Day 23

Andrea continues to move along at a remarkable pace, the cooler nights allowing faster paces in the evenings. His last few laps each evening resemble an interval workout on the track, which many an athlete knows is macho death-traps, with intervals between the repeats becoming increasingly smaller, the pain of anaerobic running leads to lactic acid buildup stopping or forcing one to slow down. Only, Andrea instead is fighting that time clock as it heads to midnight, though he knows a lap saved is a lap earned. Ten straight 70’s ring nicely in his multiday lexicon so far. 

Second placer Wai-Ming Lo has run 23 straight days over 62.56 miles (100.68km), so, although it seems overwhelming, the sandals wearer is the world-wide envy of every sandal wearer on earth. 

Harita Davies and Vasu Duzhiy are deadlocked in third place, as an Achilles tendon has had some swelling and pain for the New Zealand running Queen. She still runs along, but without the snap in her gait that terrorized everyone watching. Like Vasu has done, she will weather the storm and emerge again as the tendon heals up. 

Hang in there, runners. You are all amazing, even if you don’t know that.