This is the third year in a row Mav has done this race. It is billed as the toughest 50 mile course in the US. Each time he has run slower. Go figure. T3 can attest to the fact that Mav was as well trained for this effort as he has ever been. Running is funny that way though. It always humbles you. On the phone a few minutes ago, Mav was obviously very tired, a little emotional, but very talkative.
Ok, a lot talkative. He talked about the early stream crossings that took forever. He talked about his quads already being shaky by the 1st aid station. He talked about how going downhill became progressively more painful until by the mid-point of the race it was difficult to even step down. He talked about duct taping his heels, blisters on his toes, chasing cut-offs, and snow fields that went on for miles. He talked about talking to the rest of the Pirañas as he ran, motivating us as a way to motivate himself (btw, talking to himself is not a new thing for Mav, he does it fairly often actually.)
He talked about his nephew, Rain Landrey, who ran up the trail a couple of miles to pace Mav for the final 2 miles. He talked about how Rain ran with him and talked to him and kept him going, and how much that helped, and how much it meant to him.
He talked about telling the lady at the finish line who judges people’s feet for the “worst feet” award (which Mav has won twice) that he wasn’t taking his shoes off and that she could give the award to someone else no matter what his feet looked like (he still hadn’t looked when he called.)
He got choked up when he talked about it being the hardest race he had ever done, and how he wanted to quit, but wouldn’t. How he decided up on the mountain that if he missed the cut-off he was going to get some sleep and then leave for home. Then he talked about how he was looking forward to spending tomorrow with his family and letting them know how much he appreciated their effort.
He talked about being proud to have survived and completed the race under the cut-off: 15:54, six minutes to spare.
Mav, the Pirañas are very proud of you. Well done brother.