This is the sub-30 buckle for the Chimera 100 Miler that was held on November 16-17, 2013 in the Cleveland National Forest, California.

This race has over 22,000 feet of elevation gain and is so difficult it has a sub-3o buckle instead of a sub-24 buckle.

Congratulations to RIF #1 Joshua who tamed the beast this weekend!

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[Medal submitted by RIF #1 Joshua Holmes. Follow him on Twitter @bayou]

This is the finisher’s medal for the Surf The Murph 50K that was held on October 26, 2013 in Savage, Minnesota.

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[medal photo submitted by WeRunThisDotOrg – follow on Twitter @WeRunThisDotOrg]

Here is the finisher’s medal from the Brooks Yarkon Ultra that took place on September 20, 2013 in Tel Aviv, Israel.

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[medal photo submitted by Hudi. – follow him on Twitter @aunderwood]

Hi all, it’s Lisa. I’ll be updating this post throughout the day with tweets, pictures, emails, maps, and links about the 2013 edition of the Last Annual Vol State 500K.

Check back throughout the day to see how things are going out there!

Links you might find fun:

Last Annual Volstate 500K Spreadsheet & Map – for runner tracking (updated twice a day).
Carl’s 2013 Last Annual Volstate 500K Album.

Twitter:
RunItFast: @runitfast
Joshua Holmes: @bayou
Shannon Burke: @s4121burke
Dallas Smith:  @smithbend
VS500: #VS500  or #VS500K

Facebook:
UltraJoshua – Joshua Holmes
Last Annual Vol State Road Race 

So far today:

Lisa: That’s it for today! I hope you will check back on Run It Fast tomorrow for Day 2’s live blog and see who took “a little bite” out of the Last Annual Vol State 500K!

Email from Laz at 11:06 pm:

inspiration, perspiration, and a sniff of the vol-state

49 runners along with assorted crew and family on the ferry was really something to see.
remembering the years when we might not have but 4 people,
we never thought the vol-state would look like this.

there was so much energy coursing thru the field as we cruised across the river,
unknown adventures hiding amongst the trees on the approaching riverbank.
hope and fear mingled, especially for the multi-day virgins among us.
it was impossible not to feel the inspiration.

after the traditional counting of the runners at the Mississippi river overlook,
there was little for carl and I to do but drive up thru the field,
and wait to take the splits at the 21 mile mark.
there were far too many runners on the road for us to stop and chat with each one.
the best thing for us to do was remove our own vehicle from the congestion on the road.

as we watched everyone pass thru the 21 mile mark,
happily informing nearly the entire field that they were on “course record pace”
we talked about where the runners really stood.

at 21 miles they had broken the wrapper on the vol-state.
they could catch just a sniff,
a hint of the smell of the real thing.
they had not taken a bite of vol-state yet,
not even a nibble.
hell, they hadn’t even peeled the wrapper back.
they had just broken the seal,
and maybe, just maybe, caught a hint of the smell.

the 12 hour results are on the map now.
fejes has taken a lead.
choi is 7 miles back, followed closely by abbs, holmes, and fegys.

none of this, of course, means anything as we head into the first night.
who will rest? who will run on?
who will get stronger? and who will falter?

the one thing certain is,
the 24 hour standings will little resemble the 12 hour’s.
the vol state is a race that takes a while to fall into place.
those who want to fight for the crown
must work hard to secure a spot among the contenders.
for those who get that work done,
in a couple of days the serious racing begins.

among the many newbies to this nasty game,
the passing of the first 24 hours includes another test.
how will they respond to messages from their body that it has had enough?
between tomorrow morning and the rock will come many next steps that seem impossible,
sheer will, and the refusal to surrender will be all that drives them on.

in the movies,
the hard work would be represented by a few minutes of visually stimulating clips,
accompanied by inspiring music.
the ultimate victory would go on forever in slow motion….

real life is very different.
the hard work is goes on forever,
with an end nowhere in sight.
the view changes slowly, and dramatic moments are few.
the closest thing to inspiring music is the slap of your shoes on the pavement,
and the sloshing of water in your bottles.

tomorrow morning we will see who has what it takes to tear open that wrapper,
and take a little bite.

laz

Email from Carl Laniak at 10:42 pm:

the volstate album is updated

https://plus.google.com/u/0/photos/107684748124952715657/albums/5899552556950832081

this afternoon’s pics are shadowy, but you can’t blame me for sitting in the shade for the 6+ hours we waited for most of the field to pass the traditional “20 mile” split under the bridge….I mean, it’s a little warm out there.

they’re still out there, mostly moving. they’re going to start feeling like they’ve “actually gotten somewhere” soon.

carl

Lisa: So, at the 12 Hour Update, the top 10 solo runners were:
1. Joe Fejes – 60 miles
2. Sung Ho Choi – 53 miles
3. Alan Abbs – 49 miles
4. Joshua Holmes – 47 miles
5. John Fegyveresi – 47 miles
6. Roy Tamez – 45 miles
7. Jeff Kasal – 45 miles
8. Tim Purol – 45 miles
9. Joseph Nance – 44 miles
10. Ray Krolewicz – 44 miles

And here are the standing for the relay teams at the 12 Hour Update:

1. Team Stinky Feet – 70 miles
2. Team Two Step – 57 miles
3. Team Dancing Bears – 55 miles
4. Team Country Gentlement – 54 miles

This is what the map of the runners looks like at the 12 Hour Update:

Cool to see how much they have spread out over just one day! Joe Fejes is still in the lead. There’s been some speculation on the email list that he might not keep it so we will have to see how it plays out!

Email from Mike Dobies at 8:52 pm:

Vol State – 12 Hour Update

Tracking Sheet:

http://www.tinyurl.com/Volstate2013

Map:

https://maps.google.com/maps/ms?msid=200687420624110668378.0004e12ec15b689068078&msa=0

Instagram post by Josh at 8:31 pm

Tweet from Dallas at 6:51 pm:

Tweet from Dallas at 6:48 pm:

Instagram post from Josh at 5:36 pm:

Lisa: Did you see that Joe Fejes is currently in 1st? He is the pre-race favorite and might even break the course record for the Last Annual Vol State 500K this year! The current record is 3:17:42:12 and Joe set the 72 hour mark by running 329.64 miles at the 2012/2013 Across The Years. Piece of cake, right? Of course, he had much cooler temps there but it will be exciting to watch what happens! Not only with him, but with all the runners.

Email from Carl Laniak at 2:36 pm:

Re: 21 mile vol state splits

Still waiting on:

Diane Taylor
Jan walker
Tj nagies
Marcia Rasmussen
Paul Heckert

Carl

Email from Carl Laniak at 2:10 pm:

21 mile vol state splits

1) joe fejes 3:09
2) sue (team stinky feet) 3:23
3) Alan white trash Abbs 4:04
4) Claude (team two step) 4:05
5) Joshua Holmes 4:06
6) sung ho choi 4:06
7) sal coll 4:21
8 ) Tim purol 4:30
9) Jeff castle 4:31
10) John fegys 4:35
11) Roy tamez 4:36
12) Marv Skagerberg (country gentlemen) 4:40
13) Charlie Taylor 4:40
14) Patrick binienda (dancing bears) 4:42
15) John Adams 4:46
16) Joel gat 5:09
17) joe F nance 5:10
18) dusty 5:19
19) Shannon 5:19
20) Texas Jeff 5:20
21) rayk 5:42
22) brad 5:42
23) Jeff mcgonnell 5:42
24) Jim ball 5:42
25) Diane Bolton 5:43
26) sherry Meador 5:44
27) Jeff Stevens 5:51
28) Wayne mccomb 5:57
29) jp 6:02
30) Dallas smith 6:17
31) psyche 6:18
32) joe co-alski 6:20
33) Robert Woodall 6:24
34) Scott tater krouse 6:24
35) giant backpack curro 6:29
36) 5-day brazell 6:29
37) dave wingard 6:33
38) Becky lockard 6:33

Carl

Tweet from @keithdunn at 11:03 am:

Email from Carl Laniak at 10:31 am:

Here is an album with a pic of each starter going past the overlook above the Mississippi River this morning (mile 2).

The sun was in the wrong place for more scenic pictures…

40 solo runners started their 500km journey run.

4 relay teams started.

https://plus.google.com/u/0/photos/107684748124952715657/albums/5899373024742557185

Instagram post from Josh at 9:43 am:

Instagram post from Josh at 7:13 am:

And so it begins…

Email from Laz at 8:56 pm on 7/10/13:

twas the night before vol-state
and in all of the rooms.
not a person was stirring,
not even the doomed.
all of the runners were off in their beds,
with visions of ferries dancing in their heads…

except for the room that carl and laz share
where wagers are being taken;
who quits first, and where?

laz

This is the buckle for the San Bruno Mountain 50 Mile that was held on February 24, 2013 in Daly City, California.

Nice and shiny buckle! Congrats to RIF #2 Naresh for toughing it out and finishing the 50 Mile!

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[medal submitted by RIF #2 Naresh Kumar, follow him on Twitter @iamarunr and Instagram @iamarunr]

This is the buckle the finisher’s of the “fun” run 100K received at the H.U.R.T. 100 Endurance Run that was held on January 19-20. 2013 in Honolulu, Hawaii.

This is a solid buckle for this brutal race! Congrats to RIF #1 Joshua for earning the buckle on this rooty course with a LOT of climbing!

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[Medal photo submitted by RIF #1 Joshua Holmes.  Follow him on Twitter @bayou]

This is the finisher’s medal for the Mountain Mist 50K Trail Run that was held on January 26, 2013 in Hunstville, Alabama.

This is gorgeous! Definitely worth all the pain, I mean, fun of a 50k. 🙂

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[medal photo submitted by RIF #22 Wade Anderson. Follow him on Twitter @WadeAnderson50]

Here is the finisher’s medal from the Swamp Stomper 50K that was held in Millington, Tennessee on January 20, 2013.

Gotta love a medal that advertises exactly what you’re in for!

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[medal submitted by RIF #116 Nicholas Norfolk. Follow him on Twitter @absolut_zer0]

This is the Silver Award for the Hong Kong 100 that was held on January 19-20, 2013 in Pak Tam Chung, Hong Kong.

There is a 32 hour time limit for this race and the Silver Award is given to the runners who complete it in under 20 hours. Congratulations to Bud for an awesome run!

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[Marathon medal photo submitted by Bud Salamon. Follow him on Twitter @BudSalamon]

This is the buckle for the Pistol 100 Ultra that was held on January 5-6, 2013 in Maryville, Tennessee.

Really cool, unique buckle. Awesome bling for a first 100 Miler, wouldn’t you say? Congratulations to RIF #186 Danny for completing his first 100 Miler at the Pistol 100. Way to Run It Fast Danny!

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[Medal photo submitted by RIF #186 Danny Staggs.  Follow him on Twitter @seedanorun]