hours 38 and 39
sorry folks.
vincent barrientos came in just seconds before the end of hour 38
and declared;
“i’m done”

actually we knew he was coming
because a previous runner had reported that there was someone on the road moaning and “making noises”
we asked;
“is he moving”
“not very fast, but he is moving”
“then he will get here”

after we did the bells and whistles to send the 15 remaining runners out on yard 39
we got a graphic,
and most complete description of the life being led by the miserables
apparently there was no comparison between the course he had won his place at bigs on
and the horrible monstrosity he encountered here.
(it isnt “easy” but it isnt that bad)
he had decided to quit and turned on his phone
only to discover that the world was following the happenings on the big’s farm
and it was full of messages of congratulation and support from his friends…

and even his mother.

trapped, he had continued the race until he reached the point he could barely move
and that was how he happened to come in after 38 hours
walking very slowly down the road moaning and “making noises.”
and apparently no longer as worried about letting everyone down as he was about the pain in his legs.

by the time we had finished debriefing vincent it was time to get ready and blow the whistles and ring the bell for hour 39.

i am sorry to leave y’all in the lurch.
but vincent’s tale was so funny that i forgot all about posting.

hour 39 it was matthieu weiner who failed to get in before the cutoff,
and we sent the surviving 14 runners out on yard 40.

so now it is this quick post
and i need to hurry off to check the fire.
which also got neglected.