run race 22:18 [5] 2.9 km (7:41 / km)
My second leg had taken a lot out of me and I was feeling stiff and a little gut shot. So I was not really up for a long running leg. Talked it over and decided to switch me into running stage 14 instead of 13--the oh brother where art thou leg, which, after doing it 4 years ago I swore I would never do again. But the others, especially Blaine, were all running well, and we were holding second, and this leg 14 was just a pick yourself through 2 miles of swamp and deadfall leg anyways and I don't care what kind of gifted trail runner you are, this leg is just total black mud and dense bush-crawling shite. So logic and team tactics dictated that I run this one. Which I did. Glumly. On the plus side it's a mercifully short leg and I lost us no more time.
I handed off to Blaine, who ran the last leg and gave us the second place finish with a convincing cushion. Best finish in many years.