Hard Times on the Dragon Spine

H9 Fierce Dragon

Full Fury

Hard Times on the Dragon Spine

Well, well, well. Another calendar year is here with 2026, and I find myself repeating the same awesome mistakes I have continued to make over and over again. I found myself this amazing hard 200 Miler very few talk about or discuss in the realm of North America 200 milers, even though it maybe the hardest by the statistics and numbers. I signed up on the last day of registration - which of course means I am running it the following week. 

I read the following about the race description and the type of conditions:

...and with that I was convinced. Yup...do not follow me for typical race planning! 

Off I went to Northern Georgia for this stout challenge. I left my home in Texas and drove Sunday and broke it up with a car nap and finished up on Monday to arrive for check-in. I very casual check-in at the Group Lodge where I was greeted by a volunteer who helped me gather some shirt, a new mug, and some stickers - lots of neat swag. I drove back into town after to load up on a big dinner as my final pre-race preparations in civilization.

checked in at Vogal State Park, Blairsville, GA.

The race was set to begin on Tuesday morning with sunrise (08:00 est) at Vogal State Park just south of Blairsville, Georgia. A decent night of sleep in my car with only a couple of interruptions due to the cold temperatures. I choose to stay in my car instead of putting up the tent due to the cold (yeah, I am becoming less and less of a hardened Canadian as I age...or perhaps I am just getting soft overall). Did I ever mention I need to purchase a van -- I remind myself of this every time I go on one of these trips. 

With about 2 hours until the scheduled start I took in the remainder of my gear into the Group Lodge - which was going to be homebase for the next few days. I fully assumed control of the small corner of the big open room and arranged my sleeping pad, blankets, all my electronic cords, and my gear. I was settling in as best I could. With about 40 minutes to go or so my first fellow runner arrived. It was the infamous Walter Handloser whom was at the beginning steps of his year of 200s. If you have ever run a lot of 100 Milers or even 200 Milers, chances are you have run with or met Walt at some point in this niche ultrarunning community. He came into the lodge and sat down as he was ready and settled with his sprinter van (outside in the parking) as his homebase. We chatted for a bit as I continued to ready the last few things into my race vest for the first loop. The last of my peer competitors arrived in the last few minutes as well - Matthew Holappa and Mike Davis. We all introduced ourselves and like that the entire field of 4 runners were ready to take on the Full Fury of the Fierce Dragon.

The weather was looking pretty solid for the first 24 hours which we were going to need to take advantage of, since the forecast said that was unlikely to last. I had checked the weather one last time before tucking my phone into my vest. It confirmed what I had researched the night before, which was "clear sailing" for the first 24-26 hours before the temperature started to dip and potential precipitation came in on the second night.

LOOP 1

With literally 3 minutes to go before 08:00 am, Brad Goodridge (assistant RD) came over and informed us of the limited but well-marked course - basically only flagged at trail crossings and intersections. I recall him saying we could only get lost if we really tried, which in the end proved to be true since the route is very straight forward being a out & back with only 1 deviation: a pointless climb along the way (more on that later). Perry Sebastian, the Race Director, then called out 30 seconds in such a casual way and walked over and opened the door of the Group Lodge. The 4 of us runners followed him outside into the parking lot and with a simple message of good luck, he sent us off on our way with no fancy countdown, no actual start line, just an old school sendoff fit for this type of grassroots event.

The four of us then lined up in a row and walked along down the paved park road heading towards the trailhead at the far end of the campground area. There was very little actually running for a good while as we all chatted and got to know each other a bit more as we settled in. Matthew, whom was running this event for the 4th time (hunting for his third finish), took the lead once we got to the actual trails just a short distance away from the Group Lodge. We all trotted together slowly uphill on the trails still sharing stories, past ultras and events as we moved forward. Just over a mile into the race we crossed the road at Wolf Pen Gap where a volunteer was there to ensure we took the correct direction (this was one of the few intersections). Single file we continued on downhill slightly now as the trail began to flow on a little wider section. People started to shed some layers as the sun was peeking out between the trees and the hills behind us. It was going to be a beautiful day! Matthew has to make a pitstop, and Mike took over the lead as I followed behind him, next was Walter, and then Matthew was at the back once he started moving again. As the pace quicken slightly on the downhill segment were chatted a little less. This section of the course (Coosa Backcountry Trail) was somewhat enjoyable as it was this long gradual winding double-wide road/trail that eventually bottomed out near a creek and crossed West Wolf Creek Road before shooting straight back up the other side of the valley and continuing the Coosa Trail. I had taken the lead from Mike as we started to ascend again. I lead the pack as we trekked up steadily. There was only one questionable trail "fork" that could of went to the right (but did not look well-travelled), or to the left which was indeed the continuation of the main trail. I stopped here and waited to confirm with Matthew (the resident H9 expert) before continuing on, just to be sure. We did not need extra miles right off the start. After that I put my head down and just led the group upward again. With the warmth of the day starting and the buzz of the start of this multiday event my adrenaline was definitely flowing at this point. Sooner or later, I found myself looking back and realizing I was on my own. I was 3.98 Mi into the race once I knew this fact, as I recall looking at my watch and just mentally noted it. The Coosa Trail climb seemed to go on forever as the top of the mountain was looming in the distance above but never quite within reach. After crossing the trail intersection of the Calf Stomp Rd I knew it could not be too much further since the distance towards the declared AS distance was slowly being closed in on. The trail topped out at Coosa Bald 4,274 ft+ and I took a moment to enjoy the views and the sunshine - what an awesome time to be out on the trail!

Coosa Bald 4,274 ft+

A mere fraction of way into the race but I was on a high. I sent my wife a picture (the one above) and a message of my progress. Since a lot of the running of this route ended up being on the ridgeline, there ended up being cell service like 95%+ of the time (that was a nice bonus). Very shortly after Coosa Bald the trail joined the Ducan Ridge Trail (DRT) proper and maybe a mile from this point, mostly straight downhill I arrived at a small table set up at a crossroads. This was the first aid station: Fire Pit. Perry was there to greet us as we came through. He was unloading and setting up the area, prepping for the next few days of support to us and the other eventual distances. I don't think I even took anything during that first stop. I did stop and chat with Perry briefly as I passed through.

Day 1 was the warmest, but ice was still
present in the shady areas.

Continuing on the DRT passing over Buckeye Knob (3,733 ft+), Buck Knob (3,533 ft+), and West Wildcat Knob (3,526 ft+) and the trail bobbed and weaved among the trees following the natural contours of the mountains. This section became my favorite on the route only because it was the shortest segment of only 5 miles between the 2 aid stations. The second aid station was Mulky Gap located at another backroad intersection. I arrived and Brad the assitant RD was there still setting up this site. There was a small uHaul trailer and a simple table set out, but I could he was unloading all the supplies and getting this station set up just like the last one. Brad had water and Tailwind set out along with a couple of snacks for us on the table to ensure we had something to pick from. I opted for Tailwind to refill my flasks at this point and then proceeded to continue on. Glancing at my watch I was approximately two thirds of the way to the turnaround (assuming a nice even 20 Miles as advertised - but I was not falling for that round mileage just yet).

The day was nice and warm nearing the 50f mark in the sun and was near perfect running weather. There was little to no clouds at all in the sky from what I recall on this first day, it was just so nice to be out on this adventure in Northern Georgia. As I continued along the DRT, Brad had warned me of the next portion where I would need to follow the signs and get my bib punched, so I was on the look out for that to ensure I did not miss this on my first loop. About 1 mile from after the Mulky Gap AS I came up to the top of Akin Mountain where a slight clearing was which provided one of the few unobstructed views on the course. It happened to look back onto a lot of the route I had taken to get there so it was neat to take a minute and admire then trail from a distance. Coming down off this peak I continued on the DRT further and went up and down a couple more peaks Clements Mountain (3,490 ft+), Fish Knob (3,336 ft+), and High Top (3,293 ft+) before finally coming to the signs I was looking out for. The signs and markings were clear as this was the PEC (Pointless Elevation Change) as noted in the race description that I was warned about. Apparently the DRT used to go this way directly over this peak but it had to be rerouted a couple years ago, and since they wanted to ensure we didn't miss any elevation gain (?) he added the out & back bib punch...well just because (got to love ultrarunning!).

PEC (Pointless Elevation Change) | Payne Knob 3,412 ft+

I turned off the main trail and followed the well flagged PEC straight up Payne Knob and this very steep grade. It was nearly exactly half a mile up to the peak where the bib punch was, which meant it was about an exact 1-mile roundtrip on this PEC deviation. As I rejoined the DRT proper at the bottom again, I looked at the sign and confirmed that YES, I in fact that to do this PEC each way of the route every loop. This meant I had 10 Pointless Climbs in total to complete.

1/10 Pointless Climbs complete, only 9 more to go.

On the main Duncan Ridge Trail again I looked at my watch and knew it was around 2 miles to the turnaround. Coud this be true? Was it that close? Couple miles down the trail running on the side of the mountain it seemed with a never-flat footing I eventually came to a trail intersection flagged very well pointing me down the Benton MacKaye Trail. From here it was just over a mile, more or less straight down on windy trails. Finally, the road came into view after running in the tunnel of trees coming down the mountain. I had arrived at the turnaround and far end of the course at Skeenah Gap. My Garmin watch informed me that the outbound distance was about 23 Miles, so I knew the course was obviously going to be well over 200 Miles at this point, even though I was not only 10% progressed through my adventure. In my mind I would focus on loops, not the actual distance as there was no point to focus on these futile details like that.

Both Brad and Perry were there this time trekking up items from their vehicles to setup this aid station which was on a flat perch just above the Skeenah Gap Rd below. Had a very brief chat with them here as they gave me encouragement and greetings up to this point. I was on a blazing pace feeling good at right around 6 hours elapsed for this outbound portion of the course. I turned around to retrace my steps and return back to Vogel State Park. 

I can't recall exactly where but I passed Matthew, then Mike, and finally Walter on the inbound as they were making their way to the Skeenah turnaround. I climbed back up Payne Knob and completed my second Pointless Climb. Once I got to the clearing up back on Akin Mountain peak I took in the views again and grabbed a couple pictures on this first loop in the daylight.

Akin Mountain 3,533 ft+

view from Akin Mountain 3,533 ft+ looking back across to the Duncan Ridge Trail (DRT)

Passing through the 2 aid stations on the inbound they were both now unmanned, but they had drinks and snacks set out for us to grab. There was no/limited outside volunteers on the first couple days of our race but the Race Directors (Perry & Brad) were busy getting these various aid stations setup throughout the first 2 days and got more and more substantial every time we would come by, eventually being a full-on mini encampment safe havens from the wind and elements.

Leaving Fire Pit aid station on the inbound direction I ascended back upto the Coosa Bald peak and then started my final descent. The sun was setting and I did have to dig out my headlamp for the last bit of this first loop. The temperature started to drop quite fast as well now that sun had disappeared behind the mountains. Only a short while after I found the signs pointing down the "Road" section back. The course followed Calf Stomp Rd which was a double wide old jeep road winding along side of the mountain all the way down towards Wolf Gap. The race description warned us of this endless road, which certainly felt like it continued on the gradual descent never seeming to come to a conclusion. Finally, the rocky gravel road joined a small paved road which continued for maybe half a mile before returning me to Wolf Pen Gap which was just above the park. I knew I was close now to finishing my first full loop and being 20% complete.

Running through Vogel State Park in the darkness just sauntering along the park roads alone with no one around was a lonely excursion but very peaceful - right where I was supposed to be. I opened the door to the Group Lodge and came into the warmth after about 12.5 hours elapsed. I got my phone out and called my wife and kids to chat with them as I changed my clothes and ate some food. It was a nice brief dose of reality to check in with my kids before they went off to bed for night and me back into the darkness of the mountains. Overall, I was there for about 40 minutes before starting back out on my second loop. I put on my full lighting system, kogalla waist light and headlamp, as I prepared for a full night ahead. I layered up as it was slightly cooler now as well. My new plan was to finish off the next loop and then I'd lay down for a nap in my makeshift corner of a homebase in the Group Lodge. Based on my first loop timing I knew it would be well over 26 hours or so total before being able to get back. I equipped myself with some podcasts on my playlist queue and headed out.

Loop 1/5 = 20% Complete | 12:26:54 elapsed
My Garmin stats: ~44 Mi & ~11,750 ft+

LOOP 2

Leaving the park after the mile of park roads and back into the engulfing darkness of the mountains. My momentum was still on a high at this point having the feeling on just finishing off a complete loop, only 4 more to go...eeek! It was going to be a long few day(s). The fist full night was fairly pleasant and free of the sleep depravations demons that eventually show up in these multiday ultras. I was still moving well and determined to keep my pace up best I could while feeling well early on. I listened to my podcasts which occupied from mind as I navigated the steep terrain now in adverse conditions of night versus the prior daylight when I had seen these trails prior. 

I not sure I passed anyone here as the first 6 miles of the trail is where the course deviates before rejoining near Coosa Bald peak. I don't recall on this loop if I met my fellow runners here or not. I pressed forward through the aid stations, which were still unmanned at this point but much more set up and substantiable than the first loop. Passing through the Mulky Gap and the Pointless Climb (again) my focus was on getting to the far end turnaround point of Skeenah aid station. This run "down" to this point on the course seemed like the loneliest and that you were in the middle of nowhere.

The biggest thing I recall about loop 2 was that the wind started to pick up and was now whipping especially up high on the ridges. I wore a couple of long sleeves and my rain jacket to help deflect the elements. I stayed alert throughout the night and eventually the sunrise was here. I got the nice boost of the circadian rhythm alertness from the new daylight. I finished off loop 2 in the daylight of the morning coming in around 29.5 hours total elapsed time. Loop 2 took me near exact 16 hours roundtrip this time, which meant it was just after 13:00 local time by the time I arrived back at the Group Lodge. Nancy the main Start/Finish volunteer was there to greet me and ensure I had everything I needed as she assisted in getting me some warm food and sustenance before I laid down for my planned nap. I slept for a nice solid 82 minutes.

Loop 2/5 = 40% Complete | 16:19:41 loop2 time | 29:26:55 elapsed

LOOP 3

After this refreshing break I awoke naturally and got up to eat some more food, assisted by Nancy who was there at the Group Lodge still. She made me a fresh burger which definitely hit the spot! (It was the first of many burgers in the next couple days). I gathered up my remaining gear and packed extra layers as a storm was scheduled to come in starting during this night bringing along with it lower temperatures as well. I sent another text to my family letting them my progress and then got ready for another full night.

As I set off into the light misty rain and passed Matthew coming into Vogal Park right as I was leaving, right near the Wolf Pen Gap road crossing. We had a brief hello and words of encouragement to each other. Only a couple hours of daylight persisted on the start of my third loop before the sunset became a reality. The trails were dark and peaceful out there as it was still only us 4 runners taking up the entirety of this DRT section. (I don't recall ever even seeing another hiker or trail user out there at all). At some point the weather had turned for the worse and the storm was rolling in and brought heavier rain, which turned to snow on the higher peaks. The wind was really whipping as well, which caused most of the chill. As long as you kept moving it was not too bad overall as the wind persisted and was bad more in the gaps and between the mountains. 

Loop 3 seemed really lonely in my mind as I had passed the other runners and was on my own outbound journey to the far end of Skeenah Gap to the small empty tent of an aid station at the bottom of that long hill. It was cold and dark and there was nothing out there but me, myself, and I. Pressing on I persisted and turned around and headed back towards Vogal State Park yet again. Technically I was now halfway complete the Full Fury. At least I felt accomplished in this point. One of my water bottles had frozen up on the underside of the lid, yeah it was that cold out, but at least I was not needing alot of hydration in the colder temperatures (besides my other bottle was still good at that point).

Overnight rain turned to snow on night#2.

This loop dragged on and seemed to progress slowly but I was still moving forward the entire time. I took some time at the aid stops on the inbound miles which I hadn't done too much at this point. I was utilizing these points as true rest points between my progress now at this point in the race. Daylight was coming again so I just wanted to keep moving and get back for my next nap. I had planned to nap now at each loop which should give me enough cumulative rest (based on my prior 200+ experience) to complete the event efficiently.

It was mid-morning when I finished off Loop 3. I was now officially on the "downhill" side of the event with only 2 loops remaining.

Loop 3/5 = 60% Complete | 18:27:54 loop3 time | 50:27:00 elapsed

LOOP 4

My nap after loop 3 turned out to be 85 minutes, again waking naturally. Somehow, I've done enough of these mid-race ultra naps that my body knows to get up after one RE cycle of sleep (~90 minutes). For me this works best, so I don't even set an alarm anymore. I simply press start on my stopwatch and then track my total time resting by stopping it once I get up (this is why I reference nap times down to the minute). I ate another awesome hamburger made by Nancy after I had gotten up along with a small cup of coffee and some coke, along with some other bars and snacks they had. I had my fill and was ready to go again.

With a little more daylight on my side for the start of loop 4 I felt a renewed sense of optimism heading out. Since the prior night was so cold and windy I packed for the worst again assuming I'd have to layer up fully. The temperature in the daytime was not even getting that warm anymore, but at least it was above freezing (32f). Passing through the 2 aid stations I made decent stops again and got some warm food and chatted with the volunteers. There was now different shifts of volunteers covering all the aid stations in preparation for the other distances that would be joining the festivities. Each aid station also was now fully built up and fully tented in with heaters, chairs, and propane stoves to make up various warm foods for the runners. I was starting to enjoy a warm cup of ramen noodles or a burger at almost every aid station now to try and keep the calories pouring in. I was alone in the dark and trying to keep myself awake, so when I came upon the Pointless Climb for the now 7th time I left my race vest at the bottom and carried my bib up with me. To keep my mind sharp and occupied I took the opportunity on the climb up to rearrange and reflag all the flags that had been knocked over and were hidden off to the side. This concentration on this small side task kept me busy as I made the climb. It seemed to work as I no longer felt like I was sleepwalking like I had been just prior. Just one more of the little tricks I've learned over the course of many multiday ultras.

One of many AS made-to-order burgers. Yum!

Coming down the PEC and back onto the Duncan Ridge Trail and onto the far end of the course to try and reach that lonely pointy end of Skeenah Gap aid station. This time the tent was no longer an empty desolate place, but had a couple volunteers there, including photographer Pete Schreier. So it was nice to sit down, get another fresh burger, a full can of LMNT (cherry lime !), and share some conversation with humans again. It was sometime in the middle of the night again...I had lost track of time, but I just know I still had 1.5 loops to go. Heading back from Skeenah the sleep demons were chasing me the whole way. I was just trying to get back where I could then focus a dedicated sleep again at the Group Lodge. I passed back through Mulky Gap AS inbound and that is where I met Walter (coming outbound). We were sitting and chatting inside the warm tent area awaiting warm food and such and I just realized I needed sleep as he was talking I started to doze off. So after Walt got up and headed on his way, I opted for a quick chair nap there in the aid station just sitting with a blanket on me. I closed my eyes set my iPhone stopwatch and next thing I knew it said 42 minutes once I came to - man, guess I really was tired. This unplanned sleep got me the boost I needed to get back and finish off the loop. I did finally pass a couple of the 100 Mi/100 km runners whom we just starting their 2nd loops as I was coming in from the last aid station heading back.

Arriving back at the Group Lodge for the finish of my 4th loop I decided to stick to my plan and maintain my planned sleep again here. I lied down and slept for another solid 84 minutes this time.

My little corner of the Group Lodge.

My sleep setup in the Group Lodge.

Loop 4/5 = 80% Complete | 19:57:49 loop4 time | 73:03:18 elapsed

LOOP 5

With now four out of five loops complete the sense of accomplishment was there, but the job was not done yet. I still had to log in more than 60 mountainous km's before I could call myself a H9 finisher. It had also already been more than 3 days elapsed (73 hrs+) so it was hard mentally a little bit as this was going to be one of my longer 200-ish efforts. I knew at this point I'd be around 93-ish+ hours for the complete effort based on my current pace and last loop time.

With daybreak upon me after my nap I felt another fresh sense of adrenaline even if my body was not fully ready. So much of these long ultras is to convince your body that were still doing this and just to press on, sooner or later your legs fall into line if you mind is on track for forward progress - which is why that end goal is really the only thing we need to focus on and will into fortition. Seeing yourself finishing these hard events, and eventually you will find yourself doing just such things.

I don't even recall a lot of things that occurred on my final loop. I know that it was a nice sunny day when I started and my mind was in a good place (as noted above) so I kept moving forward, albeit slowly at this point. Eventually I passed Walter & Mike somewhere along the way as I was outbound and they were both on their inbound miles to finish off their 4th loops. Getting all the way to Skeenah for the final time felt like a huge accomplishment. Now it was just a simple 21 Mi-ish long run back to Vogel State Park. 

I felt like I was simply running burger-to-burger at this point getting one at each chance I could at the various aid stops. Around Mulky Gap or so rain started to fall, as mother nature wanted to ensure my finish was not too easy of jaunt in. The ambiant temperature dropped below freezing again and the rain turned into heavy wet snow up on the high points of the course. This time the rocks and terrain was actually made a little bit slippery so my pace slowed considerably as I planted and intentionally placed my feet especially heading downhill. I did not want to slip at this point. I did encounter a couple of the other runners (most likely 100 Mi) & their pacers(?) as well. I simply gave a wave and nod as we passed since everyone was just moving forward to get through the rain/snow progressing the best they could. After the very last aid station, at Fire Pit AS, the volunteers told me Mike David was about 30 minutes ahead of me, so there was a chance I could catch him before getting back. That was not my goal but once I got to the final road section (Calf Stomp Rd) and turned down this route I noticed a headlamp bobbing ahead of me in the distance. I caught up to Mike in the rain which was steadily dripping down now at this point. I came up on him and started to chat. He was clearly in a sleep deprived mode finishing off his 4th loop at this point. I recall it being around 05:30 in the morning when we were running side by side down this never-ending rocky, rutty road. I could tell Mike was not quite to keeping up with me even after we chatted for about 10 minutes. I'll sure I helped him wake up a little, but I was being called by the finish and so my adrenaline was starting to surge. I wished Mike luck and told him I'd see him back at the Lodge. He wished me luck back and gave me early congratulations. 

Sunlight was barley starting to make an entrance into the day yet, but signs of it appeared behind the mountains. Official sunrise was around 07:50 and I was coming into the State Park roads around 06:30 and finished before 07:00. The rain continued to slowly pepper me as I trotted into the finish round the last gradual turn before I could see the Group Lodge. No fan fair, no official line, I came up to the Lodge opened the door and walked in and stopped my Garmin. There was a small gaggle of ultrarunners forming as the last event (the 40 Mi) was about to start at 08:00 so they were all gathering, checking in, and prepping. Nancy Lewis the aid station head volunteer then recognized I had arrived admits the other runners and came directly over to hug me and congratulate me. Naturally she was offering me all the food fixings right away as well. I had to turn that down for the immediate time as my priority resided in getting out of my wet layers and into something dry and maybe more importantly simply get off my feet.

Loop 5/5 = 100% Complete | 19:13:07 loop5 time | 94:41:13 elapsed

Perry was there as well getting the last event off, but he came over and shake my hand and made sure everything was ok on my side. Once the other runners got sent off Perry came over and chatted a bit more and ensure I had gotten my finishing swag: a nice hand-made jug, hand-welded H9 plaque, and a 200 Mi custom print. We took a couple finisher photos as well at this point.

Me with RD Perry Sebastian after finishing 2026 Fierce Dragon (H9). 

H9 FINAL THOUGHTS

The Dragon is Fierce indeed!

Grassroots: This event is one of those lesser-known niche events, but if you are a true 200 Miler adventure seeker this might be one to put on your list. It is possibly one of the (if not THE) hardest 200+ Miler in North America. The only other one comparable in stats I can find is of the course the grad daddy of 200s (TdG: 208 Mi, 85-90k ft+). I am sure there are others, perhaps in Europe, but none that I personally know of. 

Distance: This course is closer to 235 Mi which is (~47 Mi per loop). Overall my Garmin settled right around this mark. I know that Walt's distance was 231 Mi I think I recall, and not yet been able to confirm or find Matthew's activity. However based on some of the talks of prior years the race ranges between 230-245 Miles.

Sleep: In retrospect the start finish Group Lodge was really the only spot to get a proper dedicated sleep since it is easy to have a sleep pad/bag etc right in the Group Lodge itself (like I did), or in a support van (like Walt), or even if you are staying in the campground cabins (like Matthew). Otherwise, you rely on the mercy of the aid stations where it is noisy with generators and elements like the wind could very easily disrupt proper rest. But as most people may know in the 200-niche, sometimes you don't have a choice of where you choose/get to sleep.

Vogel State Park Group Lodge.

Fellow Runners: 

• Matthew Holappa- Wow! A now 3-time finisher of the Fierce Dragon. Truly incredible once you understand the course and weather conditions out there.
• Walter Handloser- Congratulations on your 2nd 200(+) already in 2026 and best of luck on your continued success on your "year of 200s"
• Mike Davis- very valiant effort sir. Well done on completing 80% of the course and probably logging close to 200 Miles anyway.

RESULTS BY THE NUMBERS

• Distance: 237.56 Mi (382.31 km) 
• Elevation: 60,656 ft+ (18,488 m+) a mere double-Everest!
• 1st overall
• Total Sleep Time: 4h 53m (5.16% of my total race time)
• 82m nap (~94 Mi after loop2) at the start/finish Group Lodge AS
• 85m nap (~141 Mi after loop3) at the start/finish Group Lodge AS
• 42m chair nap (~177 Mi) at Mulky Gap AS inbound loop3
• 84m nap (~188 Mi after loop4) at the start/finish Group Lodge AS
• Total Aid Station "stopped time": 8h 16m (8.73% of my total race time)
• This was my 131st ultramarathon run, my 10th 200 Mi(+) and my 49th 100Mi(+) completed.
• My STRAVA: H9 Fierce Dragon 200 (1st overall), Blairsville, GA | Run | Strava
• HAE Results: Fierce Dragon
• UltraSignup: 2026 Fierce Dragon (H9) 200 Miler - Results

My own data analysis based on my Garmin recorded stats.

Finishers feet.

GEAR

• Jackets- rabbit Treeline rain jacket (rabbitELITEtrail team kit), rabbit Let ‘er Zip
• Gloves- BOCO/rabbit, The North Face The Apex
• Lighting setup- kogalla RA Adventure Light (waistlamp) & Nathan Sports Halo Fire (headlamp)
• LS Shirt(s)- rabbit LS (rabbitELITEtrail team kit), rabbit Layer One (rabbitELITEtrail team kit), rabbit UPF 30 Deflector (hood)
• Shorts- rabbit 5" shredders 2-in-1 trail
• Pants- rabbit Runners (rabbitELITEtrail team kit)
• Headwear- rabbit/rnnr (rabbitELITEtrail team kit), BOCO/rabbit beenie
• Eyewear- goodr
• Shoes- rabbit High Country (rabbitELITEtrail edition)
• Socks- injinji (5 pairs - one each loop)
• Hydration- NATHAN Trailmix 12L race pack with x2 20oz soft flasks
• Anti-Friction Lube- Squirrels Nut Butter
• Foot Tape- Trail Toes
• GPS tracker- provided by the event
• Watch- Garmin fēnix® 6X - Pro Solar Edition
• Cell Phone- apple iPhone 16e (also with Gaia GPS app)
• Gear Bags- Victory Sportdesign (Grizzly Backpack)

Enjoying some nice warm coffee back home in TX out of my new hard-earned mug!

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Thanks for reading my race recap & learning about H9.

Next up: Rocky Raccoon (t.b.d.??? 2026-Feb-07), High Lonesome 100 (2026-Jul-17)

The Four Amigos of SS200

The Four Amigos

Southern States 200 (aka THE PINHOTI 200) | Ultramarathon #123

Prerace

Typical Monday of some work, walking to pick the kids up from school late afternoon, and sitting down for a nice family dinner. Then I left Texas later that night, in which I thought I had left myself a lot of spare time to get across the states heading East over to Alabama. I had to arrive at Cheaha State Park, which is the finish line of the race, by noon on Tuesday. This was in order to catch the race shuttle service I booked to get back to the start area where the host hotel and registration check-in was occurring, which was a bit further Northeast in Dalton, Georgia. Overall the 11 hours of driving time was achieved with a couple sleep stops at highway rest stops along the way. I did arrive at Cheaha State Park with about 1.75 hours prior to the scheduled shuttle pickup. This gave me some time to get out stretch and enjoy the sun and views on “Top of Alabama” (fact: Cheaha State Park is the high point in the state at ~2,100 ft+). After walking around for a bit I reflexively put on my running sandals (Luna) and headed out for further exploration on a short little run within the park trail system. Feeling refreshed and getting the blood flow into my legs again I can back to my car and started gathering my gear. I also said hi to a few other fellow participants that were there and arriving to park their vehicles as well for the shuttle ride. My main purpose now was to double and triple check I had everything I needed. I was taking NOTHING extra with me, and thus everything (including what I was wearing) was my race kit. This being said I did not have plans on utilizing any drop bags so thus the meticulous intention of ensuring I had everything with me – if I forgot it in my car, well that is where it would be until I finished the run. Packing and unpacking and then repacking my hydration vest out of the trunk of my car in the parking lot, I probably looked like an over-medicated OCD-type person as more than a casual easy-going ultrarunner about to partake in a multiday journey. But heh, this is where my obsessive nature helped me, I really needed to ensure I have my gear to be safe and warm enough for up to four full days. Finally I was ready and simply sat in my folding chair at the back of my car and put my feet up just soaking in the Alabama sunshine as it was a beautiful day out. Eventually some of the volunteers team showed up with two van shuttles and a pickup truck & trailer. All the runners gathered around with anticipation and piled their bags into the trailer. A short roll call was done, so the event team could see showed up whom actually booked the shuttles. All of the participants found themselves a seat in one of the two Ford Transit vans. As a self-identifying introvert I picked one of single seat options that was open. The van doors closed and soon we headed out and were travelling Northeast into Georgia. It only took maybe 15 minutes into the drive and I was out sleeping. The long drive really did take it out of me, so it was nice just to relax and not worry about anything at this point. About three hours later we pulled up to our host hotel The Fairfield in Dalton, Georgia. Everyone poured out of the van and tracked down their luggage as I waked in to check in to my room. Once that step was done, I lined up in the lobby for my race check in from the volunteers. I received a nice SS200 dry bag, a cotton SS shirt, as well as a technical LS shirt. With everything now settled I headed up to my hotel room.

Pre-run shakeout at Cheaha State Park before my shuttle pickup. Mar-18.

Hopping into one of the Ford Transit shuttle vans that would take us from Cheaha State Park, AL back to the start area in Dalton, GA.

I took off my laid out my hydration vest, because that was all that I had. Except that since I did not have any other luggage/drop bags with me I had to open my newly acquired dry bag package and place my new shirts in there and label this “drop bag” for the finish line so it would be waiting for me at the end – problem solved. Next, I tied up my brand new Altra running shoes and looked up where to go for some dinner. I settled on Chipotle as it was not too far away. A quick jog over and order myself a nice large burrito and what do I see but some fellow runners from the shuttles. I gabbed my food and sat down with them for a bit as we ate and chatted small talk about the upcoming adventure. A couple more fellow participants came in and joined the table. After finishing my delicious burrito and chips I got up and continued my round about run back to the hotel finishing off the day. A nice warm shower and cleaning up I crawled into bed and called my kids back home. It was nice to chat one more time before the race, and they had school in the morning I would not get to talk to them until the finish. After my phone call with my wife and kids I was able to find the Edmonton Oilers (my favorite team) hockey game on tv to watch and fall asleep to. 

Race Day

My obligatory pre-race selfie at the start arch | Dalton, GA.

Before I knew it, I awoke in the hotel room and it was now race day. A pre-race sleep in an actual bed was an excellent change to my usual pre-race car sleep I am accustomed to for my ultras. My Garmin said I got a nice lengthy  9h32m and a “GOOD quality” sleep score of 88, which is decently high. I felt good after that rest from the long travels to get to this point. At 09:00 I wandered down to the lobby and had my fill of the complimentary breakfast and coffee. Packed up the remaining charger cords and tucked everything away in its place in my NATHAN hydration vest. Now 10:00 was here so back down to the lobby to catch the shuttle vans over the few short miles over to the Mill Creek Start area. The start area was already buzzing with activity. People parked all over the side of the road in this small road junction parking area with their kitted out vans you normally see at these races. Family, friends, crew, and of course the runners made the area seem like a small busy super market outside this little tiny town hall type building where the last minute bib check-ins were. Outside near the starting arch was a table with 2 distinct lines formed, one for the gear check in, and the second for the GPS spot tracker assignment. I waited my turn and moved through the lines and with the spot tracker now attached to my hydration vest I had completed the final steps before the actual start of the race. Now to simply sit and chill for a bit. At 11:40 the Event Director called everyone into the building for the race briefing. This was a small intimate setting as all the runners and some extra people all bunched in the building. No new information was passed out (that I am aware of) that was not already in the race manual, but you never know in these events so always need to pay attention to last minute announcements. I guess he did pass on the information of some “false” flagging that was forest service and similar to the races, but to ensure to not follow those ones. With the briefing over the runners all filed out of the building and started gathering under the start arch. 5 minutes to go…. Everyone had those nervous and excited vibes all at once. As a veteran of the 200+ distance I was more calm and simply ready to get going and start the journey. Deep down I was excited for the trails and view that were to come as it was going to be an all-new adventure for me. That is one of the reasons I love these races.

Start (the first couple segments)

Front running with Coree Woltering (0.0 Mi)
Schreiner Trail Photography, Pete Schreiner

The countdown was on, friends & crew lining the road on the way out of the arch, and then BANG! The gun was fired off as the start of our 200 plus mile journey all the way to Mount Cheaha in Alabama had now began. I took off in the front with Coree Woltering as the two of us jogged down the road together chatting away. It had been awhile since I had been in a race with Coree, perhaps since Cocodona in 2021? We were former teammates of rabbit ELITE trail team a few years back for a season. I learned that sponsored elite runners were just like the rest of us as Coree had just signed up for this race the day before (I have been known to do this…a lot…just ask my wife). Just a short while down the road we deviated onto a the gravel portion of the road and then finally onto double wide trail – the Pinhoti Trail. Coree and I were then joined up by James Ebert who caught up to us. He joined in and kept the pace up as we alternated leading the pack of 3. I fell to the back and followed Coree & James for the first 7 miles or so of the run before falling back to my own pace. They were going a little to fast for my personal liking on this multiday adventure, especially on the uphill, as my poor little Houston flatland legs could not quite keep the pace. At this point the Pinhoti Trail was taking us up along ridgelines among the trees. The wind was whipping higher up on the ridges, but the views through the trees provided some great inspirational scenery. I was now running by myself, a familiar spot in these types of races, just after an hour after starting out. My pace was still quite brisk considering I had another 190 miles or so to go but it felt good and running through the singletrack in the trees was truly blissful feeling.

Pinhoti Trail views in Georgia on day1.

As I was coming around to that 3 hour running mark and nearing in on the first aid station I believe I was passed by maybe 2 more runners in that time somewhere along the way. I could not be bothered yet as I was trying to settle into my own 3-day pace. The aid station was a nice sight as it signified some good course progress in my mind, as the first segment was 16.2 Mi with a decent 2,400 ft gain. I loaded up on some calories and snacks and downed some Coca-Cola. Onward we go as the temperatures were slowly rising in the afternoon.

Keown Falls Trail (20 Mi)

About 20 Mi in the flagging (& confirmed by my .gpx file) took us onto the Keown Falls Trail for one of the short deviations off the actual Pinhoti Trail. This trail winded up a small creek and took us under and then above these cool waterfalls and rock formations – it was worth the short detour just for the views alone. It was here I was caught from behind by another runner, Jeremy Couch, whom I latched on with and we stuck together for a bit. I was dipping my hat in the water falling from the rocks and filled up my water filter bottle with some cold creek water. I followed Jeremy and continued on. He gave me some insight on the first segments we were running as he told me about last year when he attempted the race as well. The two of us ending up leap-frogging each other for the next couple segments. Even as a self-described loner ultrarunner it is nice to team up and run with people once in a while in these long ultramarathons as it often helps make the time seem to go by quicker. I recall passing through the second aid station together that that up on this semi-open plateau with some incredible views. After filling my bottles I walked over to the viewing platform and took a selfie off the outlook. Pete Schreiner, the race photographer was there shooting as well. I recall taking off just ahead of Jeremey here as he was fixing something with his feet I recall. The trail took off downhill from the aid station which was a nice change from the uphill we were just doing. The following miles were great flowy trails and there was even a few creek crossings. Jeremey had warned me about one of these in particular he had vivid recollection from the year prior. There was quite a few crossings overall, just infrequent enough where your feet & socks seemed to almost be fully dried out then another crossing would present itself on the trail. Once in a while these would have the ability to rock-hop your way across, but most of them were no way around getting at least ankle deep in cold mountain water. Right before the full onset of darkness I came around the corner of the singletrack and my waistlamp caught a flash of something on the side of the trail. To my surprise Coree Woltering was there lying down taking a dirt nap. I was a little confused but I did not disturb him since he eyes were closed and he looked out: resting (he is super experienced in long-distance FKTs and adventures so I did not worry about his wellbeing, knowing he’d be ok). My only guess was the heat got to him, which I later found out, was in fact the case. That first day sneaky heat was very draining for a lot of runners in my opinion. I personally felt dehydrated as well, but just tried to down as much as possible to catch back up as the sun was going down. 

taking in the views at AS2 John's Mountain Overlook (25.9 Mi) | Schreiner Trail Photography, Pete Schreiner

arriving at AS2 John's Mountain Overlook (25.9 Mi)
Schreiner Trail Photography, Pete Schreiner

Near the end of the second segment nearing the third aid station Jeremey caught back up as we came into the aid station now with all our lights fully on as it was well into darkness at this point. There was a couple other runners already in there refueling away and getting crew assistance, as well as the first 2 females came into the aid right behind us as well. One of the Race Directors came up to me with the video camera for th livestream while I was sitting there waiting for my burger to be cooked and asked me about the stream crossing we just came through. I gave a quick blurb for the video, then got to down my delicious home cooked aid station cheeseburger (the first of many during this race). The night was young at this point but we were just getting started being about 9.5 hours into the adventure. 

refueling at AS3 Dry Creek Trailhead (39.8 Mi) | Schreiner Trail Photography, Pete Schreiner

Chasing Women

The 2 females that came into the aid right behind Jeremey & I actually turned around quicker than us and were about to head back out on the trail. I used this as motivation and got up to go with them and follow along. Jeremey was right with me as well. So there was a mini group of the 4 of us now running out from Dry Creek Trailhead aid station onto this segment of the course. Ashlie Ithurburn, the previous years SS200 female champion, hung back with Jeremey and I as we let the other go ahead slightly. Ashlie confided in us that she did not want to run along side her anymore and wanted to run her own race at this early point into the run, so she hung out with us, more or less dragging us along. For the next 20 miles or so I ran chasing Ashlie as she kept up this decent pace that moved us along very well during these night time hours. The second deviation from the Pinhoti trail during this race occurred somewhere here as well, with a long detour south on some equestrian trails that made a big loop down and back up again reconnecting to the Pinhoti eventually. It was important in this section to watch the flagging and follow your .gpx as it was one of the only portion where a lot of extra trail intersection were present. 

refueling at AS6 High Point Trailhead (69.4 Mi) | Schreiner Trail Photography, Pete Schreiner

not taking myself too seriously, enjoying the run (70 Mi)
Schreiner Trail Photography, Pete Schreiner

Ashlie was moving very efficiently and kept my driving forward as I chased her along. Without her to follow I would probably been running a lot slower by myself at this point. Eventually Ashlie’s pace outmatched mine and she drifted a gap in front of me, but I did not push at this point and was more focused on maintaining my own run and was planning my first rest stop. I don’t recall the exact time of night but I came into the first aid station with sleep setups very early in the morning. This was the High Point Trailhead aid station in Georgia which was a small parking lot on the side of a main road. I came in here alone, but the other female Stacy we had been following was also in there with her husband/crew. It appeared she was getting ready to rest as well, which I had made up my mind that is exactly what I was going to do. I had also been bothered slightly on my right heel with a hotspot that had been forming, so was going to tend to that here as well. I got some food, then took my shoes and socks off and went over to the adjacent sleep tent and laid down on the mat covered ground and grabbed a couple sleeping bags for warmth. I set my timer for 1 hour (I think?) and drifted off quite quickly. I awoke with 9 minutes left on my timer, so had gotten 51 minutes of sleep time here at my first full rest stop about 110 km (69.4 Miles) into the race on night one. I awoke and shivered and hobbled my way back over from the sleeping tent to the main aid tent where I got some warm food and had one of the awesome volunteers assist me with me with my right heel. They magically help craft a moleskin to fit around my hotspot area and secured it in place with some athletic tape. I then put on my only pair of spare dry socks and got ready to head back out. The other lady runner, Stacy, was just heading out at this time as well so he left the aid station at the same time following the Pinhoti Trail along side the road on which what I latter deemed the worst part of the route. It was super chilly, like 30f or so, but the sun was just about to rise as it was nearly daylight again. Just a couple rolling miles and then the trail turned into a full blown rail trail adjacent to the roadway. It went on for a full half-marathon of miles like this simply parallelling the road and slowly winding along, no major grades, and no major turns a true rail trail indeed! I tried to keep up with the female runner but she just seemed to be moving ever so slightly faster than me. Due to the flatness of the trail I was able to see her in my sights for long portions ahead of me at a time and use it as a carrot to keep moving and stay with her. Finally, the segment ended with a pavement segment that led into the Huffaker Rd aid station. 

one of many home-cooked cheeseburger I had along this run | day2.

It was not as warm as yesterday and the wind was fairly steady at this point in the morning. I sat down in the tent and had caught back up to the female runner, Stacy, as she was refueling there as well. I got another cheeseburger and then another came into the wind-whipped tent. It was Coree Woltering, he had come back and caught back up. We chatted briefly as we ate and he said he was feeling much better after what I had suspected of his night one dehydration experience. I finished off my burger and asked for one more to go as I rearranged my pack after changing from my jacket into a long sleeve only to make me a little more comfortable in the day hours. I took my second burger and packed my other pockets with snacks and headed out. The Huffaker Rd to Cave Spring segment was a full 17.2 Miles of nothing but roads (which is in fact the route of the Pinhoti Trail). As I noted earlier this section sucked looking back! Overall this middle section was just over 30 miles of pure flat boringness in the middle of the 200+ miles run. As I trotted along the road I treated myself to some podcasts (which I rarely do in races). I figured I needed it for these sections to distract me from the constant traffic noise and just to keep me distracted a little for this long paved portion. It gave me eerie vibes of running Tour de los Tejas again. Not too far down the road I was slowly job-walking and all of a sudden I could hear footsteps coming up on me and sure enough Coree was in a nice smooth running form as he cruised on by and just kept in his flow. I did not even dare hang with him as my legs were very heavy at this point and I was alternating with a lot of walk breaks to keep making progress. Another runner caught and passed me too on this section further down. I had no idea where I sat in the race but I felt myself slipping back in terms of overall pace. I did not let it deter me though as I have been through enough of these now to know I just have to push forward and make progress no matter how slow it seems at the time (but man did it ever feel slow at the time!). After what seemed like hours I came into the town of Cave Spring where the next aid stop was. The wind was really howling now and the chance of warmth had all but faded completely for this day. I sat down and ordered yet another home cooked cheeseburger – my usual at this point – which provided great sustenance fuel. Here I had a couple runners come in behind me and it was the one runner from the pre-race dinner at Chipotle he recognized me and came over and gave me a fist bump, it was Iain Jones and he was with Chris Roche (more on these guys later). They came in and were immediately preparing for a sleep here. I was trying not to linger too long as to get chilly sitting there now approaching 30 hours into this race at essentially the halfway distance point. Only 100 Miles to go.

Crossing into Alabama on the Pinhoti Trail (115.90 Mi).

I got up and reluctantly left Cave Spring following the pavement out of town for another 2.5 miles before we were gifted with finally getting back off the road and onto true trails again. Greetings from progress was also here as there was a sign pointing down the Pinhoti towards “Alabama” state line. It is always a great measure of success when you can cross state lines during a long race like this. Looking back I crossed over the GA/AL state line after completing 115.90 Mi (186.52 km). I was getting sleepy again so I planned on another stop at the next sleep station. I arrived into High Point Trailhead in Alabama where the volunteers there has another warming sleep tent set up. I opted for a longer rest and got my feet up and curled up with a couple sleeping bags again, this time aiming for a 1.5 hour sleep time. Again I awoke slightly before my alarm getting in a solid 80 minutes by the time I opened my eyes. I got up ate some pancakes and fueled up as I tried to stay warm. It was cold, dark, and super early (or late) into the morning, like 03:00 or so when I finally started moving again. I headed out on my own all bundled up for the couple cold hours to go before sunrise again. I travelled this 7.6 Mi segment alone to the next aid station where I met up with the trio of Iain Jones, Chris Roche, and Callan Hasling. This is where the Four Amigos journey began with only 70 Miles to go.

first light Mar-19th (139 Mi).

taken around the  South Fork Terrapin Creek (140 Mi).

I tagged along as Iain encouraged me to join the group and run with them. At this time it was super cold again, although not quite in the low 30s but still not warm. Initially I was hesitant to run with a group but honestly the company was nice at this point. The group dynamics would work out nice to as it seemed to me at least we were all introverts of some degree since there was not a ton of chatter going on and it was more about just being in the presence of others sharing the common journey and goal of getting to Cheaha State Park. It was my kind of group if I do say so. As the trail continued on the Pinhoti came down into the South Fork Terrapin Creek area which had a mini natural dam type structure we ran over and the reservoir on our left hand side. I recall snapping a picture here then crossing over the final portion of the dam that was in the shade. I recall this since the grass was still frosted and hard from the freeze the night before. We then continued on back into the sunshine along the bank of the other side and starting climbing our way out of this little valley. Not far up the climb everyone seemed to have the same thoughts as we stopped and delayered as the sun was now beating down through the trees. Without saying too much we all simply just waited for each other to be ready before continuing on, it went without be spoken almost. I did not realize at the time but these three had already been pulling each other along for about 30 Miles or more at tis point, and I just kind of slipped into the group by happenstance. As we continued on the segment finally ended at Hilltop Trail (CR 500) which was 143 Mile completed at this point. We all sat down and refueled and filled up our fluids. Once all four amigos were ready we set off again.

3 of the amigos: (L to R) Callan, myself, Chris | photo: Iain Jones

This was now the third and final deviation off the actual Pinhoti Trail itself in the entire Southern States 200 route. The four of us set off working as one group making very small chat as we went, but not a lot overall. As the day started to grow I felt a renewed sense of energy myself and so I kept up the pace slightly on the next section working towards Coleman Lake. I was not alone; in fact I was chasing Callan as he was setting the pace in general for this portion. I remember following Callan into the Lake Campground aid station, know that both Iain and Chris were not that far behind overall. I arrived at the campground aid station and checked in as I ordered yet another cheeseburger. I had a nice friendly face come over and say hi to me, as it was Martin Schneekloth (@ultrakraut) who was there hanging out volunteering waiting for his runner to come in to be paced for the last portion of the run. I follow Martin and know of him from some previous 100s we ran in years back. 

After some more cheeseburger happiness I took off from the aid station with a renewed energy. The rest of the amigos opted for a 30 minute nap so I decided to continue on as I was feeling ok at this point. I thought it was the right decision since I still had daylight as it was only around 16:00 which meant I could keep going now in the day hours then rest a bit next after darkness came. I made the next 14.6 Mi section to Highrock (FR-531) a solo journey. By the end of that I was sleep wobbling and having the mini sleeps on my feet. I knew I needed some shuteye again soon. Once I arrived at Highrock aid station I did just that, I got a good 40 minutes recharge here (my third sleep session thus far).

As I came around awake again and prepped to being ready to go, to my surprise my fellow amigos (Iain, Chris, and Callan) were all there now at the aid station with me. So I got layered up and warm again and jumped in as we were once again the Four Amigos heading out together into the night. Iain seemed to be always in the lead of our mini group. I called him the perpetual pacer as he seemed to never really be going super-fast, but never slow either. He had a good hiking pace that just kept the group moving at that sub 3-day pace target. Chris was quiet and most kept in the back ensuring all of us were maintaining the pace set by Iain in front. I often found myself in the second or third position either behind or right in front of Callan during these sections we all ran together. Every once in awhile I found myself drifting off the pace and would fall to the back of the group. Luckily I had them because otherwise I’d probably just sleepwalked it in, or crashed for extra dirt naps, but hanging on to the amigos and keeping up motivated me every time I fell back to run harder to catch back up and stay in line with the group.

Somewhere around 03:00 we arrived at I-20 aid station: Fay’s Blowdown. Just prior to coming into the aid station as we knew it was close Iain actually slowed us down and we walked as we discussed the game plan of what we were going to do at the aid station. It was if our group of Four Amigos was truly moving and functioning as one unit. Ultimately, we agreed upon fuel, a 20 minute nap/recharge and then carry on. We arrived and ate. The other three opted for the actual sleep tent, where as I just literally slumped over in the chair near the aid station itself and closed my eyes there. Twenty minutes was over before I knew it and it felt like nothing, but I knew it would do me good based on prior 200 experience. The four of us all readied quickly to head out into the final hours of the morning. It was in the low 40s this night, and we weren’t quite sure if it was going to dip any colder before the sunrise. I took no chances and actually layered up more than I had any other point thus far. That proved to be a mistake as not too many miles later I found myself peeling some layers back off once we were moving again.

I do not recall anyone every explicitly saying it but the 3-day (72 hour) goal seemed to be the pace and the time the four of us were on and naturally targeting as we progressed. Being able to say you ran sub 3-day is kind of cool (but really no one cares, ha!). I had to admit I was loosely keeping my eye on that goal when I did glance at my watch over that third night, but we still seemed so far away my math was not mathing yet to see exactly what would play out. I don’t exactly recall the time or what prompted the move but Callan pushed up to the front of the group and proceeded to run ahead to stay awake and run faster. Seemed logical to me, as I had tried this technique before as well. As I ran with Iain and Chris they seemed to be having slightly more issues keeping the constant pace we had been doing, so I made a split decision to go on ahead and catch up to Callan and attempt to keep pace with him into the next and final aid station of Lost Gulch. Eventually I did catch up to him and we ran into this final aid station together. Here I brought up the idea of the sub 72 hour mark and how we could still achieve it with some flawless execution of the last 9 Miles. I glanced at my watch as we took the out-and-back turn down and then up into the final aid station….08:00 (69 hours total elapsed time). This meant that with my loose estimated 3 mph pace and the 8.6 Miles left to cover there was very little room for error. The only issue with this plan was that the largest and steepest climb of the entire run was in the final portion of Cheaha State Park running up to the “Top of Alabama”.

Lessons of an Experienced Ultrarunner

Callan seemed a little less certain about the timing I had laid out, but he seemed to agree none the less. We left Lost Gulch at 08:05 and so had just shy of 3 hours left to cover the last segment. The two of us took off on this initial downhill portion back to the intersection where we left the Pinhoti. We greeted and passed Iain and Chris coming together as they headed into their final checkpoint. They cheered us on, as I think they knew our goal at this point. Callan took the lead as his youthful legs seemed to be fresher on the downhill segments. He was setting a great pace as made our way. The trail had a couple miles flat-ish section before the final 5 Miles were all uphill so our plan was to make time while we could and keep consistent. I tried to press and keep up with Callan but his pace was just a hair faster than mine. I used him as a carrot as he faded off in the distance, although I knew he was there and I was still chasing him. Sweat was pouring off of me as this was probably the hardest I had worked yet. 2 hours go to….still just barley going to make it? Not sure? Running to fast to do exact math at this point in a multiday race. I had good thoughts of Callan being able to push ahead and make the sub-72 mark. I was genuinely happy for him as I thought my chances were ever so slowly slipping away. 

I did not give up full hope yet however. 1.5 hours to go….there is still a chance…

Final push (208 Mi) | Schreiner Trail Photography, Pete Schreiner

1 Hour to go. I rounded a corner and saw Callan standing there. What happened? He explained to me the sleep monsters got him and he was literally just lying down for the third time in the past half a mile or so. We’d been running so hard and it just caught up to him. He seemed bummed out, but now that I was there I told him to hop on and follow, so he did. Glancing at my Garmin I did my math our loud to explain my rational to Callan at this point. “Look, I know it is mostly uphill from here, but we have 1 hour to go and exactly 3 Miles. This is exactly 20 minutes per Mile at a hard uphill pace, Let’s go!” I then literally shifted gears and took off at a much great cadence. Callan seemed very surprised and intrigued by my remaining optimism for our sub 3-day goal. I told him that after 20 minutes I had not been able to keep pace then I would revisit my plan and just walk it in perhaps, but for now it was full gas ahead. I pushed, he pushed me from behind, we worked together with this one common goal. 1 Mile elapsed and we were under the required 20 minutes. I called out the update and informed Callan we just banked like 1min 6sec or something like that for the remaining 2 Miles to go (assuming the mileage was exact, which was a gamble being this close to a time goal). I was now dripping sweat like I was doing weekend intervals or something. I was working! I pushed. Callan pushed and he had a little more in him with his youthful legs and took the lead now that the end was in sight. I think he finally bought into my time goal and saw for himself that we had it in ourselves to make this final push, even after nearly 3 full days of running. 1 Mile to go. Glancing down now I saw I had banked even more time, which was encouraging, but I was not giving up anything yet as I did not want to risk it being that close. I knew Callan would make it now as he had gapped me enough up ahead I could no longer see him on the turns and such. I was happy to have inspired someone more than half my age do this final push to be able to make an [arbitrary] time goal and show him what is possible. You are never empty like you think you are. I was finally able to look up the mountain and see the viewing platform in the distance, I knew I was close. I had recognized that from my exploration run a few days back when I parked my car here to catch the shuttle van. I had done it, no just to run it in and finish off this strong pace I had been on. I passed a bunch of causal park hikers out for a Friday? Saturday? (what day was it…) stroll in the mountains. I understandably looked like a madman running hard uphill back towards the lodge but nothing was stopping me now. I crested the last mound and saw Pete the photographer there snapping some photos. The finishing arch was there right on the steps of the lodge itself, I had done it. This final push was over and I had achieved this mini goal coming in less than 3 days with about 11.5 minutes to spare in fact. 

Crossing the line (208 Mi) | Schreiner Trail Photography, Pete Schreiner

FIN.

Finished! (208 Mi) | Schreiner Trail Photography, Pete Schreiner

I stood there excited and fulfilled from my journey. It was over. I glanced around and saw Callan and immediately walked over to him ad gave him fist bumps. We had just pushed each other to make the sub-72 time a reality in these final hours. I made him a believer those last 3 Miles, it was cool to see. I caught up with one of the race directors as I got presented my buckle and a couple more official finisher photos were taken. Now time to relax. I wandered over to my car in the parking lot, not far off and got all my warm relaxed rabbit gear to put on. I had it all set out and ready for the finish, so I was efficient in changing out of my stinky running gear into some nice comfortable relaxing clothing. Now it was time to eat as I went back over to the finish area and sat down with Callan and chatted some more. I ate some lasagna, pasta, and then some pizza slices and Coca-Cola. Everything was tasting good and filling. I wanted to wait there at the finish for the other half of the Amigos to come in. We knew they could not be far behind. About an hour later their spot trackers had pinged that they were 1 Mile out. The many people at the finish cheered both Chris and Iain in as they crossed the line together. 

Callan Hasling & myself at the finish.

Iain Jones (L) & Chris Roche (R) crossing the line T-6th overall.

Final Thoughts

The point-to-point aspect of the course is a great way to experience a 200+ Mile event (in my opinion) since everything is new and fresh scenes. The early spring weather in GA and AL had made it so a ton of leaves were covering the trail which lead to many surprise rocks and roots that were not immediately visible to the eyes, but heh that's trail running. Another unique, perhaps challenging aspect was the fat the Pinhoti Trail was often running up one side of a creek bank/ a canyon/ or side of the mountain and the trail itself was sloped down. This led to prolonged running where your feet were always being bent slightly to the downhill side. At times it felt difficult, especially later on, but this is just something you have to deal with in these long ultras (Perhaps if it was super hot or if you are not good with foot cramping, this terrain could really prove to be an issue). Overall, I recommend this Southern States 200 as a great way to experience the Pinhoti Trails in Georgia and Alabama.

The Four Amigos had worked together for the final 70 Miles and many hours to get each other to this finish, now we posed together buckles in hand and memories in our minds. (see blog photo at top of post). We were all Southern States 200 finishers. What a journey. What a great shared experience. As someone who often finds himself running alone in these ultramarathons and as already mentioned am a self-described introvert, having shared this experience with the other amigos was a great experience at Southern States this year. I know that I would not have finished as fast as I did without the encouragement and assistance of the amigos pushing the pace and the company they provided. Thank you Callan, Iain, and Chris. You guys all rock and congratulations on your finishes as well.

Results & Stats.

• 71:48:34 | 208.82 Mi (336.06 km) | 30,495 ft+ (9,295 m+)
• 5th overall | M4
• Total Sleep Time: 3h 12m (4.46% of my total race time)
• 51m @ AS6 High Point Trailhead, GA (69.4 Mi)
• 80m @ AS10 High Point Trailhead, AL (122.2 Mi)
• 40m @ AS14 Highrock FR-531 (172.3 Mi)
• 21m @ AS15 Fay's Blowdown @I-20 (183.4 Mi)
• Total Aid Station "stopped time": 9h 11m (12.80% of my total race time)
• 115.90 Mi (55.5%) in Georgia & 92.92 Mi (44.5%) in Alabama.
• This was my 123rrd ultramarathon run total & 2nd of 2025.
• My 8th 200 Mi(+) and my 45th 100Mi(+) completed
• STRAVA: Southern States 200 (5th overall), Dalton, GA | Strava
• UltraSignup Results: 2025 Southern States 200 200 Miler - Results
• The timing results here did not take into account the -1 time change going from est >> cst during the race, and so we all got a 1 hour discount on our overall times posted.
• YouTube Live Broadcast: Southern States 200 - 2025 - YouTube

My STRAVA race analysis.

Gear Used

There was a requirement for some mandatory gear along with the usual recommended gear as might be expected for mountain races. Here is there required list for 2025 direct off the website:

1) Water filter bottles such as Katadyn's BeFree. LifeStraw, or Salomon's Soft Flask XA Filter.
2) 24 oz. of water at the start of all sections. Minimum.
3) 400 extra Calories
4) Electrolytes
5) A light rain jacket or poncho.
6) Space Blanket
7) Collapsible Cup, collapsible flask or water bottle.
8) Cell Phone and a method of charging (battery packs and charging cord)
9) GPS Enabled Device with the course file loaded. Since you already have to carry a smartphone, that's the simplest option.
10) Headlamp w/ extra batteries or method of charging
11) Whistle, most running vests have one attached.
12) Warm hat or buff
13) Long sleeve top
14) gloves
15) SpotTracker (we provide)

My Gear List (which covers the above required gear list from the race as well)

• [required] Jackets - rabbit Treeline rain jacket (rabbitELITEtrail team kit)
• [required] Gloves - rabbit/BOCO
• [required] Lighting setup - kogalla RA Adventure Light (waistlamp) & Nathan Sports Halo Fire (headlamp)
• [required] LS Shirt(s) - rabbit Layer One (rabbitELITEtrail team kit)
• SS Shirt(s) - rabbit High Country SS
• Shorts - rabbit 5" shredders 2-in-1 trail
• Pants- rabbit Runners (rabbitELITEtrail team kit)
• Headwear - rabbit/rnnr (rabbitELITEtrail team kit), [required] rabbit/BOCO beanie
• Eyewear - goodr
• Shoes - Altra Olympus 6.0 (brand new pair out of box)
• Socks - injinji (2 pairs)
• [required] Hydration - NATHAN Trailmix 12L race pack with x2 20oz soft flasks, & [required] Katadyn BeFree™ Water Filteration System™ (0.6L soft flask).
• Anti-Friction Lube - Trail Toes
• SPOT tracker - provided by the event
• Watch ([required] with GPX track of course) - Garmin fēnix® 6X - Pro Solar Edition
• [required] Cell Phone - apple iPhone 8+ (also with Gaia GPS app)
• [required] Emergency Bivy - SOL emergency bivy

my rabbit EZ slides came in handy for my sore feet post-race.

Post Race

I received this video from my wife shortly after getting back into cell service. I teared up. Wow! So awesome to have the full support of my wife & kids even from afar on my crazy adventures. Thank you girls!

Video: Katie Meding.

After a very brief nap and relaxing after downing as much food as possible, I decided to start back to Texas and take on the ~10.5 hour drive. I did not get too far before I had to pull over for my first nap. The next 24  hours consisted of alternating naps and short driving bursts. Eventually I made it home early Sunday afternoon (just after the official final race cutoff). I had made it home in time to take the kids to there first Spring kid's race which was my goal. No matter how tired I felt it was awesome to be there for this! The adventures of an UltraRunningDad sometimes includes the ultra-drives before and after the actual running itself.

Arrived home back in Sugar Land, TX Sunday afternoon.

Arrived home in time for HKRS (Happy Kids Running Series) Run#1 to cheer on my little runners.

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Feel free to check out this HappyCast (with Happey Endings Trail Crew) podcast episode I did on my journey:

Podcast download: No Crew, No Dropbags, No Problem: Trevor's Southern States 200

Thanks for reading my race recap. I hope there is some alpha in there for any potential SS200 runners! 

Next up:  WSER (2025-Jun *waitlist) or Bigfoot 200 (2025-Aug)