Lifetime BLT (Big Long Thing, marathon or longer) number 94. Number 30 for the year at “8 Hours of Hell,” part of a series of six 8 hour events through the summer in southwest Florida. Today’s race was in Coloosahatchee Regional Park in Alva, Florida. The course consists of mostly singletrack BMX course with a swampy riverside trail area over 4.6 miles. We began at 10 AM, and it was in the 90s already. For the first loop I carried a bottle, however I quickly realized I would use the camelbak I believed was overkill for such a short loop. On several of the subsequent loops I finished the camelbak. I significantly underperformed my previous eight hour race (27.6 miles here, versus 35.1 previously) however the previous race was on manicured university grounds and a much cooler day. Fun fact: Alva, Florida is named for inventor, Lee County resident, and noted elephant murderer, Thomas Alva Edison.
