We are the 2012 Southern Odyssey Relay Champions!!!!
I have had plenty of time to think, but I still draw a blank on how to best summarize the Southern Odyssey 2012. It was a 24-hour adventure that was equal parts endurance challenge and road trip. The combo is certain to generate memories from even mundane events – a gas station stop, a u-turn on the highway, or an interaction with another team. Our team was a delightful mix of wild exuberance and steadfast determination. I can easily say that I would run a relay with that team any day – Old Guns & Young Ones for Life!
I would like to highlight one particular memory: One of my favorite quotes from the race came around 6:30 AM at exchange point 30. Our van had been sleeping there for about an hour, and I had just received a text from Paige saying Kevin was running leg 30. I roused Phil, the next runner on our team, and explained that Kevin was running and that he, Phil, might want to prep for his third and final leg. As he was waking up, I asked him if there was anything he needed/ how he was feeling, and he responded:
“I don’t know… We’re in uncharted territory.”
His statement perfectly summarizes, what it is like to compete in one of these races. You don’t train to run at 2 or 3 or 4 in the morning, you do it when the time comes. You don’t practice running three times in 24 hours, you rise to the challenge with a delirious smile. That is how you survive the Southern Odyssey (or any relay) and become a Champion.
In addition to the above picture gallery, I thought you might enjoy a selection of tweets from the #southernOD12:
What my teammates are saying in the days after the race (in a way, this is much better than anything I could have written):
Ali: “Ok, Julia was right… after a day at home I do think I want to do this again. But, I’m on Team Roadkill next time–in it to win it is intense. It was so much fun.”
Andy: “Mark your calendars. You have to defend your title.” Also, “It’s not a weekend, its a lifestyle.” (see picture below)
Julia T: “Still enjoying my runner’s high—goofy grin on my face all day today!! What a great team!!”
Suzy: “I had A LOT of fun getting to know all of you and competing! I’m down for defending the title next year!”
Kevin: “I can’t wait to do it again. OLD GUNS! YOUNG ONES!” & “Just saw two old guns run by my house – livin’ the lifestyle!”
Julia F: “I am SO honored to have been a part of Old Guns and Young Ones. I had absolutely no idea what I was getting myself into and I have never done anything like that before. It was awesome and exhausting and SO MUCH FUN! Thank you all for making it an awesome experience!”
Paige: “No rest for the weary. There’s time for sleeping in the grave.”
Are you interested in doing a relay?
One of the beauties of relay running is that you compete with a team of mixed abilities where each individual is vital. I cannot stress enough that you do not need to be an ultra runner to compete – if you can run five miles at a stretch and maintain a positive attitude on little to no sleep, you’re good as gold! If I had a chance to survey our team, I bet average weekly mileage would be between 20-30 miles and average long distance runs 5-6 miles. Maybe half of our team members have run a half-marathon or marathon, and only two had competed in a similar relay race before. So what are you waiting for?
Here are a few you might consider:
- Ragnar Florida, Miami to Key West FL, January 4-5, 2013
- Dixie 200, Atlanta GA to Birmingham AL, March 22-23, 2013
- Palmetto 200, Columbia to Charleston SC, April 12-13, 2013
- American Odyssey, Gettysburg PA to Washington DC, April 26-27, 2013
- Reno-Tahoe Odyssey, Reno NV & Tahoe CA, May 31-June 1, 2013
- Look up other Ragnar series options including: Arizona, Southern California, Chicago, Cape Cod, Utah, Napa Valley, Washington DC, and more
Ones to look up for next fall:
- Blue Ridge Relay, Grayson VA to Asheville NC, September
- Colonial 200, Charlottesville to Williamsburg VA, September
- Ragnar Pennsylvania, Lancaster to Mt. Pocono PA, October
- Ragnar Tennessee, Chattanooga to Nashville TN, November
- Ragnar Las Vegas, Lake Mead to Las Vegas NV, November
See you on the road!