Peaks 50 - The next day

I don't think I slept that night.  I flopped, propped, and put blankets on and off pretty much the entire time.  Nothing was terribly sore, just twitchy.  Rick and I decided to call it good so we could get down to see how Jeremy was doing.  I thought we might have missed everything.  Given that very little sleep happened, I felt badly that we didn't stay down at the farm.

Alison working Jeremy's foot

When we got there, Jeremy was in a chair with his feet up.  Yikes!  They looked like they belonged to a cadaver.  He looked so small and vulnerable.  I was worried.  Man, this part is harder to write about than our own run.  Then I reached my hand out to point at a particularly nasty toe.  ZZZZZtttttt!  Jeremy made a sharp zapping sound.  I jumped big.  He laughed and gave his impish smile.  I knew then that he was OK.  I said something about being amazing to be joke like that after 90 miles.  "Valerie, I've only done 80."  Shit!  I felt so bad for:  1. not knowing what he'd run,  2.  for making him say "only" 80...ONLY 80???!!!!  and 3.  for making him say only 80 :(

Still smiling

Ian and Emma

Alison's canvas

Getting ready for the 9th lap

 He decided to try to take a very brief nap.  It didn't take.  Emma was getting prepped to go back out with him.  Not only had she already paced Ian on his last 10, she'd gotten up somewhere between 2 and 3 a.m. to pace Jeremy on his 8th lap.  Alison was packing Jeremy up.  I know I haven't possibly written enough or eloquently enough about her crewing/care taking abilities.  I don't know how such a free spirit can be so organized and focused.  Rick said she was amazing all day.  She'd be talking, but all the while prepping her area for Jeremy's emergence from the woods.  She calmly took care of everything, including those ugly feet.  When she was sending Jeremy off for his 9th lap, I cried.  It was mostly for Jeremy's epic battle.  He was on feet that most people wouldn't be able to stand on, let alone run 20 more miles.  His body was shaking so badly from cold.  Alison wanted to give him some more clothing, but he said he'd be sweating hot as soon as the climb started.  He should know; he'd done it 8 times already.  I was honored to have witnessed it.  We watched him get smaller and disappear.  I'd have loved to watch him finish, but I needed to get home and pack.  I had to fly to Dallas the next day.  Ugh!

Awe.some.

Ian, Zak, Rick and I headed to the general store for breakfast.  The breakfasts were very hardy.  I'd venture that most people don't finish them.  No problems at our table!  We enjoyed telling our stories of the trail again and talking in awe of Jeremy's journey.

I really didn't want to leave, but Rick and I got in the car.  I wasn't ready for it to end.  Check out the Squirrel's account of Jeremy's last lap.