this is what you came for

The Coyote 2 Moon Ultramarathon is a local 100 mile/100k race through the Sespe wilderness with around 28,000 ft elevation gain, on mostly single track trails. The start times are staggered by speed, so the idea is everyone finished around 10am on Sunday morning. Some start as early as Friday afternoon, running for a day and a half, over two moons. This year, George and Aaron give it a go.

George and Aaron suit up

The looming weather is evident and it starts to sprinkle. We all know somewhere this is going to be a long night that could take any form of crazy. The boys take off, and we wait for them at the first aid station. 

Something so noticeable about all the runners is that no matter how long they've been running, or where they are in the race (the staggered start is designed to have the fastest running with the slowest) everyone is smiling to themselves.

 

Jeff Browning, leading the pack

George makes a quick stop at the first aid station to shake the rocks out of his shoes
and grab a quesadilla

By 8:00pm on Saturday night, the weather conditions continued to deteriorate. Snow fell and accumulated, with streaks of rain and wind. 
The runners didn't look phased. 

Scott Wolfe and Clark Zeland laughing from having so much fun

"Seemed like no time passed until we could see the huddle of lit up tents that was the Aid Station.  We entered to find a full on disco party in effect - had some more soup, slammed a beer and a whiskey shot, boogied with the locals and then headed back into the storm which was getting even worse" Field notes, George Plomarity.

In the end, Aaron's wife, Robin, some good friends, and I were all at the last aid station we'd see the guys before the finish line. We waited there for four hours, all huddled up in the car listening to the rain hit the roof in a deluge. We were mostly soaked, and wondered if they would make it by midnight, like we estimated. They did, strong, drenched, covered in mud and smiling. 

"We approach the aid station, kind of bummed as we are thinking our time was slow and we were about to be cut off - I look up at AJW (one of our ultra team guys) and he slaps me on the back and say "Welcome to the finish line"  - I am seriously bummed because I feel so good and ready to go but know that time just cut me off - I try to explain this to AJW and he looks at me all weird and says, "dude, they just called off the race"  Turns out it was only 11:45 and we had just done the last section in record time!! not that it mattered as the weather really was kicking into high gear and no one was being let back onto the course

In the end we made it mile 40, ahead of schedule and feeling strong but the race was called due to weather. Kind of a good thing, because as soon as the reality hit me so did the shivers - turns out I was in minor hypothermia and could not stop shaking for hours... I got out of my wet clothes, into some warm dry ones and jumped into the heated car for the ride home

Seriously radical adventure..."