Tahoe Rim Trail adventure - he's DONE!!

[harrywalther]

Hey Sarah - we just got back from our Marathon Team long run and will be leaving for Tahoe shortly. I'll try to give you a call once we get there. You'll probably be at Echo Lake at that time without coverage, so I'll keep trying throughout the evening and then we can coordinate.

See yas!

m & h

[Pacific Coast Trail Runs]

Aaron and I saw Wendell a little while ago at both Echo Lake and Echo Summit. He got to Echo Lake (~50 miles) at about 5:30, looking really good and feeling good…’til he sat in the car to eat, which he said made him realize that he’s getting tired. But he ate the lasagna we’d bought and drank some Sprite, as well as eating/drinking a completely melted fruit bar. He then left with just a handheld (V8), since Echo Summit is only a little over 2 miles away. The bottle was empty when he arrived at ES, which was great to see.

After he left the lake, Aaron and I picked up more ice and one of those ice cream sandwiches with the two giant chocolate chip cookies as the sandwich. We got to the Summit and took a few pictures, and Aaron climbed around on the huge rocks. Wendell got there and ate most of the i.c. sandwich before putting Vaseline on his feet and changing shoes. He commented ate both of these stops how much easier this thing is to do in stages over days…which is very, very true. However, we talked about how he needs to just focus on one section at a time – just like anything long, it becomes too daunting if you think about tomorrow…or, heaven forbid, the next day! He was in good spirits every time, just does seem tired.

He saw a bear in his first section today – a teenage-looking one, so no momma bear to watch out for – and the hiker coming toward him was equally close but hadn’t even noticed it.

Oh, and he saw Flyin’ Brian and Sophie Robinson on the last section!! What a small world! He was very envious, I think, of their ’30 miles and then stop for the day’ pace.

He left Echo Summit with half a tri-tip sandwich in his hand and the other half in his pack, along with the arm warmers that Aaron and I picked up for him today at a great bike shop in Tahoe City. We’ll see him next at Big Meadow – about a 15 mile section, so we should see him between 11 and 12, I’d think. I won’t be surprised if he takes a short nap there.

Just heard from Harry and Martina, who plan to come out tomorrow so that Harry can run with Wendell a bit, which I know will raise his spirits immensely.

Next update will be sometime after midnight but, I imagine, before sunrise.

Sarah

[thr3ee]

Sounds like Wendell is doing great. What an awesome run and a major goal to tackle. Pulling from him across the ocean!

-Steve (from Tokyo on business)

[Pacific Coast Trail Runs]

He came into Big Meadow about 12:20, which was actually right about when I expected him after I redid the math. He’d left Echo Summit after 6:30 and, as I recalled from going through that section in the dark with our friend, Jeffery, a few years ago, the section between ES and BM was long and slow, with lots of climbing and technical stuff, and there are a lot more miles left from the point where the TRT and JMT separate than it feels as if there should be. So he did the 15+ miles in less than 6 hours, which was a good pace for that section.

He was a bit down when he arrived, feeling tired and as if he was going too slowly, but he ate a burger and then slept for an hour, and woke up feeling much better. Right before he fell asleep, we talked about how the timing was just fine and how some people were going to come out to run with him today, and I think the positive conversation helped a lot. He took off at about 1:55 in good spirits and moving well.

The section he’s on right now is 22 miles – it’s a pretty one, and ends up above Heavenly ski resort. Aaron and I will be headed over to Kingsbury Grade South around 9:00 or so with breakfast to wait for him. Then he has a 4 mile road section before he gets back on the trail again, and we’ll walk part of that section with him to have a chance to talk for awhile.

Thanks for sending the good wishes (heck, he’s even getting international good wishes – thanks, Steve!) – I know it helps a lot to know that you guys are pulling for him.

Sarah

[willgotthardt]

Sarah-

Just remind Wendell he won't have to repeat "Results will be posted Monday" again until 9/16.

Best of luck through the remainder of the run/trip.

Will G.

[Pacific Coast Trail Runs]

Wendell got into Kingbury Grade South - 22 miles from Big Meadow - in 9 hours, which is right when I got in last time when I went through the night with Jeffery, although mine was all in dayligh, so his daytime pace was much faster, because this section was half in the dark for him. And he was doing really well, it seemed - walked a mile or so on the road with Aaron and ate and drank, and then Aaron and I drove ahead to the trailhead while he walked up the road. (There’s a 4 mile road section between the two trailheads.) He said that he’d taken 2 15-minute naps on the trail in the that section when he was unable to stay awake.

Harry and Martina called while we were getting ready for him, so they picked up a Frappucino from Starbucks and gave it Wendell about 1/2 mile from the KGN trailhead, and he and Harry walked the rest of the pavement together. Upon arriving at the North trailhead he said that the heat in that road section really sapped him, so he lay in the shade for a few minutes before taking off again with Harry behind. Then Martina wanted to run a bit, too, so she left up the trail next.

Got a call awhile ago from Harry that Wendell is struggling in this section – mile 93-mile 105. I imagine that it’s a combination of the heat/sun, lack of sleep, and just the total miles and hours so far.

Thanks again for all the good wishes, and I’ll update again as soon as I know more.

Sarah

[miki]

Thans for the updates Sarah. It's really fascinating to read someone's progress through something as challenging as this. And it's making me hungry too. Cookie ice cream sandwiches, tri tip sandwiches, lasagna..mmmm.

[addygrl]

Thanks so much for posting Sarah! I agree with miki, this post makes one hungry Hope Wendell's having a great night out there and some nice, beautiful running!

[ultragirl]

Wendell is doing a great job. Best vibes to him.....

[Pacific Coast Trail Runs]

Aaron and I were just heading to S-p-oon-er when Wendell called - to say that he was THERE ALREADY!! He got there in just under 5 hours – which was a BIG surprise to us, since last we’d heard he’d sent Harry and Martina back down the trail to their car after going less than 5 miles and was taking a nap on the trail. As it turns out, he’d rather be out there alone when things are tough, so Harry and Martina ran back to their car and met up with Aaron and me. Given how hot and tired he was, I thought he'd sleep a while, but his nap was only 15 minutes – one of two of those in that section. So he made it to Sp-oo-ner at about 5:30, and just waited for us ‘til we arrived and he could eat and drink while I got his pack and bottle ready to move on. He was on his way before 6:30, and really didn’t want any company even through the night. He’s moving slowly, but was at 105 miles at that point, so will finish (he has 60 miles left) at some point on Monday.

Apparently, it was primarily the heat that got to him in that section. Martina and Harry said that it was up into the 90s on the trail and that, combined with lack of sleep, really hit Wendell hard. But when we saw him at 6:00, he was in good spirits ‘cause it had cooled off A LOT and he was in a great mindset to move on down the trail.

Had dinner tonight in Incline Village with Miles, Maureen, Nicholas, Harry, and Martina. Now, Aaron and I are at Tahoe Meadows, which is the next place we’ll see him – 22 miles away from Sthingyer. He will get here sometime between 3:30 and 6:00 or so, we think, so we’ll get some sleep and wait. After this, two 19 mile sections remain.

Thanks again for all your nice notes, you guys. I’ll write again in the morning.

Sarah

[Pacific Coast Trail Runs]

And, Miki, you're right - it won't let you type the non-fork, non-knife utensil on here, will it?!?! Hence all the hyphens in the name of the last aid station.

How strange!!

[Pacific Coast Trail Runs]

Wendell got to Tahoe Meadow at about 3:50 this morning, low on energy but otherwise feeling good. He said that he hadn’t been able to run for awhile, but only because he’s been low on energy. He’d been warm enough as long as he was moving but, when he’d stop to nap, he’d wake up 10-15 minutes later shivering and have to move on.

He slept for about 45 minutes in the car after having some V8 and pizza. At a little before 5:00, we took off down the hill to find some food. First, we headed toward downtown Incline Village – but the only thing open was 7-Eleven. Got some salty stuff there – Wendell said that he was starting to have a hard time choking down the goldfish crackers - and then drove around to the Tahoe Biltmore casino. I went in and got him two breakfasts – one order of French toast and one order of scrambled eggs, hash browns, English muffin, and ham. As we drove back to the TM trailhead, he ate everything except for the muffin and two of the French toast pieces so I put those in his pack along with pretzels, goldfish crackers, gummy candies, and ginger cookies. I added ice to his Camelbak and filled the handheld with chocolate milk on ice. He rested and digested while I got the pack ready – and then he was off again! Getting so many calories in really helped, and he said that all the food was settling well. He headed up the road at a good strong walk, we drove by to wish him luck and give him our love one more time, and he disappeared up the sandy fireroad.

He was in really good spirits today, knowing that he’s only got 38 miles left and will finish sometime today. We talked about how we hadn’t prepared well for this by getting enough sleep, how it had gone so far in each section, and that these last two sections shouldn’t be nearly as hot as what he dealt with yesterday.

I passed along everyone’s good wishes and told him who had written – it REALLY made him feel good. I don’t think he really realized ‘til this morning that people were sending him encouragement and stuff. Thanks, everyone, for reading and writing here.

We’ll only see him one more time before the end – Brockway Summit sometime around lunchtime. I’ll update again then.

Sarah

[leinfellner]

Go Wendell! I didn't write much, but I've read every update!!
This is so cool.
Regards,
Norbert

[Pacific Coast Trail Runs]

Oh, thanks, Norbert!! Saw your Big Basin entry come through this morning, and was just wondering how you were doing.

Thanks for reading, and I'll be sure to tell Wendell that you wrote when we next see him.

Sarah

[Jon]

Tell Wendell grat job. I'm looking forward to the next update.