pain CAVE

Whole lotta rain, whole lot LIP.

Guess where I missed applying sunblock?  Woke to swollen sunburnt lips.  Painful err.  Day 5 also brought RAIN.  YES!  Think I’ve soaked up enough sun this adventure.  Argh.

Set multiple wake-up alarms.  Hotel straddled the Alabama-Georgia border.  Bed was in Central Time, bathroom Eastern.  No joke.  Phone display flipped back-n-forth an hour.  Crazy.

Yoholo Micco Trail, Eufaula.  First rolling hills after multiple days of flat.  ‘though most of the run family complained, MY legs said THANKS!  Yep, one of the weirdos who digs hills.  Body stays more engaged — physically & mentally.  7 hours later collected another medal, pic-snapped with the town’s Big Bass, then motored 3 hours further to Macon.  Our latest race start (8:30am) because of park permit restrictions.  Woke groggy, dry-mouthed, lips still pulsating.  Benadryl hangover.  Had skipped dinner night prior.  Hotel breakfast never tasted so good 🙂

Course in Georgia most scenic yet.  No pics to prove it — day spent in the pain cave.  Rescued late by Jun, a Philippine runner marathon-registered but hung [with me] the full 50K distance.  Beyond amazing — who does that?  Thanks man.  Just WOW.

Another long drive, another skipped meal.  Hungry, down calories.  10pm hotel check-in.  Mentally knew I needed food, physically struggled to intake over cracked water-blistered lips.  Tough.

Sun returned Day 7.  Shaver Complex in Seneca, SC.  Baseball fields & one massive hill.

4 miles before legs responded.  Paced up.  Jog.  Easy run.  Steady, consistent.  Body’s a remarkable instrument.  Found my ONE this race.  Gal named Victoria, marathoning with cancer & undergoing chemo.  Mad at cancer, mad at body changes (weight gain/loss of hair), mad at folks’ actions/social media comments… mad at God.  I walked this journey 2 years ago.

This day… this random place in South Carolina… I was there to listen, she was there to unload.  Blessed beyond words.

50K #7, mile 220.

Eufaula AL