START: Nolichucky River (Erwin, TN) 4 am
FINISH: Rt. 19E (Roan Mt, TN) 11:53 pm
50.9 miles 19:53 2.6 mph
393.7 total miles 49.2 mpd average
Another nice day of weather, especially for the exposed heights of the Roan Highlands.
Shin splints (more on the right leg than the left) still keeps Mercury walking rather than running resulting in longer days to do the required mileage. Longer days result in less sleep to recover. Hopefully this cycle will change sooner rather than later.
Jupiter is impressed with Mercury’s endurance the past few days and her ‘fearlessness’ to do hours of night hiking alone both in the morning and in the evening.
However, it is hoped that Mercury can return to a ‘normal day’ of walking/running 17 hours a day, sleeping for 6 hours a night, and having a half-hour in the morning to arise and a half hour at the end of the day to prepare for sleep.
Mercury on the Run 