The event started Friday night with a sleepover at our house. Tim, Laura, Jacob, Lindsey, Brad, Eryn, Joyce, Sarah and I spent the night laughing, eating, disbelieving and a little sleeping. We were up at 3 a.m. to get nine people dressed, fed and ready to leave by 4 a.m. This is what it looks like in our driveway at 4:
After dropping a car at the end of the trail, we parked at the Hoyt Arboretum, booted up and walked to the start. We snapped a couple photos and hit the Wildwood together at 5:40 a.m. 
Our first organized stop was at 53rd, about 9 miles in. Laura's parents were there, car loaded with bags we'd each packed with food and clothes. It was nice to get off my feet.We naturally split into two groups, the faster maintaining 3+ mph. We felt great, chatting, listening to iPods and hiking in silence for another 10 miles. Mostly, we had the trail to ourselves. But we passed some runners and a few people with obnoxious dogs. At one point, someone said, "Good morning!" I looked at my watch and it was only 9:30 a.m. or something. WOW. It sure didn't still feel like morning!
Around mile 20, I think we each started feeling some pain. But we were still going strong, especially knowing that another rest stop was just ahead at 25. Brad's parents were waiting at Germantown Road with more bags full of our clean, dry socks and food. Donna brought us homemade monster cookies - the best cookies I've ever eaten... ever.
Jacob let some of the pressure off his feet. 
Brad's folks picked up Laura about milepost 19 after she decided to give in to nagging knee pain. At the rest stop, we waited for the others to catch up so we could all finish together. When asked if she wanted to finish, "HECK, NO!" was Eryn's response. She was more than pleased with her 25 miles.The rest of us got back up and pressed on to finish what we started. (Eryn and Laura returned home, showered and napped while we hiked!)
We slowed considerably, with each step getting more painful. With hindsight, some of us decided that our last stop was way too long and let our bodies cool down too much. We stiffened, and the pain set in. Still, we kept going.
Quarter-mile markers dot the entire trail. You can't imagine the relief when we spotted this one: 
Just a short while later, at 6:40 p.m., we hit the end!! Tim snapped this wonderful photo of our sheer exhaustion at the finish sign (Except for Lindsey. Notice her huge grin. She ate 3 monster cookies at the rest stop and was so buzzed on sugar that she practically ran to the end.)
We pulled it together for this picture and don't even look tired! (Though I'm sitting because squatting was truly out of the question)
We took turns laughing at each other as we ate pizza and celebrated our crazy accomplishment. Our feet and legs hurt so bad that we could barely move. It was hilarious!I can't say that I will do it again (I can't say that I won't do it again, either), but I'm so glad I conquered the Wildwood Trail with my best friends! What a wonderful day. What wonderful memories.
-Liz :)
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