> 1050 MILES n 2011, > 270 MILES n 20 DAYS, OH YEAH... 32 MILES ON CLINGMANS DOME TRAIL n < 7 HOURS (need i say more)

Looking back over the last three weeks I'm really reminded of how blessed I am not only to be where I am at this point in time, but how incredible it is to be giving the honor to experience what I have with the health and God given talents I possess over the last few months. As my homeboy J to the DOG and I prepare for TRT100 we have been doing and experiencing some incredible "shiz" for a lack of better words! Whether it's 100mi weeks, 600 calorie double cheeseburgers, rattlesnakes, 4000ft climbs, tweaked body parts, or even the inability to even talk as for being so severely fatigued and calorie deprived at any given moment whilst training we, at the end of the day, are making/creating memories that will never fade!

Months leading up to last Saturday has been chalked full of track speed sessions, hill work, long slow miles, experimenting with food and hydration to the point of being sick, balls to the wall races, night runs on snow covered trails, frozen stashes, and searches for a legendary yet reclusive local runner named Mert.  Still, these few mentions are but a few in a long line of blood and sweat soaked moments that J-Dog and I will only know.  AND THAT'S THE WAY I LIKE IT.  I've experienced so much in a seemingly short time that I often think it can't get bigger or crazier or more dangerous...and yet I know it will!

So this is where it gets bigger, crazier, and more dangerous!

Friday, J-Dog and I hit the road heading to East Tennessee to hit some trails finding ourselves in Oak Ridge TN to roll a 16mile out and back on what I thought would be a easy trail to prep for Saturdays LONG LONG LONG run on the AT.  Long story short;  the trail we were to run Friday SUCKED really bad so we salvaged what we could making it a 9mile run.  Wrapping that up we jumped in the Toyota and rocked it over to the Smokey Mountains to crash in some camp ground Jadyn had scouted for us.  I wish the trail Friday night was as great as the camp ground....but, it wasn't.

OK, so nobody told me it would get down to fiddy degreez that night.  Note to self, only having one crappy towel does nothing for maintaining ones warmth.  So, I really never slept but that's ok.  Saturday morning we woke, broke camp down, drank cold Starbucks Via which actually tasted great, geared up and hit the road for a thirty minute drive to Clingmans Dome to start the pain fest.

Jadyn and I hit the trail with much anticipation wondering what was ahead of us.  We took as much hydration and food as possible considering we would probably be out there for the better part of seven hours give or take.  We ran well with what I guess I would describe as and adventurist attitude paying much attention to the trail as it was as gnarly and exposed as any trail I've personally ran.  We encounter many trail workers during the day as apparently it was National Trail Day.  I guess I didn't get the memo.  One highlight of the day happened around mile 12 as J and I rolled onto a natural spring that was drinkable.  The water was ICE COLD, and I mean ICE COLD.  I'm convinced God put that spring there for the sole purpose of Jadyn and I to refill our bottles on that very day.  There is no doubt that without that spring the day for us would have been far more difficult as we would have absolutely ran out of hydration.  We soon hit the turn-around and both J and I felt great!  We took about five minutes to rest and eat then turned back to get back home.  The run back was faster as we were both excited to be heading back but also I had a great since of confidence as I knew my body was performing at a level I did not expect.  BUT, that's not to say step by step I was becoming more fatigued and all the climbing was starting to really take a toll.  When we reached the last trail head marker that showed Clingmans Dome at about 3.4 miles, it was on!  We fought hard that last 5k and wondered if we could make the ~32 in under 7hrs.  At first we didn't think we would but the closer we got the stronger our effort became.  At the point where I looked up and to the left spying the Clingmans Dome observation tower I yelled at J-Dog as I looked at my watch and we were at 6:55...  We exited the trail at 6:58 and change.  I can tell you with absolute certainly that everyone that saw us probably thought we were crazy as though we had been lost at see for a year and had finally made land.

As corny as it may be, Jadyn and I have a "special" handshake we only break out when we are tested in the most difficult way and you better bet we threw it down with much glee!  Man, I felt like I had won WS100.  And on that day J-Dog and I won! 

Thanks to Swiftwick for the Aspire 2's, Endurance Sports and Rec for all my nutrition and hydration needs along with my INOV8 Roclite 295's, and Fitness Wave TN for all my physiological and metabolic testing to help make me a smarter and stronger athlete!

Training Peaks Data of the Run Yo!

Yo Yo YO; don't be pissin up my seat!