I stopped at mile 50. The day started well. The weather was cool in 40s. The day was looking good.
I was not fast but believed I could pull it through by fast hiking.
That proved me wrong.
The first aid station, I was 30 mins from the cutoff.
By second aid station at Woodstock, my time was slipping by couple minutes. I was hoping to hold the slippage.
Then came Fort Powell, mile 26. I slipped again by couple minutes.
I was still in the game as long as I held on the pace. It is now past noon and sun was at its hottest.
I climbed the road, went around the reservoir. Then it was the Side Winding Trail to Meneka Peak. This was my trying period. I had to make several breaks. Then I walked the four miles down on the other side.
Eating and drinking was hard. I was feeling light headed every time I tried to pick up my pace.
Randy, my crew, was concerned. He told me everyone came into Elizabeth Furnace looking beat up. He helped me through and got me ice for my cap and pack.
Out I walked Elizabeth Furnace going the wrong way. The volunteered corrected me, and I went the wrong way second time, unable to follow the course ribbon.
Then my fellow buddies, Charlie and Caleb left and I followed them up Shaw Gap. This by far the hardest climb for me.
Rain then came. It cooled me down. I could descend the other side to Shaw Gap aid station. There Randy met me one last time. He said he might not be at Hebron, mile 55. I agreed. He needed his rest before pacing me at 2 am.
I knew deep down, possibly I might not get through the next three aid station before I see him.
I reached Veach with 15 minutes to spare. From there, we had 3 hours to get to Indian Grave, mile 50. In my mind, I misread or misremembered my arrival time at Veach, thinking I had 4 hours instead of 3 hours to get to Indian Grave.
My chart says the cutoff time was 9:25, but my running companion, I newly met, mr. Vinny, told me it was 9:30. So, I did not felt the need to do a full pace press to make the cutoff.
As we decending at the Indian Grave trail, I thought, we had about a mile to go, Vinny told me we had 2.5 miles left. We picked up a female runner on the way down. She asked if we are going to make it. I checked my watch with about 30 minutes left, 2.5 miles, likely not but I will give it a try.
So off I ran as fast as I could. I got to the aid station at 9:30 thinking, they might still let me through. I received the bad news, they said. I was pulled. I accepted it. On the bright side, I could go back to camp Caroline Furnace and have a good sleep.
I needed it. My head was still spinning. I could not eat yet I was hungry. I could not drink but was thirsty. I was tired and hurt all over. I just wanted to crawl into bed.
My friend Charlie made it to mile 54. His friend Caleb went on.
I thank you for the volunteers and race management for making the race possible. There will always be next year. I will train better and finish it next time.
In awe 