I’m no stranger to running ultra distances, but this was my first time running fully unsupported for something of this distance.
I was able to run the route unsupported in 17:27 (actual stats: 76.2 miles / ~17,000 feet), starting just after 8am on 12/17/2020 and finishing just before 2am on 12/18/2020, running in the direction from Oconee to Table Rock.
I took a conservative risk-averse approach to the entire day given that I was 100% on my own. I started with a very heavy pack with extra warm clothes, food, and emergency supplies. I also took zero risks running - tiptoeing across sketchy sections, walking across each of the (100+?) frozen wooden bridges, taking all the stairs slow, and never bombing any of the downhills. Overall, I don’t think I ever pushed the pace or felt like I was running hard; just Steady Eddy all day long. It was actually a very uneventful run.
There’s definitely space to further lower this time. Please reach out if you’re interested in giving it a shot and want any input.