The 2019 Cruel Jewel 100 (actually 106 miles) went of about smoothly as running any 100 every could. I never considered quitting, didn't get caught in any severe overnight thunderstorms on mountain ridges, didn't have trouble making myself leaving aid stations, managed to stay hydrated using "Base Salt" and an occasional Gatorade. I stayed fueled by eating, as usual, a little of everything in sight! Not really but at every aid station I ate a 1/4 or 1/2 sandwich, orange, occasional banana, candy, quesadilla and even GU's. (Not too many of those.) I Even purchased a 1/2 barbecue sandwich from a little cafe right across the road from the old iron bridge over the Toccoa Bridge near Blue Ridge, GA. They had a little stand set up outside the restaurant, right on the course selling food to runners in CJ and Mtn Bike riders involved in some type of race. Oh, I did do something totally new this year. I carried several of the Starbucks Instant Coffee sticks with me. Since all aid stations have hot water at night, I was never without coffee.

In fact, there is really nothing to write about. I finished in 44 hours and 15 minutes, 40 minutes faster than last year and felt great. (That's great by 100 mile run standards!) I actually ran much of the last 6 miles "as long as it was flat or downhill." I didn't even have any hallucinations like I did last year. Well, I one little issue that's kind of funny. I went into the Fire Pit Aid Station at Mile 98 and saw a friend, Peter S. (I haven't asked if I can use his name) and had a short conversation about his race. He was wearing the 100 mile finisher buckle. He told me finished in 33 hours which is a very fast time for CJ100. The race cutoff is 48 Hours. I was amazed he had offered to go up to Fire Pit and help after finishing. I grabbed a sandwich and a cup of coke and sat down for a minute. I got back up to grab a few things to take on the final 8 miles and walked over to thank Peter for helping. Peter wasn't there! I have no idea who the guy I had been talking to was. He really didn't even look like Peter. Now, it was about 4:30 AM Saturday Night (The race started Friday at Noon. This is the second night without sleep.) and the lights were not very bright. (Excuse!)

I though it might be fun to create a photographic illustration of the race. It's almost impossible to express in words what runners go through during a 100. Cruel Jewel is one of the hardest 100 in the US with over 33,000 feet of elevation gain. It's like climbing straight up for 6.25 miles. Sometimes faces show reality better than words.

 A good friend, excellent photographer and fellow Ultrarunner, Gordon Harvey took over 1000 photos of runners at the race. I selected some to post below. They begin before the start at Vogel State Park and go all the way to the finish with those finishing between about 44 to 46 hours back at Vogel. They follow the run through the crew accessible aid stations and the turnaround at Camp Morganton and back to the end. Remember, the faces tell the story. Most of the photos I selected were of those runners moving at perhaps one or two faster or slower than a 44 hour pace.

How to Recover from the Cruel Jewel 100. A 15 Step Program:
1) Sit down in a chair immediately after finishing and drink a Sprite, I think. That way you don't fall on your face.
2) After 20 Minutes get up (that takes 5 minutes) and go in the meeting room and eat bacon and eggs and drink a      little coffee. They were making pancakes but somehow I never got one.
3) Head to your lodging - Take "Catnaps" along the way!
Catnap 1 - Vogle State Park to Blairsville courthouse, 10 miles
Catnap 2 - Blairsville Courthouse to gas station, 1 mile
Catnap 3 - While Marye Jo filled the tank.
4) Interrupt Catnaps - Drive 200 ft across street to McDonald's for Large Chocolate Shake. Drink Shake in the next two miles headed to lodging.
Resume Catnaps
Catnap 4 - 15 Miles - From where I Finished the shake to Blue Ridge grocery store.
Catnap 5 - While Marye Jo entered store to get salad for lunch.
Catnap 6 - 8 Miles to English Manor B & B.
5) Go directly to room and "BRUSH TEETH!!!" I may take a tooth brush next 100.
6) Take a shower.
7) Lay down on bed and pass out.
8) Wake up and get out of bed - Marye Jo said I slept 3 hours. I think it was 3 minutes!
9) Go to Riverside Restaurant on the Toccoa River and eat a huge plate of Fried Shrimp and French Fries followed by a large slice of Pecan Pie covered in caramel/bourbon sauce. (That's the restaurant at the lower end of "Stanley Gap Road." It's on the race course Just down the road from the old iron bridge over the Toccoa.)
10) Go back to room and have a glass of wine on the deck.
11) Go to bed before totally dark and sleep 10 hours.
12) Eat Breakfast at B&B.
13) Drive 2 hours to Chattanooga and go to Bluff View Arts District.
14) Eat what is possibly the worlds best Lasagna at Tony's Pasta Shop & Trattoria.
15) Go across the street to Rembrandt's Coffee House and have a Chocolate Eclair or slice of Chocolate Decadence pie with a large Latte. Actually any of the deserts in Rembrandt's will do.
I am now fully recovered and ready to run another 100 this weekend.
Forget that. Hopefully I will, at least, be ready for the Memorial Day Trail Race this weekend!

The Riverside Restaurant in Blue Ridge. (Actually about 8 miles out of town. Well worth the drive, even after CJ.)