Trail Methods Last Runner Standing

With the ever increasing interest in Big's Backyard Ultra, there's been an uptick in events with the last runner standing (LRS) format. The general idea is that runners repeatedly complete a loop in a specified amount of time. The field is narrowed down as runners are eliminated when they miss cutoffs or refuse to continue for another loop. Eventually, the last runner who doesn't time out or quit is declared the winner.

Every October Big's Backyard Ultra in rural Tennessee takes the LRS format to the extreme. In 2018 alone, overall winner Johan Steene totaled 283 miles and took nearly three days to do so, narrowly outlasting perhaps the world's top female ultrarunner, Courtney Dauwalter. Until a few years ago, this race, along with the format, was widely unknown. The indefinite time limit, the lore of race director Lazarus Lake, and the resiliency of the race's top competitors have lead to more and more media coverage, and hence a surge in interest. Big's now has a series of qualifying races globally that mimic its format, with the winner from each granted an automatic entry into Big's.

There are a number of smaller, less extreme races that follow the LRS format, one of which is Trail Methods Last Runner Standing. Eric and Sheila Eagan, experienced RDs who also direct Many on the Genny and several other races, are the race directors for TMLRS. 2019 was the third edition of the race.

Crescent Trail Self-Supported FKT

So this is what I do on my day off now, when Hayley's at work. The idea was to do a long run someplace I'd never been that I could complete and be home by dinner time. The Crescent Trail in Perinton, NY, just south of Rochester, looked cool so I drove up there for the day. Monday, May 21, called for beautiful weather and I had nothing else planned for the day. I was also feeling well rested two weeks removed from the North Face ECSNY 50 at Bear Mountain, and wanted to get this run in before leaving for vacation in the Outer Banks.

The trail as listed as one of several Fastest Known Times (FKT) on Eric and Sheila Eagan's Trail Methods FKT Regional Zone. Following the site's rules and attempting the FKT was more of an afterthought. The time to beat was 6:51:20, and it seemed reasonable to better that time without running the route at race effort. There are a few different FKT categories listed on the website. I decided on the two-way, self-supported run, meaning I'd run a 35-mile out-and-back route without relying on any outside help. I carried all my own food, water, and gear, aside from a hidden water jug