Leg 30: Shooting Stars & Fond Farewells

A lot easier than expected, needs a new rating (easy). It was mostly down hill with pretty lights and good weather. That run was a perfect way to end our 5th leg. We're finished!!!!! McNamara got to see her shooting stars (2) and is definitely sad that this is her last Jug Run. Definitely one of the most physically and mentally challenging experiences. Shout out to all of my lovely running partners (Alessa, Kayla, Elena, and Sarah Gilly), definitely could not have done this three years in a row without you guys. And to Kelly Hoots for getting me pumped for my last leg haha. Bye bye BRP. It's been real.

Sarah McNamara

Leg 23:

This run lasted forever. It was dark and scary the sound and fear wolves hung thick in the air. so we made the chariot to our travels follow us the whole time. They played music to try and help us along and finish. Our anxiety was swiftly relieved as we went through a few tunnels and the stars were beautiful. But it was by far the hardest run we have ran so far. All our limits and mentalities were pushed!

Leg 16: Cloud Hopping

In the Clouds was a first! We literally ran through a cloud. It was extremely foggy and basically rainy, which made it a little chillier than the last two. We almost got hit by a couple cars who didn't really see us until the last minute.. But we didn't so it's okay. And like usual for our group, we had a lovely slow incline. However, this time we had more steep declines which were very much appreciated. We were voted the buffalo hat winners for this round of legs!!!! We are buffaloooo!! We're all getting a little sore and are ready to catch up on some sleep (we've been watching hunger games).

Leg 15:

With more hills expected, the brothers marshall believed the next few miles of the upcoming run to be some of the hardest yet. Upcoming was craggy gardens, a spot of mountain that holds some of the steeper inclines and elevation changes from Mount Mitchell. The beginnings were tough, with marked increase of 5100 to 5400 feet, and a one lane road in the middle of the run made for slimmer and more narrow divides between these two buffalo and traffic than they were normally accustomed to. Another added bonus for the brothers marshall was a wonderful cloud that descended upon the mountain as they headed back down. It was beautiful as they headed into the last mile, cold, wet, and not nearly close to upset.

 

Calm, cool, collected and content.

 

The brothers. John and Aaron.

Leg 35: Toe Nails are for Sissies

Rarely does the road sign for Sylva or the site of Subway, Walmart or Pizza Hut evoke such positive emotions. It is wonderful to be back in familiar territory. Not even the climb up Catamount Gap can dampen our spirits. The 2012 Run for Research is in the books. Total running time 29 hours, nine minutes and seventeen seconds.

All nineteen who departed from ASU at 5:30 yesterday are in tow. Some slightly worse for wear. As the Blue Ridge Parkway always does, she has claimed her share of casualties. Among this year's injury list are: an Achilles Tendon, an enraged piriformis and sciatic nerve, an exertional anterior compartment syndrome and numerous toenails. This does not include the dozens of sore IT Bands, Gastrocs, and Hamstrings.

But at the end of it, we have met the challenge of the R4R. Many runners overcame physical and mental challenges beyond what they could have ever imagined. That is the beauty of this event. Everyone can be proud of their accomplishments.

Leg 28: Take It Easy?

Maybe it was because it was our fourth leg of the R4R, maybe it was because it was 4:15 AM, maybe Jon Mitzel lied to us, hell, maybe it is Zane Oliver's fault! Whatever the case, leg 28 of the 2012 R4R proved to be "not so easy".

The run began with a half mile gentle climb, followed by the day's. most wonderful downhill. Then, just as we were settling into a fast pace, a long, slow incline in excess of one mile in length greeted us. This uphill, coupled with the low oxygen pressures at 5,600 feet lead to some serious sucking-wind.

Thankfully, the last mile was almost completely downhill. Both Jay and Dan hit their pre-run goal times of 36 and 45 minutes, respectively. Leg four is finished, twenty miles in the books. All is forgiven Mitzel Inc. and Mr. Oliver. Our last run is on home turf. See everyone at WCU!!!!!!

~Jay and Dan~

Leg 24: Hooting with the Owls

Andrew and I begin our fourth leg with enthusiasm of the thought that the quicker we begin the quicker we are to finishing. The whole run was a long gradual uphill climb. I cursed myself through every step for the first two miles then Aaron with his car and music and I heard Sarah singing to the top of her lungs usher "scream"! I pretty much danced myself through mile 4. The hell set in again as we breached the last tunnel I started once again to curse every step. I have never in my life been pushed to the limits like I have even on this run! Again I would not have gotten through without my partner! -Kelly

Leg 21: Blue Lights Ahead

Leg 21 began with a pleasant little slow incline that lasted two miles. It was the kind of gradual hill that was tailor-made for the Queens of the Gradual Incline. Fortunately, it was dark enough that we could not see the hill spilling out in front of us. The only clue we had that we were running uphill was familiar burning sensation in our quads.

Then suddenly as mile two gave way to mile three, we realized we were lengthening our strides....a sure sign of having found some downhill terrain. Our excitement was short lived, however, as mile four greeted us with another gradual incline and the site of flashing blue lights!

Kelly had been pulled over (not really pulled over because she was already stopped) by the po-po. There was Jill frantically running Kelly's purse to her!

Fortunately for us and the R4R, the officer said we just needed to be careful and that we were welcome to continue our trek. Which was good news since Dan and I had already cruised right past the officer and continued our run.

Mile five was a glorious downhill and we cruised to the finish in 2012's first sub-40 leg. Some sleep and a downhill leg 28 are in our immediate future.

~Jay and Dan~

Nice!!

Upon emerging from the mist and clouds of mount Mitchell, we enjoyed the lovely surprise of 5 fun filled down hill miles!! Could it be true, was it a dream, were my achy muscles making me goofy... oh no my friend it was heavenly!

Leg 17: Jog in the park

At the beginning of the run I was told that this leg was difficult, but then right before running I was told that it is all down hill. I was excited so I changed into my short shorts from rugby and ripped my shirt off. I was glad to be nearly naked, because I was still sweating like crazy as I flew down the pleasant decent. Although I had a few aches and pains, I decided to run faster which surprisingly made the pain go away. Although it seemed like we were in one big cloud, people were easily able to see me with my blinding white legs, reflective vest, and "lusty lavender" Mohawk! If only the rest of the way could be that easy. - Team Awesome: Andrew and Kelly

Leg 10 - Look Away, neck punch

Andrew and I had the joy of running leg 10. It was beautiful again! Although we started out downhill, it quickly turned into all hills. Hence the name, it's like the parkway said "Hey! Look over there!" Then straight neck punch.
Kelly did not have fun, but like always she was able to stay strong and beast it out through the roller coaster of death. -Andrew G. & the one and only Kelly Hoots!

Leg 8:

After what was an enjoyable start running out of Boone, the marshall brothers began another enticing journey upon the parkway. This time, a short bit of an uphill climb awaited them upon their initial sprint off the starting line, but much to the chagrin of the brothers, a jaunt of a winding downhill road welcomed us upon their second run. Happily, the third mile marker wasn't noticed by either of the brothers, and an even faster return to the awaiting team occurred, making for dancing in the streets over their triumphant return to the team.

Buffalo up, ride high.

The Marshall brothers. John and Aaron.

Leg 9: Queens of the Gradual Incline

This group has decided we have been cursed with the dreaded slow incline that lasts for miles. BUT we have dominated. This run was definitely a tease! It was definitely more tough than the last one and we continued to have a slight incline. We are a little nervous about what to expect for the next one because we are staring to feel fatigued at this point! We saw some very pretty horses and a mule which was cool. Our next run is rated "hard" soo our goal is to finish ha. Yay parkway!!!!!!!

Leg 14: Sleeping Giant

First of all, I have to say that Meka is my hero! She ran the TOUGHEST leg of this year's R4R in one hour and never walked! This was 4.7 miles of uphill running with a total increase in altitude of almost 2200 feet! And this is from someone who had never run more than 6 miles before training for the R4R.

So, now for Dan and Jay's run. We knew it would be a tough leg with a pre-run rating of "brutal". The run started with a wonderful two-mile decent of nearly 1500 feet. But we both knew this foreshadowed what lay ahead. The further we ran downhill in miles 1 and 2, the more uphill running we would do in miles 3-5.

Of course, right before mile marker two, the sleeping giant that is Mount Mitchell reared its ugly head. The last three miles of our run was a climb to the top of the mountain, a height approaching 6000+ feet. We plugged on with the knowledge that no matter what we faced, it was nothing compared to what Meka, Megan and Jenny had just conquered.

Overall, this run was better than our first leg and we finished without difficulty. Now we can rest and prepare for our two night runs.

~Jay~

Leg 13 Stairwell to Hell

Meka, Megan, Jennie

Before the run started, we took a ride to see for ourself what we should be expecting. We were definitely intimidated by the steep climbs and never ending hills. We came back to an over look area and waited there for a little and then realized that we should probable drive back to the mile marker where we were going to begin the climb. We got there and saw that the other group had been waiting on us so we had to jump out of the car and start running. None of us was ready for this at all. We started our journey of the 5 mile up hill run. We passed some bikers who cheered us on then we passed this lady screaming at us to get off the road. Around each bend we prayed for a downhill but to our dismay none came...ever. We highly debated running straight off the side of the mountain just to put ourselves out of our misery. We all pushed through the pain, cursing at ourselves for doing this idiotic run. We finally came to the end and felt so accomplished! The pain sweat and tears were totally worth it!

Leg 12: Incline of Beauty

We started off strong excited to face off our second run. It was pretty flat for a few seconds and then we met our solid two miles of steady incline with massive blind curves. (We had to be ready to dive off the road at any second to avoid the cars.) but it was very pretty with the leaves all pretty colors and looking of overlooks and seeing the beauty! We then faced the last mile with the twin tunnels, but before we got to the tunnels we had another incline that was killer to us but has nothing on the next leg after us....

Caroline, Brittany, Christine

Leg 11: C7 to the max

3 fun filled up hill miles of various lovely steep grades! Thank you Mother Nature. Our quads and calves are feeling something. For those of you familiar with the WCU campus imagine running buzzards roost for 3 miles!! George, rob, and Corey buffaloed up and conquered the beast! Hip hip hooray for training

Leg 1: The Stampede Begins

Crouched at the starting line, the marshall brothers prepared to begin the buffalo's triumphant stampede back to our beloved home of Cullowhee. It was a dark, windy, and briskly cold morning, but the marshall brothers weren't phased. They were prepared, cool, calm and collected. Completely in the zone. Starting out, running past the rock, and on the footsteps of mountaineers, felt amazing. Wind in their hair, and smooth sailing before them. Within minutes, on the outskirts of Boone, darkness set it. The brothers marshall were faced with a tremendous challenge before them... Near absolute darkness, and the threat of on-comers, unaware of the stampede before them. Within the first uphill grade of the illustrious trot that the marshall brothers had paced themselves at, they were not winded in the slightest... But took in the beautiful sight of a starlit night. With a flash of downhill and the cheers of the team, they made it, safe and sound... The buffalo are on the move, ready to take on the parkway yet again.

Be a buffalo.

The brothers, John and Aaron Marshall

Leg 2: Convection

We (Sarah squared, Elena and Jill) lead the group onto the BRP at about 645 this morning. It wouldn't have been too chilly if it weren't for the wind! That dang convection! Two of the three miles on the parkway were uphill,with a lovely downhill finish. We got to see some very pretty stars and watched the pretty sunrise and the clouds turn pretty colors (pink is pretty). Overall, we can just remember the wind haha. Lookin' forward to leg number 9!

Leg 7: The Sixth Mile

Leg seven could not arrive quickly enough! After more than five hours of riding in the car and watching all the other R4R participants complete their first legs of the run, Dan and Jay were ready to hit the road. The run started out benign enough with some long downhills and some subtle climbs. Then just before mile three, the road turned ugly. A long climb of more than a mile gave way to a teasingly brief downhill that gave no hint of the hell that lay ahead. From mile 3.5 to the end of the run, the runners wound their way up a monstrous, seemingly unending mountain. Each turn held a promise of some relief, in the form of a flat or downhill patch. Yet, all that greeted the runners at each turn was another steep ascent and another winding turn. In the end, the final mile seemed to last forever.... Or as Dan stated, "the last mile felt like two miles!". Thus the name of this leg.....the sixth mile. The bad news for these two is that Leg 14 promises to be even more treacherous. Thank you R4R!

Leg 4

In your face!!!

Yes the parkway stared us directly in the face. The views were amazing, wanted to stop running and soak it all in. Then we turned the corner and Mother Nature gave us a 25 mph wind in our face!!! Hello she said! But like true buffaloes we kept going to the viaduct were we out ran the park rangers. We buffaloed up with Mother Nature!!

Leg #5 Scream in the Wind

It all began with the wind...at mile marker 305. We were racing to the top of the mountain screaming at the skies to reach the moon before the sunrise! Along the way the swift eagle rose to meet our expectations, the scurrying flying squirrel took fast to the wind, while his friend the bear watched from his breathless peak with wisdom from his many years! We yearned for the longing of rushing waters around us. At last we ended as the sun and moon met around us and the thought of many runs to come fluttered our minds with wonder.

Caroline, Brittany, Christine

Leg 3: Bitter Sweet

As we stood on the edge of the road we saw that it was slightly starting to get brighter out.  We tagged hands with group 2 and started off down hill with a cheerful attitude and fresh legs.  I was reminded to take it all in and enjoy the view and the experience.  This made Kelly look like a true upperclassman with her wisdom.  Not far into the run we got to a bridge with a man taking pictures.  Kelly told me turn around only for me to see one of the prettiest sunrises i have seen yet.  I knew that no matter how difficult this run was going to be, it was well worth it.  Continuing down the road i saw colorful leaves all around me.  I felt almost like I was back in New Hampshire.  Not only was the scenery familiar, but I also had my old sweatshirt on from middle school.   I began to think about the good days when I first started running. Then all of the fun and good memories went away when I saw the sign for grandfather mountain and started my assent up the terrible hill.   -Andrew Godinez 

Starting our first leg this morning, the sun was still ascending as Andrew and I were stretching to begin our run. At the first sight of sunlight we were joyful. I knew that amazing scenery was to be expected. Throughout the 5 miles not even words could describe our views. The sunrise, the mountains, and the fall leaves. Although I had previously taken into account as to how hard the run was going to be, I didn't realize how much I already relied on my running partner. I am sincerely excited about our next four legs! -Kelly Hoots

Leg 6: Picture Perfect

Megan Meka and Jennie
For our first leg this run was perfect. At the beginning we had one small hill and then the rest was all down hill and flat. We had many strange looks from many strange people and we all jumped a little at the site of a dead raccoon. A car full of boys stopped right next to us within touching distance trying to get our numbers obviously it was a fail on their part. After this run we have an awesome run to look forward to. This leg is rated as "insane" and many people have named it as total joint replacement. All I have to say is that this is going to be an adventure but we are going to accomplish it!

2012 R4R

The 2012 Run for Research kicked off this morning at 5:34 AM from the campus of App State University. We will be blogging along the 175 miles to Cullowhee over the next 28+ hours.