Running Stories: Kevin and the Bigfoot

This picture was taken at Norway Pass aid station just before 3AM on August 10th 2019. I'm about 18 hours and 65 miles into what will end up being an almost 81 hour, 206 mile effort. I'm completely miserable. This was the 2019 Bigfoot 200. 

The real story behind this picture starts about 7 hours earlier. Day 1 is off the a great start. Perfect weather; cool and cloudy. I'm about a two miles out from Coldwater aid station (Mile 46) when it starts drizzling. I throw on the rain gear and get to Coldwater around 8:30PM. At Coldwater I take my time, eat a ton, change my clothes and gear up for night one. Eighteen+ miles with over five thousand feet of gain stand between me and the next aid. Scattered thunderstorms are predicted throughout the night. I don't want to leave. 

I leave Coldwater in full rain gear around 9:30PM. It's still drizzling and it's f***ing cold. I have about four miles of flat around the lake before the climbing starts on the way to Norway Pass. Less than two miles in the sky opens up and it is a a downpour rain. The trail is flooded and over my ankles almost immediately. Lightning illuminates the lake every so often; it's close and loud. Not far into the climb I found a safety buddy in Tony Turley; we'd end up running most of the race together. We climbed up to Mt. Margaret along the ridge line, unable to see more than a few feet in front of us and  hoping the lightening wouldn't find us. It was the scariest and most miserable night of my life. When we finally descended into Norway Pass aid the place was a wash out. Tents were flooded, blankets were soaked; it was a shit show. This brings us to me and my Cup O Noodles in the picture. It just might have saved my race. I fueled up, tried to get as dry as I could (Spoiler: not very dry) and head out. I left knowing that having gone through that night there was nothing that was going to stop me now. Which is good because with sundown on each subsequent night, came the rain. Thankfully without the thunder and lightening of night one. There's moments in or life that make us feel strong and tough and able to accomplish anything. Some of those moments last 81 hours.