“Dark Anchor, First Ultra Distance Race Finished”
The Dark Anchor timed race was my second Yeti event, the first being the 7/11 in Sweetwater Park. Ultimately, I was under trained and not prepared for a 34 hour run, but I knew that the Yeti community was not worth missing, so I toed the line regardless. Wormsloe in and of itself was worthy of a few laps around the course, the Live Oaks and Spanish Moss had my jaw dropping all day.
I set out with the plan to walk a lap, then run a lap. This strategy worked well until the afternoon when my unprepared legs began to cramp. I was forced to walk the remaining laps. Upon the completion of my eighth lap, I was resolute that I had two laps left, and was concerned that it wouldn’t be possible. It was at this point, my wonderful girlfriend informed my fatigued brain that I only needed one more lap to hit 50 kilometers! She also had entered the race, but was suffering from a serious hip injury. Regardless, we enjoyed that last lap together. It was nothing short of magical. As I crossed the finish line, it didn’t immediately register that I had just completed an Ultramarathon. Against all odds, I got to share the course with my amazing partner and finish 50k.
Throughout my day, one thing kept me going. Every minute I was on the course, I was part of a community. This community is the most accepting, friendly and cohesive that I’ve ever been a part of. The Yeti Trail Runners provided much needed motivation throughout the day. Every fellow runner on course offered a reciprocal smile and bit of encouragement. This is what kept me going. Being a part of this group of people, out there running miles. My goal was 50K. Some ran 100 plus miles. But we were all in it together. All shapes, all sizes and all abilities. This community of runners got me to 50K. I can only hope my own smile and encouragement helped someone else reach their goal. I am a Yeti Trail Runner. I ran Yeti far. I cannot wait till Dark Anchor 2026. See you all soon, and I’ll bring some Fireball!
