How One Woman Ran 314 Miles Across Tennessee in 4 Days—And Still Got to Sleep at Night

Runner's World ^ | July 15, 2019 | Pat Heine with photography by Parker Feierbach

[Tolerance Sucks Rocks]

When you hear about an ultra in the state of Tennessee, it usually stirs up images of the famed Barkley Marathons. Though the state’s namesake ultra is the crown jewel of Gary “Lazarus Lake” Cantrell’s race series, extreme runners seek out the other challenges he offers once winter thaws out and southern heat moves into the Volunteer State.

These include classics like Big’s Backyard and the Strolling Jim 40-miler. But only one race leaves state lines: The Vol State. With a 10-day cutoff, there’s a heavy emphasis on self-sufficiency. That doesn’t mean runners are on their own the entire race. There are no official aid stations and you can’t be paced by anyone, but runners can choose one of two ways to compete: “crewed” or “screwed.” Screwed runners (unaided) have to rely on convenience stores and creativity to complete the course. It’s pretty often that runners spend the night on park benches in small towns.

For Rhoda Smoker, 32, of Birdsboro, Pennsylvania, this was just the adventure she was searching for. She started running marathons with her sister in 2011 just to say she did. She never expected to get hooked, or that it would become a family affair that brought her and her parents—her crew—to the start line of Vol State in 2018.

There isn’t an actual starting line or yellow gate. Instead, Cantrell adds his personal flair. “It’s actually the dumbest thing, but it’s kind of cool,” Smoker told Runner’s World. “You take a car ferry across the Mississippi River from Kentucky so you’re in Missouri, and you walk up the hill. And then they start the race and you walk back down, get back on the ferry, and you go back to Kentucky.” As always, it starts with the lighting of a cigarette . . .

[PGR88]

Rhoda Smoker

Road Smokin’

Is this a joke?

[bigbob]

Humans are capable of incredible things.

[kingu]

I always think Lazarus starts out with ‘what fool would do this?’ And about 15 miles later, he realizes that he's that fool. ‘Well, what would be more stupid...’ and he looks around and heads that way.

Different endurance racers have different fueling techniques, but seems like the most common is McDonald's shakes. A lot of them. High calories, cold, quick to get down, no big chunks to come back up.

I've had the pleasure of delivering those shakes to more than a few endurance racers on oddball quests (including that lonely spot in the middle of nowhere Oregon, using a cooler with dry ice to keep the shakes still icy for delivery two hours from the McDonalds. You're welcome Laz. Yes, we would like a picture too. Yes, see you sometime, and yes, I'll remember to brush my teeth.)

[DUMBGRUNT]

Thanks for a pleasant break from the usual BS news.

[pnz1]

I followed this years race on Facebook. Guy won for the 4th time with no “crew”

[scrabblehack]

It’s 500 miles from Memphis to Bristol.

[ReformedBeckite]

If I’m right I-40 runs 540 miles across Tennessee.

[NativeSon]

Meth?

[scrabblehack]

451 I think.
Exit 421 is the junction of I-40 and I-81 - it’s another 79 miles to Bristol.

[bluetick]

Bristol, TN is closer to Canada than it is to Memphis, TN.

[kingu]

Guy won for the 4th time with no “crew”

Mega props for carrying all the food/water/bedding from start to finish... Most endurance runners have people who meet them at pre-arranged goal points for food/drink stashes as well as rides to and from lodging for the sleep period.

[Larry Lucido]

5 mph for 16 hours per day would do it. Without a break.