Far more than a race, Tuna 200 was a family reunion with kickass style and speed. Oh yeah, and we WON!!!!!! Love my Banditos!
Tag Archives: paige
Banditos take South Carolina
From high noon on April 12 to high noon on April 13, the Old Guns, Young Ones, and Banditos traversed 200 miles of the state of South Kakalaki from Columbia to Charleston. We pistol whipped (most of) the competition – finishing 2nd of 48 in our division and 6th of 73 overall. We also won the title “Life of the After Party,” which the race organizers oddly forgot to include on the website. Here’s a pictorial recap of our race:
Okay, enough of the prep work. It’s time to get down to business: the run.
It was a great race. Everyone ran well and enjoyed the experience. We only had one miscommunication about exchange points, but a volunteer and quick thinking meant it only cost us about 30 seconds (which is nothing in relay time). We shared conversations and thoughts that only 24 hour van rides and sleepless or nearly sleepless nights can stimulate. We rang the cowbell for all Palmetto runners – loudly by day, quietly by night. We had signs, maracas, and bandanas. There were water pistols filled with water and other things… In short, it was tremendous, and I cannot wait to ride again.
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A note on future relays:
With two relays under our collective sombreros, we are quickly becoming old hands. For instance, we know what food to bring (brownies and sesame noodles), which night gear is the best (reflective vests with integrated lights), and how to plan for stops along the way (call the state tourism agency). We are also developing the all-important list of criteria for picking our next challenge:
The relay must (or really ought to):
- Start and end in places where we have family and friends
- Have a good finishing location (beaches are a theme)
- Have a kickin’ after party (how else will we defend our title?)
Thus, with these criteria in mind, OGYOB has elected to ride again in the Tuna Run, October 18-19, from Raleigh to Atlantic Beach. Be prepared for all things fishy as we school up.
PS Video of Palmetto 200 coming soon!
On Mistletoe and A Community
Sometimes a girl just wants to write her blog. My sincere apologies for the long delay between posts, but I am learning to accept there are only so many hours in a day, and sleeping less is not a viable option. Now on to the post:
Two weekends ago, I traveled to Winston-Salem to run the Mistletoe Half Marathon. It was a beautiful weekend for a race, and I am happy to report that I placed third in my age group, 98/1100+ overall, and ran a PR (personal record/best). But what has me smiling most is remembering the sense of belonging and connection I felt while spending time with friends. In fact, the opportunity to reconnect is what convinced me to run the race.
I signed up shortly after the Old Guns and Young Ones (OGYO) were victorious at the Southern Odyssey Relay. I knew several of my teammates would participate in the Mistletoe, and I already missed their round-the-clock company. I must also give credit to OGYO Captain and All Around Superstar Paige, who sent me her Mistletoe training schedule and inspired me to create one of my own. But there is something more both the OGYO and Mistletoe participants share that holds an even greater gravity: our connection with Eagle’s Nest.
Whether they were campers, counselors, parents of campers, or camp staff, all had heard the mission “Experiential education for young people promoting the natural world and the betterment of human character” and had seen the transformative power of time on 43 Hart Road. My first summer there was as a counselor in 2010. I remember feeling uncertain where I would belong, but Eagle’s Nest-ers talk more about community than anyone else I know, and they are adept at creating a place for each individual to participate and to shine. With encouragement and friendship, they helped me to find my niche. Now two years later, I would like to report that my niche has become a second home. As a Nest-er, I share the values of connection, community, and leadership, and I believe the sense of home is universal for my teammates and racing compatriots. Our bond is exceptional and extends far beyond PRs and finish lines. Driving home from the Mistletoe, I smiled the whole way.
In the same way I have learned time limits us, I have also learned that as we walk (or run) down our respective paths, we look for the people and groups we can call “ours.” The Eagle’s Nest community is one of the most welcoming, supportive, and rewarding communities I have had the privilege to join, and if I am being deeply honest, the people of the community are more like extended family. So yes, the weekend was in part about a race, but in a much bigger sense, it was about a community I cherish.
