FKT: Jonathan Ryder - Corvallis-to-Sea-Trail (OR) - 2022-05-01

Corvallis to Sea Trail Out and Back 

I started my attempt on Saturday morning (4/30/2022)  at 6:24 a.m. in Corvallis at the same pole that Benjamin started from. I ran by myself out of Corvallis until I met my crew in front of the Dollar General around 6.5 miles in. I continued by myself up the long gradual climb to the highest point on the trail where I met my crew. I was fortunate enough that my amazing friends were able to pace me the rest of the route. I had planned to see my crew every 10 to 12 miles and was able to switch pacers out to keep me company (see photos to see a list of the places my crew was able to see me). When I met them around mile 39 they were with two older gentlemen, one of which was the president of the C2C trail and was doing trail work at 84 years old. It was such a cool opportunity to be able to see and talk to them. Around mile 48, my pacers and I accidentally followed a sign down to a water source and we had to back track to where we got off to the original trail, adding about a mile on to the route. I finally made it to the beach in 11 hours and 21 minutes. The way back was a struggle to keep running but my crew kept me well fueled and my pacers kept me entertained as the return trip took 13 hours and 30 minutes. We ran throughout the night and I met them at the same places they had met me on the way out. I crossed a finish line my friends had made at the same pole I started at in Corvallis at 7:14 am Sunday morning. A huge thanks to my wife for running 45 miles with me, my younger brother for making me eat even when I don't want to, Leif and Butch for sharing many miles and always being great training partners, Emily for running the worst section of the entire day with me and then putting her shoes back on to run the last section with me when the crew was worn out, Makenna for crushing a huge 12 mile section at 3 in the morning and Joshua for surprising me and running the last 6.5 miles. I had a really great time and was super tired at the end. This trail is really awesome and beautiful and it was something I had been thinking about for awhile. I had thought of doing the one way route but decided on the out & back after my 100 miler was cancelled and I wanted to put something in its place.