7am Start.  Could see day’s kickoff banner from my front window.  Vans, tents, participant cars rowed neatly – and RAIN.  Been in the forecast all week.  Expected but now, reality.  Double-shirt’d, rain jacket, hydration pack, pair of old Newtons.  One last run.  I get attached, hard time letting go.  Save all shoe farewells for mud/torrential rain.  2 pairs at home await their last stand/surrender races [summer’s Salomons will see Antarctica].

Colonel Mustard, Mr. Green, Mrs. White – Mansion’s Clue residents all dressed to run (holding tight/staying dry) loitering the outside door.  Ohio, Indiana, Texas, Louisville (Kentucky’s Lou-vul).  Quick hello/goodbye – 7 minutes ‘til Start.  First to abandon the community stoop.  Slow-walked ‘cross Green Mill bridge, soaked in the buzz/pre-race noise/runner chatter.  RD warned ‘deep mud’ and remember ‘you paid for this’.

2 laps, 6 hour time goal.  Plan: Bang out the first lap quick.

Combined start.  Half, Full, 50, ONE HUNDRED MILES.  I’d run my Lap 1 with Anthony (from West Georgia).  Young guy.  Runs only trail, only ultra-distance.  100 miles today, great life spirit.  His crazy?  Eats McDonald’s hamburgers every 5 miles.  Do the math.  That’s TWENTY pancake-flattened Mickey D’s, pre-planned/purchased, in separate plastic bags.  LOL>  Why junk food?  High calorie, not real meat/easy to digest.  Hmmm.

Half-mile in, first climb UP, 800ft.  Lotta UPs & downs this day.  Kentucky Appalachia.  Enjoyed the wooded sections, summers here must be stunning.  Ran right & left of mud – kinda funny in hindsight.  First lap, one of the lead runners – trail still in good shape.  145 racers later, lap 2 would be a slog-a-thon.  Hugged tree-line, less downpour.

BAPTISM.  GPS read 3.45 miles.  Fully body submersion.  No stats next 8 miles.

Thought ‘screw it’.  Creek crossing.  Hit it hard, fast, right thru the center.  Don’t pansy out/rock-hop over/around – suck it up, PUSH hard, quick in & out.  Must’ve been 3-4 feet deep.  One step, two step, krrr-plunk & DOWN.  River rushing, full head immersion.  Instinctively hands reached/searched, pulled myself UP & out.  OMG – did that just happen?  And I kept running.  Seriously though, what were my options?  It’s a trail race.  No aid stations, no medical, I’m deep in Kentucky.  Tell ya this – no longer worried about rain.  HA!

Heard a runner behind me retell the story.  Guy up there is a bad ass.  Pulled himself outta a river & just kept running.  Me a bad ass?  Thanks man.  Tag.  I’ll wear that.  Met 100-miler Anthony soon after.  Good company.  Heavy rain, big hills, MUD, wet leafy down stretches.  Left the backwoods near mile 12.  Stomped off 2lbs of trail mud, met Anthony’s Georgia crew, passed Green Farms Mansion, crossed the old wooden Mill Bridge.

Lap one, done.  Water refuel, pretzels, oranges – notta lotta food, that’d come later.

Hung with Georgia thru Baptismal Creek.  Was holding him back, much slower slopping in mud.  Run a-ok, walking – not so much.  Think I cheerleader-split downriver, groin pull.  Guys my age not that flexible.

And the heavens opened…  Big heavy drops.  Stung, hit hard.  Down the bill of my cap.  All by myself now.  Tough conditions, Kentucky slog fest.  Core builder.  I’d need this for Antarctica ❄️

Tunes turned on, kept moving forward.  Only one way out – and that’s the Finish.  2 laps & done.

Only one mental meltdown, maybe mile-half from the paved-road finish.  No Garmin, didn’t know.  Said my goodbyes, giving up the body.  Dark moment.  Appalachia had won.  Completely entirely absolutely ALONE.

And then…a familiar tree, a memorable bog, a pink flag – I’m not lost, I’m ok.  Wipe your eyes.  New tune, foot forward.

Mansion now in sight – AND that Bridge.  That beautiful Kentucky bridge.  D-O-N-E.

Falls 100 Trail Marathon