To further explain, we were about to experience “Reach the Beach” (or RTB for those needing some lingo): a 200+ mile relay run race taking us from one area of Northern NH to Hampton’s Beach in another. It is a point-to-point race comprised of 36 stages. Those competing can be part of an ultra team of 4-6 people (yes you read that right—those peeps are crazy) or teams of 8-12 people (we opted for this team—the more reasonable choice) and can be comprised of all men, all women, mixed or co-ed (I am not really sure of the difference between the two, but apparently there is one). While there are the crazy Ultra Teams, the majority of us did RTB for fun. In as such, we took creative liberties with our name (“Cradle Robbers”) and our vans (see photos below). RTB also had a series of rules which were harsh and, if broken, came with extreme penalties (disqualification for mooning for example – something we thought we’d get nabbed for).
For teams with 12-people, each runner is assigned a number (1-12) earmarking the leg he runs. In our case, we had 6 people in each van (Van 1 with runners 1-6 – Liz (our Captain), Regina, Tom, Kaitlin, Rob and Franco) and Van 2 with runners 7-12 - Niall, Brad, me, Mary Ellen, Steve and Sara). In theory, the only times the two vans would be parked in the same spot is when runner 6 handed the relay strap to runner 7. Being runner #9 meant I was running legs #9, #21 and # 33. The vans served as our homes – and our van-mates as our roommates – for the next 24+ hours. Each van followed the course to drop off, and pick up runners as they start and finish a leg. Our bathrooms would be porta potties and showers weren’t happening. Boy this is going to be fun… “a great adventure” I kept reminding myself.
Our journey began mid-Thursday when Van 1 of the Cradle Robbers (35+ year old men racing on a team with 28-year-old women) departed NYC for a 6+ hour trip north. After a hit and run in Costco and a meal at Applebee’s (I get why America is fat now), we arrive in a place where no city-dweller has been before. A little after 11 p.m., Van 2 with the remaining Cradle or Robbers arrived; we all then hit the sack.
Friday a.m.: We all wake from a somewhat restful night. Twelve of us spread out over two large condos: some on Murphy Beds, some on couches. We go to our respective vans to stock our supplies from Costco (I highly recommend the trail mix in case you have never had it), water, Gatorade, sleeping bags, folding cots, clothing, and the much needed headlamps and reflective vests (more on that later). We head to a local diner, scarf down what could be our last real meal for a while, and head to the race start. When we left NYC on Thursday, it wasn’t warm, but it wasn’t cold. Well… NH was fking cold. Cold as in “jackets and layers” cold…and “it’s raining and we’re on top of a mountain” cold.
Getting to the start, we sized up the competition. The Ultra Gays (yes, that is right) had us beat, but perhaps we could get the Victorious Secret group (a team we would wind up doing battle with along the course). The other teams from Asphalt Green including two Ultras; a woman’s team and a men’s one (Fat Guys Don’t Bonk) as well as another 12-person relay team -- AGTC 1 (a lame name). After taking some time to decorate Vans 1 and 2, we head over to the start of the race. Each team started in different waves depending on the average of each runner’s half-marathon pace. The theory behind this is that the faster teams would eventually catch-up or get close to the slower teams (which started earlier) and we’d all finish around the 24- to 29-hour mark. The Cradle Robbers were scheduled to go off at 1:20 p.m. …1:26 (NH time), Liz starts running. See you at some point, Liz.
Now I am sure the runners in Van 1 have their own stories, but this is my perspective from Van 2.
Each van pulls out of the start and we decide to see how Liz is doing by parking somewhere along the side of the road (this is allowed). As it’s early afternoon and we estimate our van would not need to start to run until ~ 8 pm, we go to almost every transition to cheer our teammates on. At one point, we decide it’s probably a good idea to eat something – solid food instead of trail mix-- so we pull into a deli to get sandwiches. Mary Ellen comes into the store and tells us Steve hit his head on the van. Since I have my food, I go out and check on him. Thankfully, he cleaned up the worst of it, but apparently hitting your head on the back doors of a van can create a gash in one’s head and where this is a gash, there is blood. We get out the first aid kit and check to make sure the wound is clotting. While he says he’s fine, we make Steve lie down on the back seat to be sure. At transition 5 (where Rob hands off to Franco), we pull into the transition to see about some medical care for Steve (to be on the safe side). While waiting for the transfer, someone from the medical side helps to bandage Steve up. Steve says he’s ok, and is prepared to run so we drive to the 6th transition area to wait our turn to run.
One of the RTB rules stipulates that any runner on the road between 7 pm and 7am must wear reflective vests, lights and a headlamp (all of which would come in handy). While I am not really clear what time he started, at some point Franco comes into sight and hands off the relay wrist band to Niall…our van is now on the stage. We pull out and leave van 1 on their own (we’ll see you at Transition 12). Niall storms out (boy he’s fast) and we pull up along side of him to see if he’s ok….all good we head to transition to wait for him to come in to hand off to Brad; shit I am next. Knowing that I would probably be running throughout the night, I opted to wear tights (a bad choice in the end) and my long sleeve Cradle Robbers shirt. I do some of Coach Neil’s warm-ups (jumps, fast feet, etc.) and prepare to start my leg. I see Brad coming in, I turn on the headlamp, make sure the reflective lights are on and as Brad calls my name and hands me the wrist band, I take off.
The leg was “billed” as an easy 3.53 mile run. And while short and relatively flat (with one big hill), running in the dark with only a headlamp for light is, well, kind of scary and strange. Now I never really lead races so typically do not have to worry about knowing where to go (there is always someone to follow), but as we seemed to have caught up to slower start groups, I start to pass more and more runners and suddenly I am in front; I hope I don’t lead anyone into the wrong place. Keep following the road and place one foot after another…I’m bound to hit the end sometime. I near the end of this stretch, see the transition area, yell Mary Ellen a few times and hand her my wrist band. Time check: approx, 26 minutes. Well that wasn’t too bad… No time to stretch as we need to pick up Mary Ellen and drop off Steve (running with a taped up head). All is ok as Steve comes in and we drop off Sara and head out again; we pick up Sara – but got to her transition a little late after getting lost, but at least Van 1 was there to keep her company. As Sara gets into the Van, we decide it probably best to go straight to the rest area (stage/leg 18); it is approx. midnight by now and our Niall probably doesn’t have to start to run until 3:00am; time to get some sleep. We re-arrange the van so that we can crash on the seats. I take one row, Sara and Mary Ellen the others. Steve crashes in the driver side, Niall in the passenger and Brad opts for a sleeping bag – outside. The van is silent as we rest. 2:15am the blackberry alarms go off and we start to wake up (well most of us do). We get out, and wait for Franco to come in to hand off the Niall (you get the idea). Niall goes, then Brad and then me…Time check; 5:15am. I see Brad coming in from a 9+ mile run (one of the hardest stages) and I’m off on my 7.26 mile journey.
Again in the dark…again passing people, I step on something squishy on the side of the road…I really don’t want to know what that was….This stage was billed a moderate/hard – and indeed it was. Some gradual, but somewhat long hills, I pass more people and see some tiny reflective lights ahead; I think that may be fellow runners. It’s getting a little lighter out, but is still considered night and I am once again glad I have a headlamp on to help guide me. As I looked at the course before, I knew I had one big climb followed by a big drop and then some rolling bumps and a small hill before I finish. The up goes well when suddenly I am going downhill – and going downhill pretty fast. Normally I lean into the hills to relax the legs letting my body weight help carry me down the hill. But this hill is so steep, I need to lean up to be sure I don’t tumble forward…Hitting some flat ground and onto the shoulder of the main road, I hit a stride and continue to pass people (I am up to 10 passes so far and am only passed once). I hit the last small climb, see the flashing lights of the transition area, once again yell for Mary Ellen and I’m done (58 mins). I am not sure if I am loving this experience. This could be a one-time, “bucket list” experience like some of the triathlons I have done or it could be one of the best experiences I have had…Guess I’ll reserve judgment.
We hop into the van and head to the next stage; I think you get the general idea by now. Sara finishes….The boys need food and the girls need to sleep. After what seems like an hour drive, we find some country kitchen (long story of trying to find someplace) and eat. While van 1 finishes their last 6 legs, we opt to drive to the last main transition area to wait for Franco to finish. It is light out now and we’re free to run w/o our vests (!). The last 6-legs requires a bit of strategy as Brad’s, my, and Mary Ellen’s legs are pretty short – 2.2, 1.99 and 3.2 respectively. Given the fact that there will be traffic, in order to avoid missing the handoff, we decide to drop off the three of us before hand and have the second van pick-us up. This proves to be the smart move. While we wait, I chat up Mary Arnold from the girl’s ultra team (damn, they’re almost done) who tells me the boys ultra team (fat guys don’t bonk) have long past and are probably close to, if not already done. Damn….
Franco comes in for the handoff to Niall which means that we have 30 legs down and 6 to go…are we close to a fking beach yet? Niall is off and so are we. Brad gets dropped, then I get out of the car and wait…do my Neil warm-ups and prepare. This is my last leg and a short one at only 1.99. I want to run “balls to the wall”, red-line all of the way so that when I finish, I have nothing left in my tank. I have done 6-min. miles during the speed class, but that is in a controlled environment on a flat running track. 6-min miles is not realistic, but I know that my body has some gas left in the tank. As I wait, other runners come in and as we predicted (correctly) their vans with the subsequent runner has not reached transitions…suckers. Other teams enter the transition area and I wait for Brad to appear. Within a few minutes, Brad shows up and I grab the wrist band and take off. I start to pass more and more runners – keeping someone ahead as a target. I hold up my hand when nearing an intersection – not allowing cars to pass in front of me (maybe not the smartest move, but hey, I am going at all cylinders now). I run, pass more people, and focus on breathing and the finish line. I glance down at my watch – 12 mins on my feet, I should be close… I see runners already of me on the other side of the street…I am close as those must be people in Mary Ellen’s leg. I turn and look for a finish line…I guess I am too focused as I turn into a parking lot and nearly miss the finish line….I yell, where’s the finish to anyone…Someone points behind me…I quickly turn around, jump over a ditch and see Rob calling me in. Head down, I find one last gear and sprint past another runner yelling for Mary Ellen for the last time. Done! 1.99 miles in 13.5 mins…wow…I have nothing left in me.
The next hour+ is a bit of a blur. I recall us go to the last leg to get Steve and wish Sara good luck on her last leg. I remember my heart-rate finally getting down to normal (or my heart not feeling as if it’s coming out of my chest). I remember finally getting to the beach and seeing Sara and us all running in together to the finish line in a total of 26 hours, 48 minutes and some change….Wow what a rush crossing that finish line knowing that the team, together, accomplished something major.
We head to the motel (what could be a Bates Model) in Hampton’s Beach, get cleaned up (the shower was almost as scary as the motel itself (I guess a real shower will need to wait another 12+ hours), have some beers, food and hit the sack. 5:30am on Sunday, we make the 5+ hour drive home.
Well looking back on this, RTB was definitely an adventure…and one which I cannot wait to do again. Cradle Robbers Revenge coming in 2010!
