Results

This will be updated with thoughts and more of a report throughout the week before I submit it to Ultrarunning Magazine.

EPIC Day. Weather was crazy. This really was a once-in-a-lifetime event.

Eight crazy runners started from my house at a few minutes after 4:00 Saturday morning.

By the end of the day, four of us made it back to my house covering at least 40 miles. One runner made it back, but had some assistance along the course, a few stopped early at various places and one joined us at mile 12.5 for the ~28 miles back.

Preliminary Results

John Hinson, 40+ miles, 7:35
C.H. Christopher, 40+ miles, 7:35
Brad Smythe, 40+ miles, 7:35
John Robinson, 40+ miles, 8:50
Karen Pearson, ~35 miles, 10:37
Donna Raye, ~32 miles, 7:04
Lara Treguboff, ~28 miles
Brad Fogelman, ~23 miles
Matt Smythe, ~21 miles

The rain started as we took our first steps, and kept up for the next 6 hours. It was dark and stormy with lightning and thunder for hours Saturday morning as we tried to follow the Raleigh Greenway System around the City.

The most insane and stupid thing I've done in a long time was when five of us guys reached the tunnel under the railroad and Hammond Road. The tunnel was flooded with about 4 1/2' of water. Not really wanting to go around and the over option looking impossible, we decided to wade through. Cell phones held above our heads, we actually went through relatively unscathed. Dreams will likely be haunted. It was about 200' long and dark, so we just kept our eyes fixed on the light at the far end and kept moving. Had any of us been alone, there's no chance we would have gone, but with the numbers for safety, we felt ok.

More to come...

A few notes

Please study the course map found here:

http://www.mapmyrun.com/routes/view/34124608

I'll be marking the course this week with spray paint at all the intersections, but please get familiar with the course. For the most part, you'll be on your own in a city you're not used to running in. During the run, if in doubt, stay on the greenway. If you get confused, back up a little bit and look on the ground for red arrows.

I'll give you a few cell phone numbers Saturday morning for you to have with you during the run. One will be mine, and I'll have my phone with me. One will be my dad's and he'll be on the course in a few places and will be able to pick up anyone who can't (doesn't want to) finish. One will be the Police Department, you know, just in case.

Remember, we start at 4:00 a.m. Saturday morning.