PART 4 (Day 2)
Tuesday was all about trusting my plan and trusting my crew. Both are easy to do most of the time but when you’re deep in the miles and short on sleep, it can feel harder. Tuesday also brought the first of many miles along a powerline, which was where the real adventures would begin.
To start the day, my crew woke me up after ~2 hrs of sleep, with 1-hour left in my break so I could get ready and eat. I needed that full hour; it took me forever to nibble my way through a banana while we planned what I would have for breakfast after the next segment. Watch the video for insight into my mood - spoiler: it’s mildly nauseous and definitely sleepy.
Tuesday’s theme was Mardi Gras so we pumped up some Mardi Gras music, pretended the trash stuck to Joshua Trees in the desert was actually Tucks’ toilet paper on St. Charles Ave, and took a photo of our crew in Mardi Gras attire while throwing up mustaches so we could send some love to Rob’s crew.
Eventually, it was time to hit my first stretch of powerline roads: 16-miles filled with crazy wind, intense, brief rainstorms, and lovely sunshine. At one point, I felt like I could lean back and the wind would just propel me forward. The Jeep followed me with Ashley, Halle, and Maria rotating through pacing me and keeping me smiling, or at least moving forward.
At mile 133, I arrived at the RV feeling excited for a meal and a rest but generally in good spirits. I tried to take a scheduled nap (planned for when it was supposed to be 100 degrees) but had trouble sleeping because the wind was literally rocking the RV.
Lying there, unable to sleep, I started to get scared of the impending, overnight 51-mile stretch of powerline with possibility of unpredictable weather, no access to the RV, and no access to a bed. After an hour, I told Lindsey that I wanted to run the longer route (adding 12 miles) so that I could stay closer to the RV because I was nervous about not sleeping for so long. Doubt was creeping in despite all that was going well: I was ahead of schedule. I was eating and the nausea seemed to have passed. My legs were feeling good. I still felt doubt. Like the expert crew person that she is, Lindsey stayed calm, listened to my concerns, and sent me on my way for the next segment, promising to problem-solve this while I was gone.
Just after I started running again, I got to FaceTime with Jean who was with my run crew, the 504th, in New Orleans. He flipped the camera around and showed me all the New Orleans crew cheering me on - dozens of people - and I felt so loved. Their encouragement gave me a huge boost and was truly perfectly timed. Running is a team sport, and I’ve got the best team.
Halle, Ashley, and Alyssa moved me along what we thought was VERY challenging terrain (little did we know what was to come). I also got to talk to my wife, Maggie, on the phone. She gave me a heads up that she had talked with the crew and that they had a plan for me to do the 51-mile section and still be able to sleep (in the jeep). I immediately felt relief. I trusted them to problem-solve and was ready to tackle that section of powerline.
I finished this segment with Jesus, another solo runner. He helped us navigate and we both reached our crews for dinner at the same time. I was 90-minutes ahead of my schedule.
While I ate, Emily told me she had an idea to pitch: we should do the 51-mile section I had tried to back out of earlier. I agreed immediately. I had gotten this crew together for a reason. I trusted them. We were going to stick to our plan.
After a detour around a military base (turns out you can’t run through it as civilians) and some loose dogs in Barstow, I made it to the final stop before I embarked on the long stretch of powerline road with Lauren, Lindsey, and Emily. My crew sent us off into the night with sparklers and lots of joy. We waved goodbye to the RV that we wouldn’t see for nearly 16 hours and headed into the darkness with a well-stocked Jeep.
The powerline terrain was challenging, but the rain had cleared and the stars were incredible. I knocked out 15 miles, getting to ~170 miles total and settled into my cozy bed in the Jeep for a nap, grateful for my crew and the chance to close my eyes.
