Day 24 - Hampstead to North Topsail to Surf City

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Total Mileage: 25.01

While it's still too early to break out the Europa, we are getting close to the final countdown..

Today I saw the sea! Almost 600 miles later, it was overwhelming to realize that I've made it from the mountains to the coast.   More on that, but first, some ultra-running insights:

* I burn about 5,500 calories a day with rucking.  I get a third of this from liquid, a Gatorade/Tailwind mix and coke. 
* I'll have a bag on banana in the morning and then my diet during the day consist of cookies, potato chips, pickles, a tuna sandwich and whatever else I can forage. I can't eat a whole lot at night although I do manage to put down a beer or two.
* My daily sleep requirements are about 30% more than when I'm in my normal life, I need 9 hours minimum right now.
* So far, nothing has broken down that will prevent me from finishing. My legs are sore in the morning, and get less sore during the day. The feeling of tiredness will probably not go away, but I can work through it. I have a giant callus on my back from where the rucksack hits, and a toe I'd like to amputate. But all things considered I'm grateful for where I am right now.  

A commentary about who are the meanest people on the road and who are the nicest: 
By far the nicest drivers are in the sandhills. Second place for a nice (if you include Rutherfordton, super nice, and Denton, super angry) are the Foothills. Charlotte Area drivers are almost the worst, and I think it's the same Charlotte people driving in the mountains trying to run me off the road. But first place for the meanest drivers goes to the coast. I'm constantly having to jump on and off the road staring down sour faced drivers who are angry at my taking the 6 inch space next to the white line. I don't know why they're so angry, they're the ones driving the giant SUVs with the beach house. I'm just passing through, ma'am.

Observations Day 24
* Running by I noticed a vulture sitting in a bush and it was the same vulture I met on day 14. As I was trying to confirm his identity I stumbled into a ditch.  I didn't fall, but the buzzard noticed and cocked his head in interest. So soon, my friend?
*Olde Point Golf Course is the meanest golf course in the country. As I was running on the state-owned road through its property, two old men in a golf cart waiting for me to get close and then deliberately pulled out in front of me, with grimaces on their faces, partially hid by a cloud of cigar smoke at 9 am.  They were the real life less-funny non-Muppet versions of Statler and Waldorf.
My vulture friend is going to see those guys soon enough, heh heh heh.
Bonus burn: Hire an English major please, Olde Point:

On a seriously brighter note, seeing the ocean today was a huge morale-boost and felt like the culmination of so much work, so much training.


Godspeed,

R.

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