soon as i finish this, i am going back to the rock for juli’s finish.
this will be (probably) the last complete update.

1-3) dan fox, joshua holmes, paul lefelhocz 314

4) juli aistars 303 (crossing the tennessee river)
5) sulaiman sericki 287 (starting down monteagle mountain)
6) jay dobrowalski 274 (leaving monteagle for tracy city)
7) charlie taylor 265 (pelham, at the foot of the mountain)
8 ) john price 264 (right behind charlie, and doesnt know it)
9) sherry meador 252 (leaving manchester)
10) richard westbrook 258 (hillsboro)
11-12) psyche wimberly and dusty hardman (in war trace, psyche may not go on)
13) shannon burke 223 (leaving shelbyville)
14 diane taylor 194 (nearing lewisburg)
15) marvin skagerberg 175 (in columbia, and fighting for his race with the heart of a lion)
16) oprah 174

17) thomas mikkleson 250 RIP
18) jan silverman 218 RIP
19) rita barnes 185 RIP
20) sal coll 156 RIP
21) fred davis 125 RIP
22) erika matheny/adam vess 122 RIP
23) mike melton 121 RIP
24) abi meadows 100 RIP

it was a happy band that stepped off the ferry a lifetime ago.
some have already tasted the sweet kiss of the rock.
some will yet succeed.
many have failed.
and more may join them.
none will forget the call of the open road.

the vol-state is the most achievable of challenges.
but victory will come with a price.

i will try to get word out, about the fate of those who fight on…

however i can.

laz

This is the medal for the Key Biscayne Half Marathon that was held on April 29, 2012 in Key Biscayne, Florida.

A nice simple but big medal that the runners earned in crazy, hurricane like weather!

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[Medal submitted by Felipe Zambrana. Follow on Twitter @FeliDaTank]

This is the medal for the Mayor’s Marathon that was held on June 23, 2012 in Achorage, Alaska.

Love the back!

You can see the Half Marathon Medal here.

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[Medals submitted by Kate and Gregg Capps. Follow Kate on Twitter @ffmedik8runs and Greg too @glcapps]

This is the medal for the Shape Night Run (a women only race) that was held on July 14, 2012 in Putrajaya, Malaysia.

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[Medal submitted by Fairy M. Follow on Twitter @runfairyrun]