So I haven't posted in a long time, all summer really. So I thought I would write about my annual adventure in New Hampshire, a 210 Mile 12-Person Running Relay race from Cannon Mountain to Hampton Beach, NH.
The race typically begins with coordination, recruitment and logistics, but I'll spare the details only to say that on Thursday afternoon my cousin Greg Mitchell and I went to LaGuardia to pick up two very large passenger vans that would carry the 12 smelly runners for the next two days. The rest of Thursday afternoon people met and we left for New Hampshire in good spirits and full of optimism.
Our race officially began at 3:00 pm on Friday the 12th, however before the being allowed to race we had to sign in, attend a safety and rules orientation and then get our paperwork released and OK'd. The party like atmosphere at the start is great as teams load up on RTB logo gear, pose for team photos and posture with other runners while listening to cool grooves and cheering on the heats in front of you. This year, however, the party atmosphere was a bit less as the weather was cold and damp--perfect running weather!
Every year the race is a little bit different. This year returning RTB'er Greg Stanton would be the one to lead us off and run legs 1, 13, and 25. The Sound Shore Sand Seekers, as we call ourselves, started in the second to last heat (only 13 teams raced after we started) based on our collective 1/2 marathon times. As soon as the gun sounded for our heat Stanton was off and the race began.
At that point Van 1 (Stanton, Charlie Scott, Mark Thompson, Joe Moore, Pierre Antoine Boulat, and Eric Turkewitz) quickly jumped in their van and raced off to meet Stanton for the hand-off at transition #2.
Van 2 which included me, Greg Mitchell, Patrick Kaufer, Mark Loehr, Gregg Rubin and Chris Belisle had 4 hours to kill so we drove toward the Van transition area #1 to find a pasta dinner and grab a power nap before running. Around 6:45 on Friday afternoon van 2 finally had to throw on the running gear and make tracks across NH! We ran from Bartlett, NH (across from Attitash Ski area) down through North Conway and to a handoff in Meredith (near Winnepasaukee).
After each leg, no matter what leg, the refrain was "I ran great but I couldn't believe all the fricken hills!" Or..."Thank god it was dark because I didn't want to see how steep that hill was!" Or in Charles' case, "Who cares about the hills, I didn't get hypothermia so it was fine."
As one van runs, the other rests, so we slept in some very interesting places...like a gravel parking lot at Attitash, a cafeteria at NHTC and on the grass behind Exeter High School. For the sore and tired this was like a 4 Seasons! (I for one am a talent and know that I am a very strong sleeper so I was snoring shortly after hopping in my sleeping bag).
The race to the uninitiated sounds crazy, but to those of us who have run this, the RTB is an addiction. You'd think that after 26 hours we'd hate one another, but the opposite happens...the RTB is an amazing bonding experience and each year I make new friends and strengthen existing relationships. Before the weekend, Mark Loehr and Charles Scott were strangers, now, next year, Mark has invited our wives to join us at "Foxchase" before and after the race!
Each person made this an excellent race and I'm thankful to have run it with some old timers (Patick, PAB, Joe, Gregg, Stanton) but I am equally glad to have have such great rookies (Nails, Charles--the Pro, Chris--the anchorman, Funnyman Greg, Turkey and Zydeco Mark).
So 26 hours, 12 minutes and 21 seconds later the SS Sandbaggers crossed the finish line exhausted and elated. We celebrated by jumping in the Atlantic Ocean to enjoy our first "shower" in several hours and from there we shuffled to the hotel for a real shower followed by some long overdue beer and a dinner at the "Old Salt". I had the surf and turf.
Sunday we all got up, showered and made a bee-line back to New York because by now our absence from our families makes us feel very guilty!
It looks like next year we might need a second team...which will be interesting, but I know that we have a sub 24 hour RTB from among this crew and I am eager to get closer to Hello Kitty and I am looking forward to seeing Patrick in a tail and bunny ears!
Here's the website for anyone that is interested. www.rtbrelay.com
And a link to Turkey's photos:
http://gallery.me.com/dturkey#100517&view=carouseljs&sel=0
And a link to Turkey's photos:
http://gallery.me.com/dturkey#100517&view=carouseljs&sel=0
Until then...Marine Corps Marathon and more importantly...9-28-2008: PAIN TO PAINE!!
See you on the streets....
