Hawaii ultramarathoner Kay Borleis claims to have encountered a mysterious nightmarcher demon in a spine-tingling incident during the grueling HURT 100-mile race in Oahu, The incident allegedly occurred in January 2019, turning a routine race into a tale of the supernatural.
Borleis, an avid runner and experienced art director, was navigating the challenging Honolulu Mauka trails during the 100-mile race when she suffered a foot injury during her second-to-last lap, forcing her to withdraw from the competition. However, the true shock came after the race when her pacing partner, Cassie, shared a live photo showing a dark figure in a cloak seemingly passing Borleis as she ran.
The video, captured on the shadowy jungle trail, depicted an unidentified entity emerging from the foliage and walking past Borleis. Strangely, neither Borleis nor her running partner remembered passing any person on that specific section of the trail.
Investigating the unusual encounter, Borleis discovered a local legend suggesting that the area is haunted by the ghosts of deceased Hawaiian warriors known as Nightmarchers. According to folklore, these spectral warriors protected sacred individuals, and mortal encounters with them could be fatal. The legend advised stripping naked and lying face down to avoid eye contact or, alternatively, urinating on oneself to survive.
Borleis expressed relief that she hadn’t spotted the alleged forest spirit during the race, but her attempt to share the eerie experience on social media led to a barrage of criticism from some members of the Hawaiian community. Accusations ranged from claims of image manipulation to dismissing the incident as a result of a “druggie” wandering in the area.
Despite the skepticism and backlash, Borleis stands by her account of the encounter, leaving the question of the Nightmarcher lingering in the minds of those who dare to traverse the challenging trails of Oahu’s rainforest.
