My initial attempt was on Saturday 8/22/20. I ran well, carried a bit more water and fuel than I needed, but I carelessly shorted the last mile of the northernmost loop due to a navigation error. There is a bit of a Bermuda Triangle effect in that loop section. The Garmin navigation seems to always go crazy there. But I just could not let a dumb error like that pass, so I went back the very next day for a redo.

On Sunday 8/23/20, I completed the entire trail including the northernmost loop in a one way, solo and unsupported fashion. I started at sunrise. The miles were tougher today for obvious reasons and the spiders have been very busy since yesterday. I carried all my hydration and nutrition. I started with a 17oz soft flask and refilled at the public taps at Brockdale Park (9.3) and Highland Park (16.3). I carried 3 Spring Energy Speednuts, but only ate 2. I took an Oral IV before the start and another about 1.5 hours in. The trail was a little busier today with horse riders compared to Saturday, so that should be a consideration for future attempts. Please announce yourself and walk when you see them so you don’t spook the horses. I also saw a coyote, countless rabbits and 2 deer. My average pace today was 16 secs slower than yesterday, but I’ve also got a lot of miles on my legs this week. I’m very happy to have the opportunity to successfully redo the route. For those making future attempts, wear gaiters to keep all the grass seeds out of your shoes. And prepare for very itchy legs. The out-and-back route may have to wait until fall/winter when the trail is less overgrown.

I don't expect my FKT to last the rest of 2020. There are certainly much faster guys and the distance makes it easy to attempt without too much preparation. But, I'm happy to be able to say that I hold an FKT for however long I get to hold it.

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