Nice time Erin! I haven't been trail running very long but this route had the widest range of surfaces I've come across. Starting at East Branch road you can really scoot on the gravel roads for the first 7 miles. It was a mental boost to bank a bunch of minutes ahead of my goal pace but it was also easy to come out too fast here (especially if you dont know the trails ahead which I did not except for Erin's description). The next 5-6 miles over the baldfaces were fun. I had pushed it hard on the roads prior so I was a little slow here. The last 7-9 miles were some of the most frustrating I've come across. Fatigue was a factor but Eagle link and Slippery Brook were overgrown slippery (shocker) and boggy. At one point I sank in up to my knees. My splits suffered and it was a real mental test since most of us are used to our last miles being the fastest! I did take advantage of Wild river for water but I still wonder if a different starting point would be better. Maybe I'll be back, who knows!
Ran solo. Carried all water and food except 500ml at wild river. Beautiful day and probably saw 5 people all day.