Progress made – we have a van…

Rest easy – we won’t have to cram 6 runners and gear into my 8 year old 4-door sedan.  A luxurious 15 passenger, 4-bench, 2 captains chair van is awaiting our pickup on Thursday, September 10th (consider this detail a a not-so-subtle reminder that the race starts on Friday morning).  The 4-bench part of the past sentence is key.  That means that whilel 1 person is out running, 3-4 people can be snoozing while the 6 team member (likely the person who just ran) drives, eats, sweats, etc…  Don’t skim over the word “luxurious” either.  Although the van will be anything but luxurious after a few legs of the race, the added spaciousness a small team affords is oh soooo nice.  Aaahhhh – I can almost feel the “whole-bench-to-myself” mentality setting in!  We got an “early reservation” rate of $239 for the weekend so long as we don’t exceed 900 total miles.  $.30/mile after that – we should be able to avoid the extra per mile fee.

The creature comforts of 2-day van living reminds me of a funny story from last year’s race.  Tell me more you ask?  Well, ok.  But only because you asked so nice.  1:30am.  Leg 6/Exchange Zone 22 or was it Leg 7/Exchange Zone 26?  Can’t remember the leg/zone for sure but I do remember the 1:30am part and the small arts school on top of the hill that hosted the exchange zone.  I run up to the exchange.  The peaceful existence of night-running in the sticks gives way to a din of activity.  People are cheering.  Music playing.  Dogs uphill from the zone are barking.  Many, many, many team vehicles are parked.  No sign of John, the runner I was handing the wrist baton/strap thing off to.  No sign of a team member to get me to the van.  No sign of the van.  I wander calmly looking for our burgandy van.  Nothing.  Noone.  I decide that yelling for John was my only possible solution.  No avail.  Minutes tick by.  I wander some more.  No John.  Wait.  I see the van.  Lights off.  Engine off.  Huh?  Doors locked?  Passenger seat empty?  I politely tap on the window.  Nothing.  Walk to the driver’s side and guess who I find asleep?  The entire van but most notably John, the next runner.  Conked out in the driver’s seat.  Like they all had been drugged.  I tap the window with my light – John jumps up, bolts from the car with waist belt dragging, headlamp dangling, apologizing but most importantly running.  A quick check-out/check-in at the checkpoint and the sleep-running begins.  I crawl into the driver’s seat and off we go to the next exchange.

Not terribly comical, nor common but a funny sequence of events that don’t occur in everyday life.  Anyways – bought new running shoes (Asics could back off the price a bit of their DS Trainers – starting to get a bit ridiculous) in anticipation of needing a couple of pair for the race.  Not 100% necessary but a nice luxury in the event of weather or heat-induced foot sweat.  Get that visual!

My assumption is a cute team race shirt like year’s past is in order – see last post for example.  Feedback here appreciated – would like to get the shirts and printing taken care of by mid-August.  Man this race gets me excited!  Comment away with your desires.

Look for our 1st runner profile coming up in the next post – Runner #1 (Jason M.), you are on deck.