My Thanksgiving tradition continues! I started on "Black Friday" at 5:41 am from the Pleasant Green Road access. My mom dropped me off and I started out steady and strong paced. The ground was covered in frost and leaves. About 20 miles in, the hidden roots were causing my steps to stumble and twisting my ankles and legs, my left hip became very tight. My highest average pace went down as climbing became difficult with a leg that was hard to fully extend.
I came to the Lake Ridge Aeroport only 10 minutes behind my goal time though, and got a refill of snacks and water from my mom. My sister hopped in to pace and we ran well for a while. I stopped to address a blister and showed her the ropes of ultraunning (aka not running the long uphills). The leaves and pine straw were making us slip; I confessed I wasn't sure how much longer to the next stop, where she would stop pacing and my mom would bring more snacks. We eventually figured out a new stopping point so she could finish her section before sunset. Not sure how my math got off, but Shinleaf campground was too far, so they met us on Hwy 50.
I chose supported style because I thought it would be fun to see them more than I have on previous "Thanksgiving FKTs". And it was, but also stressful. Like changing plans mid run on the next stopping point, or calming down worried family members as I headed out into the dark and cold. Thankfully, there is cell service the whole route!
After my sister stopped pacing and I got fresh fuel, I moved faster for a bit. But then...my headlamp began to fade. I spent the last 4 hours swapping between running by cell phone flashlight while my headlamp charged, and my headlamp. Some good lessons: This headlamp really only holds a good light for ~90 minutes and it will not operate while it's charging.
I confess I was worried I would run out of battery on everything: headlamp, phone, battery pack, and watch. But I fought forward, moving as well I could. Like most trails, the end of this segment is more confusing as you approach the dam. More trails crisscrossing and I had to double back a few times to ensure I was going the right way (I was trying to limit phone usage). But finally, nearly 19 hours (12:23am) after I started, I finished!
This is a phenomenal trail and gorgeous area to run. Being so close to several big cities, yet on trail for 98% of the adventure is neat! I highly recommend!
I'll have a more detailed and longer writeup on my substack: https://allisonhardingpowell.substack.com