A runner experienced a mysterious encounter with a ‘nightmarcher’ spirit during a rainforest race in Hawaii.
During a rainforest race in Hawaii, a runner had a chilling encounter with a mysterious figure known as a ‘nightmarcher’.
The runner, Kay Borleis, was participating in the Hawaiian Ultra Running Team’s Trail 100-Mile Endurance Run in Oahu in 2019.
The event involved a demanding 20-mile loop through the Honolulu Mauka trails, which runners had to complete five times.
Runner encounters ‘nightmarcher’ demon during rainforest race
Kay, an experienced runner, was navigating the challenging terrain when she unwittingly crossed paths with the alleged ‘nightmarcher’.
Her friend, who was accompanying her as a pacer, captured a photo that revealed a cloaked figure lurking in the background.
The race was very hard for Kay. She had to deal with big tree roots and crossing through water.
Unfortunately, she injured her foot during the race, which ultimately forced her to withdraw and return to her accommodation.
After the race, Kay asked her friend to share the photos from the event.
While going through the photos, Kay Borleis felt a chill as she spotted a strange figure cloaked in the background of a particular picture.
In the footage, the figure emerged from a tree and passed by her, a sight that left her puzzled.
She couldn’t recall seeing anyone else on that part of the trail.
“To this day, we still don’t know what it was,” she wrote.
“The reason why no one was on that part of the trail is because all runners had to run in a clockwise direction,” she added.
“And tourists weren’t out that early. We didn’t see anyone for hours while running together.
So, we were – and still are – positive there was no one there.”
Nightmarchers history
After the race, the runner learned more about the history and meaning of nightmarchers.
They discovered that these spirits are respected figures in Hawaiian culture, often associated with the spirits of ancestors.
Many locals believe that the appearance of a nightmarcher is a sign of protection or a warning to show respect to the land and its history.
These beings were so revered that gazing upon them could result in death, as per Honolulu Magazine.
Encountering a Nightmarcher mandated lying face down to avoid eye contact.
Luckily, Kay remained oblivious to the figure until she was safe at home, so avoiding any such encounter.
Social media reactions
The footage quickly went viral, drawing in viewers from all over.
People shared their thoughts and theories about the mysterious ‘nightmarcher.’
Some believed it was a ghost, while others thought it might be a trick of the light.
What nightmarcher? It must’ve been a runner that fell in a pool of mud who had just gotten up in their own shock, one user said.
I’d rather it was a ghost and not a live human. They’re scarier, the second user commented.
Perhaps that was one of the participants who slipped and fell into a pool of mud and tried to join back the race, the third user said.
Damn, can’t a guy just hang around in his gillie suit and not have an entire article written on him, another wrote.