Thursday, July 23, 2020

FKT on the DEST

This post explains how I ended up running the Down East Sunrise Trail.  If you are looking for the meat and potatoes of that report, scroll down.


It was about two years ago I mentioned to my friend Erik Johnson that I wanted to run the Eastern Trail from South Portland, Maine to Portsmouth, New Hampshire.  It would be just over 100 kilometres, no significant elevation gain, and half the route would be off-road.  It was a wonderful idea, but it never came to fruition since I spent as much of my time in the spring snowboarding at Sugarloaf, leading right into Spring ultra race season.  There were too many races in my calendar to justify a very long "fun run."

Fast forward to March 8, 2020:
I just completed my AIARE avalanche training and was ready for a long season of back country snow adventures with friends.

March 15, 2020
I met up with some friends from out of state at Sunday River mountain for a day of riding and skiing.  Sometime in the afternoon, we were getting on a chairlift and the liftie said "Enjoy the last day of the season."  I thought that was weird and Google told me that Boyne Resorts had made the decision to suspend operations at the end of the day due to COVID-19.  We enjoyed the rest of the day, but I knew everything would be different from that point on.

So, resort skiing is done, exploring the Chic-Choc Mountains in Canada wasn't deemed essential travel, the conditions around here were subpar, and there was no chance I would be caught at Tuckerman's Ravine with every inexperienced skier in New England since the resorts were closed.  With the realization that I was done snowboarding for the season, I packed away my gear and focused my energy and efforts on running.

I was optimistic that my two "A" races would still somehow carry on.  I had Riverlands 100 miler slated for Mother's day weekend in May and Vermont 100 miler on July 17th.  I also had time to explore the Eastern Trail since I wasn't up in the mountains.  At this point, I felt inconvenienced but thought normalcy would return shortly.

March 29, 2020
Riverlands 100 postponed until 2021

April 14, 2020
Vermont 100 postponed until 2021

At this point I was running to run.  I had been doing so much trail running on the Riverlands course before the cancellation, but now it no longer made sense to travel far from home to run.  So, I embraced what I had in my backyard.  I spent a couple months checking out different sections of the Eastern Trail from Bug Light to Kennebunk, on the current route and future route.  I knew this would be the season to do the whole thing in one push and that I could do it responsibly.

June 7, 2020
I set out on my longest run since November.  I parked my car in Saco, Maine and ran to South Portland Bug Light and back via the Eastern Trail.  This 34 mile route gave me an opt-out option halfway through if things weren't going too well with my apartment only 1 mile away from Bug Light.  Thankfully, it went very well and managed my 3rd fastest 50k time (4:51:30) during the training run.

June 21, 2020
OKT/FKT Maine Eastern Trail
I knew the route and even programmed it into my watch just in case.  The plan was to take off from Bug light and head south.  I started at 4am with enough fuel (Thanks Tailwind Nutrition!) to make it through the first 50k (5 hours) without any support.  I would then be periodically meeting up with my partner Catalina and my van to refuel along the route.  It was a hot day and ran out of liquid a few times, but got it done and set the OKT/FKT on the Eastern Trail in 13:21:02.
https://fastestknowntime.com/fkt/todd-reutlinger-eastern-trail-me-2020-06-21

I enjoyed the run and thoroughly enjoyed the trail.  However, the "what's next" monster started creeping into my thoughts.  I started researching more on the East Coast Greenway (https://www.greenway.org/)  and how awesome of a project it is to connect Florida to Maine.  The next thing I learned was the longest off-road section of the entire Greenway was the the 87 mile Down East Sunrise Trail in Maine (https://www.sunrisetrail.org/) !!!  Well, this was an easy decision to make.  It is there, so I should do it!

June 24, 2020
I reached out to my friend Gary Allen who is the co-event organizer for the Down East Sunrise Trail Relay which uses MOST of the DEST (plus some "bonus miles") and he told me no one had done it solo, yet.  I entertained the idea of running the relay course solo ending in Ellsworth and had full intentions of doing so, but the OKT/FKT on the DEST was always the top priority

July 7, 2020
Preview of the DEST and logistics
At this point, I knew I was going to run the entire length of the trail at some point soon.  I did my due diligence to find out if anyone else had ever covered the trail on foot in one push and could not find any information anywhere I looked.   I drove up to Ellsworth to preview a few miles of the trail and I'm glad I did or else I would've used road shoes on the big day!  The trail is a wide multi use path, but is definitely catered to ATVs.  The footing is crushed limestone on an old rail trail.  The bugs are big and nasty, but the landscape is vibrant and alive!

I bargained with my partner, Catalina, to crew me for another selfish endeavor.  Essentially asking her to give up a weekend of white water kayaking to sleep in a van in a parking lot the night before the run, drive to remote locations and wait up to an hour for me to just so I could exchange sweaty clothes for Tailwind Nutrition and water.  As repayment, I would be her personal driver for her next few kayaking adventures.  I am very thankful to have such a supportive partner to help me accomplish these goals.

I also reached out to my photographer friend Greg O'Connor to take pictures on the route.  Greg was originally planning on being a race photographer for Riverlands 100 miler until that event was postponed until 2021.  He managed to somehow make time for me and went above and beyond.  I cannot express how much it means to me to have someone document this experience.

The pieces were coming together.  I had the training.  I had a crew.  I had mapped out the logistics.  Now all I needed was a date.

I remember in January while on vacation in Chile, being glued to my phone.  The Vermont 100 lottery was live and my fingers were crossed that I would be going back to Silver Hill on July 17th to run! I was ecstatic when I got in!  I was equally dejected when the race was postponed.  The DEST Relay is also held on that same weekend every year (except this year due to COVID) and so I've never been able to participate in Gary's event.  So, it only made sense that I run the Down East Sunrise Trail plus the 18 mile continuation to Easport via the DEST Relay course for a total of 105ish miles.  That way I can get an OKT on the DEST and complete the DEST Relay Course solo on the same weekend I was signed up to run a 100 miles.

I know, that's some strange justification to run 100 miles.  I also had a lofty plan to run the East Coast Greenway from Calais to Ayers Junction, roughly 20 miles, the next day.  I know realize that was a dumb idea.

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THE DOWN EAST SUNRISE TRAIL OKT/FKT REPORT

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July 16, 2020

After work, I picked up Catalina from home and headed to Ellsworth.  Thankfully, I had a few days off from work before the run to get everything super organized and sorted out.  SHOUT OUT TO MY FRIENDS AND COWORKERS AT FLEET FEET MAINE RUNNING FOR SUPPORTING MY GOALS!

 I was using my 2018 NV200 compact cargo van as a temporary home and mobile aid station, as I've done before.

We arrived at the parking lot at Mile Post 2 (which is where the relay starts) around 9:30pm and met up with Greg to fill him in on the plan for the next day along with maps and documents for my expected times at each location.  His responsibility was to document the event and Catalina's was to crew me.  I tried to make things as straight forward for my crew as possible, which is what every runner who has a crew should do!  I planned on only 3 big stops along the entire 100+mile route; mile 30, 60, and 87.  The rest of the times I saw them I would be "bonus aid" and just be getting more fuel.  I had pre-filled all my bottles and bladders with tailwind and had almost all my gear in a single bag.  This allowed me to be able to be get the things I need and do the things I needed to do, even if I couldn't communicate that effeciently later in the run when things got mentally foggy.  We established a simple routine for when I rolled into the big aid station stops: get my butt in a chair, chug a packet of Tailwind Rebuild (I have found it important to get some protein in on runs over 12 hours), change out needed bottles and/or bladder, and then assess things like socks, shoes, chafing, blisters, equipment, etc.  Having this routine proved to be very helpful.

The plan was to start at 4am at the terminus of DEST about 2ish miles away.  It starts right off the sidewalk of Main St., right behind the Comfort Inn Parking lot.  The trail open 24 hours and camping is allowed.  The upgraded bed situation in the van was much more comfortable than the metal bar futon previously used, but 3am wakeup still came too early.

July 17, 2020
3AM my alarm goes off and I'm filled with groggy excitement.  I'm excited to start my adventure!  I throw a Clif bar down my throat and proceed to get my gear ready at a relaxed and leisurely pace, which doesn't take long since everything was prepped already. I double and triple check that I have all the things I need and we leave the parking lot and drive to the start of the trail. It's just before 4am. I say my goodbyes and start my watch and tracker and head out with enough gear and fuel to get me through the first 30 miles on this cool morning.

Mile 0.0 4am

Starting Gear List:

  • Shoes-Salomon Sense ride 3 - I used the sense ride 2 for most of my trail miles last year
  • Socks-Feetures crew sock- not a picky sock guy, just wanted a higher cut for the dust
  • Shorts- Patagonia Strider pro 5"- VT 100 finisher shorts, they work and have good pockets
  • Shirt- Tailwind Nutrition Singlet- My most comfortable running top ever
  • Neck gaiter - tailwind-I almost always run with a gaiter, even pre-covid- they are super useful
  • Hat-hi-visibility brooks reflective running hat- to be seen!
  • Headphones- Trekz Air by Aftershokz-super light open ear headphones that last 8 hours
  • Headlamp- Petzel Actik Core- 450 lumens and has rechargeable battery packs
  • Watch- Garmin forerunner 945- bought this after my forerunner 35 died during VT100 in 2018, love the ability to upload a route directly to the watch and the long battery life
  • Hydration Vest- Salomon ADV SKIN 12 SET- I love this vest! It stores everything I need and more with very little bounce! So what did I carry in my vest?


  • Garmin inReach mini- small tracking device with an emergency SOS button which gives me piece of mind when out doing longer training runs solo, plus it allows people to watch my progress on runs like this.
  • iPhone- safety, communication with crew, and videos!
  • Waterproof First Aid Kit- plus emergency gel, backup headlamp and contact lenses
  • Wallet- just in case I get in trouble
  • Maps and pace sheet - became super important around miles 30-35
  • Travel bug spray - used all of it
  • Sunglasses- ended up not using at all
  • Squirrel's Nut Butter - for emergency chaffing
  • Hand Trowel and wipes- when nature calls
  • Small knife- Been carrying it on long solo runs just in case since 2015
  • Instago camera- tiny camera to record video of moose that were too close
  • 1.5L bladder- filled with 600 calories caffeinated tailwind
  • Three .5L soft flasks with 200 calories non-caffeinated tailwind each
Here I was, starting the 87+ mile journey on the Down East Sunrise Trail.  Tunes were cranking and I was focusing on how much I would enjoy the day.  Not more than 1 mile in, I see a skunk in the middle of the trail.  I caught him in my headlamp and slowed down enough for him to get out of the way without frightening him and getting myself sprayed.  For the next mile all I was thinking about was how much that would have stunk (haha) to have my run start with a skunk spraying.  What would I have done? Continued on for the next 18 hours reeking of skunk?  Have Catalina get a bunch of tomato juice and pour it over me?  Luckily, this wasn't something I had to worry about.

I fly through the parking lot (probably too fast at this point) at Mile 2 and give a quick wave to Greg and Cat knowing that they will be going back to sleep for the next few hours while I get to have this trail to myself in the pre-sunrise hours.

Mile 16 2hr 20min 6:20am
Sunrise!
Things are feeling great!  I'm smiling and so happy as I'm watching the sun rise up above a clearing after being in a dark green tunnel for the last 2 hours.  I pull over to pee and find an iPhone on the ground, which I can only assume fell out of someone's ATV.  I grab it and will deal with that later.

Mile 21 3hr 15min 7:15am
Too Close for Comfort!
Moose! Two moose pop out on the trail in front of me from the right hand side.  They are about 20 yards ahead and I freeze.  I instantly start recording on my camera and start backing away slowly.  Thankfully, they pay me no mind.  However, one moose heads to the left of the trail and the other heads to the right.  I wait a few seconds and start walking forward.  I am terrified at this point.  I don't know if there are more moose or if these moose are sticking around.  All I know is that I have a whistle and a knife which will not help me with these big beasts in the middle of nowhere.  I keep my head on a swivel as I approach where they crossed the trail.  I am walking very slowly and cautiously at this point.  No sign of them.  Good.  I continue back to running knowing that I will be on vigilant moose patrol for the next 12+ hours.

Mile 26.2 4hrs 7min 8:07am
Marathon!
Right over 4 hours.  I was on pace for a perfect day!

Mile 29 4 hr 33min 8:33am
Where you at?
Staying positive is super important in long efforts like this.
I was sharing my location to the whole world on my Garmin inReach mini with updates every 5 minutes.  I also had location sharing enabled for google maps on my phone for both Greg and Catalina, along with being able to see Catalina's location.  Before the run we had laid out a few places we would meet up, but knowing things might change.
I pulled out my phone to see how far away I was from my crew who I assumed would just be finishing up breakfast at the North Cafe, which is accessible from both the trail and road.  Google told me they weren't at North Cafe and in fact they were nowhere close to me!  I call Catalina and tell her I'm about to roll into North Cafe. I was a bit ahead of schedule and they weren't prepared for that.  We created a plan on the fly to meet along one of the side roads a bit farther along where route 1 and DEST run side by side.  This is where experience helped me tremendously.  I have the amount of nutrition and fluid I need for a 50k pretty dialed in: 2.5L of water with 1000cal of tailwind which gives me 200cal/hr for a 5 hour 50k.  I made the decision that morning to carry one extra .5L bottle with 200cal, just in case.  That decision saved me and allowed me to be a bit more relaxed about my crew not being where I expected.

Mile 34  5hr 45min 9:45am
Aid Station #1
My people!  I had time to be grumpy for a few minutes and get over it before seeing my crew.  I had seen nothing but moose, skunk, and deer for the last 6 hours! So, It was nice to see people!  I popped down in the chair, Catalina handed me some Tailwind Rebuild protein (which I chugged) and we started assessing.  I told her I needed fresh socks.  I could feel a hot spot on a toe and wanted to sort it before it got worse.  I took off my socks and shoes to see that my feet were a mess!  My feet have never gotten so many blisters at this distance before.  (I must credit the terrain for this.  The crushed limestone was almost sand like in some spots and super rocky in others.  The trail is mainly used by ATV's and creates some nice crowning and deep grooves on the trail.)  I popped a couple of blisters, threw some gold bond on my wet feet and let those dry out as I took care of emptying my pack of headlamps and blinky lights that I won't need during the daylight and getting a new bladder and soft flasks into my pack. I also handed my headphones over to get charged up for when I needed them next.  I taped over the worst blister, threw on new socks, and decided different shoes would be the way to go.  I threw on my HOKA Evo Mafates and used the Addaday Trigger Point massage gun to work out some tightness in my hamstring.  I was up and moving and my buddy Greg was going to bike with me for some miles while taking some photos.  At this point, things still looked good and the weather and my body were cooperating.

I walked the next mile or so to allow my body some time to digest the 240cal of protein I chugged and was back into the running groove chatting with Greg until about mile 40.  At this point things started to just feel tighter and harder so I started walking a bit, but still averaging a 11min pace.

Mile 44 7hr 45 min 11:45am
Unexpected Early Aid
I look down at my watch and look back up the trail.  "This can't be right."  I wasn't expecting to see Catalina and my Aid Van until mile 47 and my watch is telling me I'm at mile 44ish.  Is my watch wrong?

I walk to the van and rudely tell Catalina that she's not supposed to be here, but she assures me she's in the right spot and this is mile 47.  I'm not assured, but I don't have time to discuss it.  I change out my socks, use the massage gun on my legs for 30 seconds, grab my Salomon poles, 2 500ml bottles of tailwind, and continued on.

I knew I was in trouble at this point.  Everything was heavy and I started feeling tired and drained.  The next few miles were power hikes averaging about 15 minute miles.

Mile 47 8hr 40 min 12:40pm
Todd Becomes Cranky
Catalina was there waiting.  She wanted to let me know she was wrong about the location earlier and didn't want me to think I had the mileage wrong.  It was very thoughtful and crucial for her to tell me, but the elegant thought out sentence I could muster was "I know I was right."  I can be a jerk when I'm suffering.

The next couple miles I started to get some more running in and less hiking.  Until I hit mile 51 and everything slowed down.  This is also the time I started getting into my own head a bit and assessing how the rest of the run was going to go.  I knew the miles from here on were going to be tough.  Nothing in particular hurt, but my body just wasn't wanting to operate at the level I was expecting from it.  Something needed to change, but I didn't know what at this point.  I was still trying to stay positive.  There was no doubt about getting to the end of the trail, but there was some disappointment creeping in about knowing I would be falling short of my expectations that I set for myself.

I dug myself out of the negativity hole and started getting back into the "one mile at a time" mentality.  After returning back to a positive thinking mile, I had a joyful and unexpected mile when I saw Mary Ropp and Gary Allen down the trail from me!  They had come all the way out here just to cheer me on for 10 seconds while I did this silly solo run!  This gave me some fresh legs for a bit and I temporarily felt refreshed!  I was smiling big as I ran past and thanked them for coming out!  I felt euphoria.

Mile 54 10hr 5min 2:05pm

And then I bonked!  My next two miles were 19min pace.  That is slower than my average walking pace.  I knew I wouldn't be able to push all the way through without a hard reset at mile 60.  I was cranky.  Tired. Upset. Frustrated. It started to rain a bit and started to get cold. I was bickering to myself, in particular about how my feet hurt.  It was aggravating to choose my line on the trail.  I had three choices for lines on the trail:

  1. Edge of the trail which was flat, but narrow and dropped off
  2. ATV tracks which were firmer and wide, but concaved
  3. Middle of the trail which was soft, but sometimes very convexed and narrow
None of these choices were ideal after 50ish miles and I stopped caring about what line my feet took and just worried about trudging forward.

I was cold, but too tired to move any faster.  I know the dangers if this continues too long.

Mile 60 11hr 30 min 3:30pm
Nap Time
I came in knowing I was in bad shape.  I saw Catalina and Greg at the other side of the road crossing and gave them a big thumbs down.  I told Cat that I needed to take a 20 minute nap and reset hard.  This nap thing is something I did at Great Cranberry Island 100 last year around mile 70 to recharge after having some thermal regulation issues and fatigue.  It worked out miraculously for me then, so I hoped it would work out for me now.

I chugged another tailwind rebuild drink and changed out of all my wet clothes and popped on some compression tights and calf sleeves along with fresh shirt and shorts and tried to get a nap in the van bed while charging the electronics that would die before I finished the run if I continued at this pace. 

LAZARUS

I wouldn't say I felt like a million bucks after my nap, but I felt better than I did before the nap.  My body still felt fatigued, but my head was clearer and less groggy.  I felt just a bit less tired.  It was raining and I know I was procrastinating getting back out there.  It was going to be hard and I just needed some minutes to mentally prepare for it.  I made the decision then that I would be calling it a day when I reached the terminus of the Down East Sunrise Trail at Ayers Junction and relayed that decision to my crew.

I ate some peanut butter sandwiches, loaded up my pack, including headlamp, threw on some fresh shoes, and hiked onward.  Nothing much to report on this section.  There were some beautiful views, but my head was mostly looking down trying to grind it out one mile at a time without falling or tripping on my poles.  I also spent a bit of time taking my jacket on and off with the rain and temperature.
I averaged a 15 minute pace over the next 11ish miles.

Mile 72 15hr 45min 7:45pm
Second Wind!
I threw on some dry clothes including a dry jacket, ate some peanut butter sandwiches that fell on the ground, grabbed some more tailwind.  I was fighting for every step at this point.  My feet were killing me and so I figured it would be worth trying a different pair of shoes so I threw on my Altra Escalantes.

I got my second wind! My body felt like it was moving better.  Things were still tight and achy.  I was still have some issues with the chilly rain, but moving forward didn't feel as much of a chore anymore! I ran a 10 minute mile for the first time in 24 miles!  I changed over the battery pack for my headlamp at some point as well.

Mile 78 17hours 9pm
Rookie Mistake
Hot Damn! I can smell the finish!
I was so determined to get this thing done!  I dropped my hydration vest, chugged some tailwind, and told my crew I would see them in a few miles.  Things were starting to get a bit foggy, but I was alert enough. 
Then my headlamp started dying, fast.  Shit! My extra batteries, emergency headlamp, and phone are in my pack which is now in the van and not on my body.  I have just my poles, shoes, and jacket.  At this point I think every shadow is a moose that is going to come out and chase me, so I push hard knowing that I am literally racing the clock before my headlamp dies and I'm stuck in darkness in the middle of nowhere.  This was my fastest mile since mile 49.

Mile 80.5 17hr 45min 9:45pm
Headlights!

I see my crew!  I didn't get stuck and I only have a few more miles!
I chug some more tailwind.  I change shirts again and choose to use an emergency poncho instead of my still soaking wet jackets.  I grab my secondary headlamp and my emergency headlamp and head back out!

The emergency poncho was amazing!  My core was staying dry and warm and my arms were able to be exposed and allow my body to breath much better than my two high end waterproof jackets.  This is something that I need to remember in the future.

I told Catalina to try and be at every road crossing from here on out.  I felt less safe and less sure of my body than I wanted to.

Mile 82 18hr 7min 10:07pm
I am the trail.
Short and sweet.  I chugged some fluid and kept on moving.  I felt like a machine.

Mile 86 19hr 11pm
I just need a coke!
I came into my crew and only wanted a coke.  I told them that when they get to the finish, I would be very appreciative if they could walk towards me.  I was done and I knew I was in a danger zone as far as mental and physical fatigue.  I was in and out with a coke in my hand on the trail. I finished the drink as fast as I would while walking, smashed the can and stashed it in my pocket and took off!

I spent the next mile thinking about how hard this thing was and how happy I am to be done shortly.

It was wonderful seeing Catalina and Greg for the last time and having them walk me in the last half mile or so.  I reached the terminus of the trail and touched the sign.  I was done.

Mile 88.84 19hr 38min 40sec 11:38pm
It took some time for everything to settle in and hit me.  There was a guy there that asked me if I was running the thing.  I said yes, kinda.  I'm not continuing on to Eastport, butIidid just do the DEST.  He showed up to see if I needed anything. He didn't know if I had a crew and wanted to make sure I would be safe on my way to Eastport.  Apparently, he lives local and saw my tracker from someone else's FB page.  Peter, thank you and I'm sorry I was short on words.  That was super thoughtful and tells you a lot about the community.  If anyone knows who this was, please pass along his information to me.

I was done.  I just did the damn thing!  No one else has done this before!  These feelings were fantastic!

I immediately wanted some warm dry clothes on and shoes off my feet.  After a few pictures, we loaded up the van and headed to the motel in Eastport for a warm shower and some much needed sleep.

This was the perfect end of the run.  I started the run with no fanfare and ended the run in the same way.  This was my Vermont 100.


Saturday July 18th
I thought I would be more upset than I was about not continuing on and completing the 18 "bonus miles."  I did the main thing I set out to do, even if it was slower than expected.  I was happy and proud of my accomplishment.

My body also didn't feel as terrible as I expected.  Things were very very tight, but once again, nothing in particular.  Just strong general soreness like I just traveled 88 miles :)

I got about 5 hours of sleep with the hope of catching the sunrise, but the ocean fog had other plans.  After some timing issues due to being right next to another time zone (thanks Canada), we got some breakfast by the ocean where I had two full meals.

The rest of the day we spent exploring and walking at Quoddy Head State Park and Acadia National Park before heading back to Portland.

Things I could have done differently:

  1. I could have not gone on an 8 hour group run 5 days before
  2. I could have sleep more then 5 hours the night before.
  3. I could have run slower than an 8:30 pace for the first ten miles
  4. I could have chosen a day with better weather.
  5. I could have applied more lubrication around my pack.
  6. I could have brought more warm clothes.
  7. I could have stayed more positive.
Things I did well:
  1. I was self-reliant from mile 0 to mile 34.
  2. I wasn't too proud to take a nap or to adjust my plan.
  3. I communicated with Catalina how I was feeling throughout the day.
  4. I never had the thought of not getting the OKT/FKT.
  5. I was able to grit it out.
Post-notes:
I am a Tailwind Trailblazer and I used almost exclusively Tailwind Nutrition for the run plus a couple peanut butter sandwiches, 2 blueberry crisp clif bars, and one 12oz coca-cola.  Due to my fatigue and fogginess, I think I could've have increased my hourly caloric intake a bit more.

I am also an ambassador for Squirrel's Nut Butter and ended up with no chafing in the usual spots on this run.  However, I did end up with a bit of chafing on my collarbones from my pack.  This is a new spot for me to get chafing and so I did not apply any lubrication on this spot before the run.  I assume this occurred for a few reasons: this was my longest run with this pack, my pack ended up getting soaked with rain and sweat, and my collar bones are a bit more prominent than they have been in past events.

My waterproof jackets worked well to keep the water out, but they weren't breathable enough given the ambient temperature. These are great jackets in the mountains or colder temps, but was the wrong choice for a run like this. I ended up feeling like I was wearing a long sleeve trash bag.  The dollar emergency poncho worked so well because it didn't cover the forearms and had big opening around the elbows and around the waist to breathe.

I used a plethora of shoes during this run.  For those that don't know, I work at Fleet Feet Maine Running which puts me in a position to try many different types of shoes.  I don't think any of the shoes I brought were the "perfect" pair.  I felt the Salomon Sense Ride was a bit too aggressive and ended up giving me blisters, but I had no real issues for 29ish miles on technical trails a few days before.  The Hoka Mafates were cushioned, but it allowed me to use poor form with no feedback.  The Altra Escalantes felt the best and I will even give them partial credit for me getting my second wind, but they didn't have enough traction underneath them.  I think I would have preferred a low stack flexible light trail shoe, such as the Altra Superior, if I were to do this trail again.

I owe it to myself to go back to Ayers Junction and finish up what are the 3 last legs of the Down East Sunrise Trail Relay course, at some point.

Big shout out to Greg O'Connor for documenting this experience.  He did a great job capturing my joy and pain during this event.  Photos of the event are  can be found HERE, on his instagram, @greg.oconnor or on my instagram, @toddrunswild.
If you like his work and are in need of a photographer, let him know!

Thank you for all that followed along on the tracker and on my stories on social media.

One last thank you to Danielle at Starting Line Run Studio in Portland, Maine for the Normatec Recovery session a few days later!  They are so great and inclusive to all runners whether you are taking your first steps, folks that run distances farther than people like to drive and everyone in between.

The time I set on this trail is made to be broken.  There will be few to no ultra races for the rest of the year.  I want the folks that enjoy this long distance running thing to have an opportunity to compete.  Here is a course.  Here is where I stopped for aid.  Below is the Strava data for you to go out and do it as well!

Feel free to reach out for any questions that may not have been answered here.



-Run Wild-

Todd Reutlinger Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/toddrunswild/

Greg O'Connor DEST FKT album: https://photos.app.goo.gl/YBB1dzLpikxMixj86
Greg O'Connor Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/greg.oconnor/


East Coast Greenway: https://www.greenway.org/
Down East Sunrise Trail: https://www.sunrisetrail.org/

Squirrel's Nut Butter: https://squirrelsnutbutter.com/
Starting Line Run Studio: https://startinglinemaine.com/
Fleet Feet Maine Running: https://www.fleetfeetmainerunning.com










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