Sunday, January 24, 2010

1st update from Team USA running Brazil 135!

8:00 am - Marching band and mayoral send-off. Partly cloudy, not too warm.

18K to first crew meeting point, then on to the highest peak of the race. Crew stopped for lunch and beer in Andradas, then met team for second "pit stop".

Brian out fast and we lose contact with him. Tony, Ken and Jarom solid and steady, looking on pace for the 48 hour goal. Tom close behind.

Weather holds for the daylight hours. Go through miles of coffee and banana fields. Glad we're driving a rental car - bottom out repeatedly on steep, rocky roads.

Before 1st race food and heath checkpoint, Sue and Todd evicted from car as it becomes makeshift ambulance to take an injured runner back down to hospital. Car returns, minus translator.

11:00 pm - Rain begins, gently at first and then steadily. Dirt roads quickly turn to mud. Three support vehicles, with crew speaking English, Spanish and Portugese get lost and stuck in mud in small mountain town. Create biggest happening in years at 1am, with locals digging out car and directing back to correct location. Just in time to meet our 3, who were tired, but looking good. Currently at 20.5 hours (4:30am) and all looking forward to daylight and locating our translator!To be continued.

We all feel your support down here! Thank you!
Ken!

1 comment:

Lisa Smith-Batchen said...

The rain is gone.....we are back on the internet.....

We are expecting in a few hours....the second runner here at the finish line....

http://www.mycampage.com/brazil135 visit our finish line...... :-)


Thanks


This was just sent from the RD of Brazil 135