FKT: Ethan Jones - Knobstone Trail (IN) - 2020-11-14

I started my journey toward this FKT attempt hoping to get to the 9:30 mark set in the old proboards by Russ Goodwin. Seeing my time, I definitely fell short of that. So let's just call this a "Known Time." I hope this inspires someone to go out and blow my 13:37 mark out of the water! My "why" for this run was to raise awareness and fundraise for the charity Destiny Rescue who work to get kids out and keep kids out of human trafficking and sexual exploitation (here's my fundraising page https://go.destinyrescue.org/fundraiser/3007712). 

Here's the details of the run:

My run started around 7AM November 14, 2020 at the Deam Lake Trailhead. My plan from the start was to run supported with aid every 5-15 miles and pacers running with me 18 miles. My planned nutrition consisted of water (which I stored in a Nathan Hydration Pack), Gatorade, Clif Bars, Clif Blocks, and Gu Gels. I ended up eating some "real food" with a quesadilla and washing it down with a Mountain Dew at the Elk Creek and Spurgeon Hollow trailheads. 

At the offset of my run I was definitely nervous, for those who don't know, November 14th is opening day for deer hunting in Indiana. I did my best to stay safe by wearing bright clothing and stay aware of hunters (of which I saw many on the trail). I ended up running into another local trail runner at the start, and he ran along with me for the first 2-3 miles (gotta love the trail running community). I received my first aid around mile 10 at the Pixley Knob Trailhead from my wife, Kayla Jones, and two kids. This was a great mental uplift, to go along with a water and fuel refill. I continued on by myself for the next 15 miles, in which I had several encounters with hunters, hikers, and even a stray dog. Luckily, I made it safely along to the Leota trailhead where I met my friend, Peter Book, who refilled my water and fuel and ran with me for the next 13 miles. We stopped at the Elk Creek Trailhead, where I met many family members (It was practically a full family gathering with 15+ people there). Here I restocked on water and fuel, and ate some of that quesadilla and drank that Mountain Dew I mentioned earlier. Peter and I continued to the Oxley Memorial Trailhead. As we were about halfway to the trailhead, I was contacted by my Wife, who said the local news station, WDRB, in Louisville, KY wanted to do a story on me! When I arrived at the Oxley Memorial Trailhead, I restocked my water and fuel, and we found a spot where the news station could setup to film me running at a road crossing and interview my wife. I continued on by myself from Oxley to Spurgeon Hollow, where I met my family again, refilled, and ate. My dad ran from there to the Delaney Park Trailhead to finish the 50 mile journey with me. 

This run was an experience of a lifetime, and I will never forget the ability the mind has over the body to continue even when things are tough. I won't forget all of the loved ones who came out to help me, cheer me on, and to help by donating to the cause I was running for. I definitely have to thank my loving wife for supporting me not only on the day of my run or doing a news interview on my behalf, but for supporting me in all of the preparation/training/lead up to the event itself. She has been my biggest supporter and I honestly couldn't have done it without her. 

If you've stuck around this long... here's the link to the local news story: https://www.wdrb.com/news/new-albany-man-runs-50-miles-to-raise-awareness-about-human-trafficking/article_fae72118-26f3-11eb-b26b-7702d485192d.html