I'm retired from racing. Really.

Wow. I read every word and recommend that all who come here do so too. Awesome Jon.

You have picked up invaluable experience, which will help you finish in future.

Well done and congrats on quitting. I'm glad that through the fog you found somebody to quit with - it would have been a nightmare finding your way out of there on your own.

Thanks for taking the time to write up such an enjoyable report. It was truly remarkable.

Longest report til next years Barkley write up?

I second everything Bam said above. Really good read.

Thanks, guys. Especially for your kind words, Bam- I really appreciate it. Yeah, if the fog didn't let up, I would have rather spent 10 hrs up there all night waiting to make my way out in daylight than get lost. That would have been a long night, but ooooh the stories I could tell.

Holy crap.

Your new blog title is well earned.

Justin- nah, it will be shorter in the future (assuming I get in again). I'll be the low-key veteran... "the second half of loop 3 went well other than the 30 minute delay due to a mother bear and pack of wild boar. Fortunately, a well placed lightning strike solved that problem and allowed us to finish the loop 5 hours later."

I read your report with fascination at the event and was warmed by the camaraderie and personal connections you described. Well done in the race and well done with the story you earned to tell. Impressive all around. Congrats.

Very entertaining and interesting report Jon. Took me 2 days to finish reading, but well worth it.

Congrats, again.

Thanks, Bret and Jake. Although I'm surprised it took 2 days to read- I thought it would take more like 30 minutes. I didn't realize I had made it quite long enough to be a multi-day novel :)

You should be a poet or a novelist instead of an engineer.

it only took 2 days because i took a break halfway, trying to fully appreciate the timescale of how long you were running.

Thanks for the detail. Finished reading today. I remember reading or hearing about Wasatch for the first time years ago, I was so intrigued and in awe. Years later, having completed Wasatch, those same feelings come back reading about Barkley--the enormity of this race is fascinating and yet daunting. Inspiring!