July 1, 2014 (Days 1-2)

Exhausted. The only word to describe any sort of emotion or feeling I've had over the past four days. When I started, I had all these grand ideas about the deep insights I would gain, but I'm too tired to even think. Here I am at 7:30 on the fourth night and I am just now mustering the strength to scribble a few words before I fall asleep. Here's a recap:

Day 1: Lincoln City, OR to Siuslaw National Forest (25 miles towards goal, ~27 ran)

Of anyone who has run across the country unassisted, I can guarantee no one started like we did. Google Maps recommended a route for walkers between L.C. and Corvallis that crossed the Siuslaw National Forest and private land. I had done my due diligence to mark the GPS coordinates of every intersection I could see on satellite and marked them on a screenshot printout map. I had even scouted the road coming from Corvallis the week before only to be welcomed by a "Road Closed" sign (spray paint on plywood). The timing belt broke on my '02 Ford Escort broke on that trip and I ended up selling it for $300 that day.

After saying goodbye to family, we proceeded down Hwy 101, turned onto the Siletz Highway and stared up at the mountain that was National Forest Road 900. After climbing "roads" our reward of a downhill was to control our 100+ lb stroller. 15 or so miles in, after only a couple of quickly corrected wrong turns, we managed to get lost. Playing hide-and-seek with the closest coordinates, we got help from a guy headed to moonshine (only the second person we'd seen in the woods) We eventually made camp at 9pm and ate in the rain. Sticking to your sleeping bag because of dried sweat is the worst!

Day 2: National Forest to Corvallis (37 Miles)

No getting lost here! Just 15 more miles on good forest roads and the second longest run I've ever done. It was nice knowing that there'd be a shower and bed waiting for me. My legs actually felt completely fine in the morning.

We ran 12 miles more this day than Day 1 in about a half hour faster. Despite this, the familiar path of Fitton Green to home had never felt longer in my life.