The Last Annual Vol State Road Race

 

The Last Annual Vol State Road Race started on July 8, 2021, with a ferry ride across the Mississippi River to Hickman County, KY, then wound its way through the Volunteer State and will end on top of Sand Mountain in Northeast Georgia on Sunday, July 18th.

Frederick Davis III, 73, was one of the marathoners, walking along Highway 412. He was on mile 146 of the 314 mile ultra-marathon when he stopped to tell his story.

Davis remembered running or walking just about everywhere he went when he was kid. "My parents didn't have a car when I was a kid, so my mom would give me money to ride the bus," said Davis, "But I'd just pocket the money for something else later instead, and run to wherever I was going."

Davis was diagnosed with arthritis when he was seventeen, and found that running and exercise helped him combat it. Later on he got a job as security, and would always take the stairs instead of the elevator as a way to keep moving and stay as fit as possible. But soon he was transferred to a position that left him mainly stationed at a desk. One day, after a few months of being transferred, he had to walk up to the fourth floor and it left him trying to catch his breath.

It was then that Davis started running marathons. "I looked at the 5k pace and the 10k pace, and I said, 'Oh, they're going slower in the long one so I'm gonna do that next year," Davis said. "So I started making my training schedule."

It wasn't long before he entered his first 10k and ignited his passion for endurance marathons.

Still battling arthritis, Davis made it clear that were no excuses for skipping out on doing something you love, especially if it benefits your health.

"I always said 'let me get in better shape' or something and then I'd end up starting the race in worse shape than I was when I signed up for it" said Davis, smiling. "It's like I tell everyone, if you're thinking about [running a marathon], then just do it. If you sign yourself up for it, then you've got no choice but to go."

Crewed or Screwed

Diane Taylor and Tasha Holland were laying under a shade tree to rest their feet and eat a snack as they talked about their experiences during the ultra-marathon.

Holland said she had suffered a concussion two years ago that left her unable to read for three months and doctors did not even clear her to walk until after eight months had passed. "I haven't actually done more than seven miles distance at one time since. So I shouldn't really be doing this, but I needed to get my life back," said Holland. "I also do this because it challenges you; no matter how many times you've done it, it's always different."

The marathon also gave her a chance to slow down. Holland added that there was nothing that could compare to walking next to a field of horses and watching the sun rise above the road.

"I just keep doing it because I'm not giving in to being old," said Taylor, smiling. "As long as I'm doing this, then you can't call me old."

Taylor had participated in the race eleven times, finished seven of those races uncrewed, and this year she planned to finish her eighth. Holland had finished the race once when she was crewed, two more times uncrewed and this year was going to be her fourth.

The women explained that the runners could sign up for the ultra-marathon as crewed or uncrewed. Crewed meant that the runner could have a team of people who aided them by meeting the runner at different points in the race with food and water, or even set up rest stations with ice buckets for their feet. Uncrewed meant that you did everything for yourself; the planning, the packing, figuring out when and where to sleep and eat.

"The joke among us in the marathon has been that if you don't have a crew, you're screwed," said Taylor as she laughed. Taylor explained that the runners' times were all grouped together regardless of being crewed or uncrewed. Those who finished the race uncrewed had bragging rights, as well as the right to poke some good-natured fun at those who had a crew.

She further explained what being crewed meant by talking about a competing couple named Ariela and Daniel Flory. In their case, it was their parents who formed their crew. They would swap off at different times of day to get everything ready for the couple so that they could keep running and hopefully win the race. While we talked, the Florys had already finished the race together on top of Sand Mountain with a time of three days, twenty-three hours and forty-one minutes, which put them in second and third place.

"It's a different mindset and everybody has a different idea of what they want out of [the race]," said Taylor. "The people who are crewed are trying to win the race... We're not gonna win, we're not even thinking about that. We're just finishing."

The first place winner, Bob Hearn, 55, was uncrewed and had broken all records previously established. He finished the race in three days, four hours and nine minutes; an accomplishment that proved anyone who set their mind to it could make it, crewed or screwed.

Once the runners finished the race, they were allowed to give a comment that will be listed beside their times. Hearn's winning comment was, "I need water."

Another uncrewed runner, Beverley Anderson-Abbs, broke the "Women's Screwed Record" with a time of four days and forty-nine minutes; just six hours behind the Florys. Her comment was, "I hate crewed people even more now."

The uncrewed runners typically carried backpacks filled with bare necessities. Common items were toiletries, sunscreen, first aid, head lamps, baggies and protective layers for when it rained, and most importantly were products to care for their feet. Some carried hooks on their backpacks, called carabiners, so that if their change of clothes was not dry by the time they were ready to leave, they could hook them onto the backpack and let them air-dry. "It's the one time it's acceptable to air your dirty laundry publicly," joked Holland.

During this particular race, the runners passed through enough towns to make it to motels and even a court house that was open for them to sleep in. They also timed their pace with convenience stores along the way so they had places to stop for water and food. When it came to using the bathroom though, "Sometimes you just gotta go when you gotta go," said one runner.

Road Angels

One thing that all the interviewed runners had in common was a gratefulness for who they called "road angels."

"It's been relatively nice this year, but some years it's over 100 degrees and it can get really hot on the Tennessee asphalt," said seventh time Vol State Road Race runner Edward Masuoka, "But all along the way you have nice people who hand out waters and snacks. There's a woman in Linden who's been doing that since I've been running in the race."

Jacqueline Ong, who was running the race for her first time with Masuoka, said "They're called road angels. There's a lot of them along the way and they're a great support."

Taylor and Holland explained that they felt safe while running the ultra-marathon, even as women who sometimes run/walk stretches of the race alone, partly because there are so many road angels.

There is also a person who comes along behind the group, checking on them, marking their location and helping if any runner decides to quit. "The ultra-marathon runners are a small community, so you get to know everyone you're doing the marathon with," said Taylor.

Holland explained that the runners often communicate with each other along the trail, alerting everyone if there is a dog other runners need to look out for or even which convenience stores are open. Often times runners may buddy up with another runner if they run the same pace or feel uncomfortable running alone through certain areas.

"When you do something like this, you kind of develop a strong bond and it's like you're all family," said Taylor.

"We're all shapes and sizes. There's young and old, there's overweight and super skinny, there's men and women, there's white and black," agreed Holland. "This race kind of encompasses everyone, I think. But you gotta be crazy enough... or stupid enough to do it."

 

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