At dusk on Saturday, September 18th, we reached the beach! Our team of eleven runners, covered in salt, sweat, dirt, and Purell arrived at Hampton Beach in Hampton, NH sporting their proudest smiles. A great moment!
***
Our team crossed the finish line almost 24 hours ago, yet the smile hasn’t worn off. I’ve talked incessantly about the experience, reliving every exciting, memorable moment. This race was unlike any other that I’ve run. It was adventure in the truest sense. It was a journey I will never forget – it wasn’t my last! – and I am thrilled to share it with you.
The 200 mile Reach the Beach Relay began on Friday, September 17th at 7:30 AM. 430 teams arrived at Cannon Mountain in Fanconia Notch, NH. It was not the picturesque scene we hoped for.
Storm clouds hung over the area. Hoards of runners stood in the rain. We were muddy, wet, cold, and more than a little anxious. We moved through the race checkpoints – Safety Check, Orientation, Team Photos – and prepared for our team’s start at 1:20 PM. What a late start!
Our team – Baby, We Were Born To Run – worked together to prettify our classy vans.
Each team needed two large vans to store their runners and gear. I bet Enterprise was loving the business! I made myself at home in Van #1.
Six runners called this van home for nearly two days. Living out of a van got very messy, very fast!
After the mess-making, it was time to start! The excitement built as blue skies peaked over the horizon.
It was a sign of good things to come. Run time!
The start time was determined by our team’s reported paces. We were all a little surprised by our late start. The slower teams start earliest. We didn’t consider ourselves slow, but not as fast as the teams we started with. Nobody really knows how we got mixed in with such a speedy crowd. We used our late start to fuel the race fire. Adrenaline pumped and we got down to business!
Being in Van #1 was great. We did all of our first legs in the daylight – read: warm, sun – cheering for each runner along the way.
And marking off our legs as we finished!
I was Runner 5. We ran our legs in an assigned rotation, handing off to each other at designated transition areas. My blood was pumping and I couldn’t wait to race! I was so happy when it was my turn!
Leg 5: My first run was fast and fun! I ran through a very scenic section of NH.
It was crisp, cool, and refreshing – perfect running conditions! I ran DOWN the mountain. Glorious!
Total Distance: 5.54 miles
Total Time: 44:41
Average Pace: 8:04/mi
Before I started, I thought about controlling my pace to save myself for my later legs, but that didn’t happen. As soon as my feet hit the pavement, they went into race mode! There was no holding back. I gave it all I had and felt amazing.
Van #1 completed the first set of runs at a record pace. We were so proud of our time as we arrived at Attitash Mountain. We were also more than happy to pass the baton to our friends in Van #2.
After handing off to the other runners, we drove through the area, ate hot food, drank super-charged coffee, and prepared for more running.
Doesn’t everyone prepare for a race by bundling up in the back of a van!? At this point, I’d been up for about eighteen hours. I was punch-drunk and crazy…in the best possible way! My teammates gave me pep talks as I tried to wrap my head around my second run. 7.38 hilly (mountainous!) miles under the stars.
It was my first “night run” experience. We got outfitted in all of the necessary safety gear – head lamps, vests, and blinking lights.
Yikes! I was scared.
Leg 17: Because of the staggered starts, you don’t necessarily run with other during the relay. I was alone on the road during my leg. It had an incredible ascent. I couldn’t see more than a few feet in front of me as I ran along the side of the road. I followed the white lines and tried to appreciate the clear, starry night. My own breath puffed, hot from my body, fogging my view. What would I meet in these woods? Bears? Creepers? Rocky roads?
This 3 AM run was the toughest and most gratifying run of my life! OF MY LIFE! The hills were killer, but I made it to the top. I took my time on the hills and recovered whenever possible (which wasn’t often). I pushed myself harder than ever before, thinking about my team as I trucked along.
Total Distance: 7.38 miles
Total Time: 1:08:18
Average Pace: 9:15/mi
I felt incredibly strong after that run! It gave me the confidence to conquer anything…especially a marathon! That run taught me that my body is capable of going so much further than I even thought possible.
Our final runner finished up the second set of runs and 5 AM we handed off to Van #2 again. We drove off to a major transition area for a couple hours of rest and relaxation. I never thought two broken hours of sleep could feel so good! By dawn, we were up and moving again.
It was another gorgeous fall day in New England.
Van #2 passed the baton and we set off on our final legs.
The runners in Van #1 were eating up the mileage! Of the two vans, we had to cover the furthest distances. By Saturday morning, we had tired legs, but we never lost our spirit. Our cheers got louder as our teammates passed.
We stopped to give each other water and moral support. Running with tired legs and no sleep is no easy feat…but anything is possible! We stayed strong.
Leg 29: My final run couldn’t come fast enough. I was so anxious to complete my third leg and check off that box. As the fifth runner, my final leg we short and sweet. I started on a steep hill and charged ahead. I passed two women early on and held the pace to keep them at bay. I was running on empty, but I was running! It was nothing short of miraculous.
Passing the baton for the last time!
Total Distance: 4.08 miles
Total Time: 35:32
Average Pace: 8:42/mi
Yay! I loved coloring that square. What a feeling of accomplishment! Our final Van #1 runner zipped through his last leg…and we were DONE!
Van #2 took the road for their final phase. At this point, we realized that we ran faster than expected. We were on pace for a strong finish at the beach.
The Van #1 crew made it to Hampton, NH and waited anxiously for our teammates to arrive, so we could cross the finish line together.
And then we saw her! Chen came charging onto the sand.
The big finish! We joined Chen across the finish line, scored some sweet medals, and said farewell to our new friends.
Official Results:
Place: 171 (of 430)
Category: Mixed Open
Avg. Pace: 8:17/mi
Overall Time: 28:53:50
I am so grateful that I had a part in this tremendous event. It was intense, exhausting, and filled with fun. A passion for life charged through the runners. I was surrounded by some of the strongest, most dedicated people I’ve ever met. I can’t wait to do it again!
I owe a huge THANKS to Lauren!
Lauren invited me to join her on this journey. At the time, we barely knew one another. We now know each other better than we ever thought we would. Ha! A weekend in a van has a way of bonding people! Lauren is an amazing, supportive friend and I’m so glad we completed this adventure together.
You did an amazing job Lauren! I love the writeup of the event. You are going to rock in the marathon!
Congrats! What an amazing race!
loved reading this
cant wait to write all about mine too. great time, and again, sorry about the whole dinner mix up on friday night. i ALWAYS get my receipt when i buy something with cash, and of course this is the one time i forgot. what an awesome experience… glad to hear you want to join the fun again next year!
Sounds incredible but also a bit intimidating. Don’t know if I could do it. Did you sleep at all? I’d be so scared running in the dark alone. It certainly sounds like an experience you’ll never forget.
You did amazing!! Whatever happened to, “When I tell you I’m going to run 9 min miles, I mean 9 min miles.”??
I had such a fun time and was so happy you were crazy enough to take me up on my offer.
Hope you’ve gotten lots of rest today. I’ve spent most of the day sitting, and it feels so good.
Ok your post has my in tears! What an amazing experience! I could not imagine running alone in the dark and living in a van with people I barely knew… yet I really want to do it!
Congrats Becky! You are one speedy chick! But even more amazing is your wonderful personality. Keep smiling girl, you earned it!
PS, I love that you used Purell
Congrats to both of you! I loved following your tweets throughout the journey.
truly amazing. so proud of you becky! that’s awesome
Whoa soooo cool! We had a team do a 50 mile relay last year, and honestly the relay was one of the best experiences of my life. I hope you had just as much fun
CONGRATS!!!!!!!! What a great experience.
Wow!!! Way to ROCK it! So proud of you and all of your accomplishments. You are truly inspiring!
holy smokes beck!! amazing dude. when ran in the dark was your van along side of you??
The van stopped at Mile 4 to check on me. Otherwise, it was me and the bears! There were bears. I just know it.
Wow! What an amazing experience! I can truly feel that smile through your recap.
What an excellent piece of writing!
All the way through the relay you were an inspiration to everyone on our team. You tackled some brutal miles and showed the kind of spirit that makes a relay such an amazing experience. It was truly an honor to have run with you!
What an awesome experience! Looks like you had a blast….I would so love to do a relay like this one of these days.
Great job!
Becky congrats on this huge accomplishment! I would be terrified to run outside in the dark with a headlamp on
Sounds like a perfect adventure to fuel your marathon dreams. Way to go Becky!
YEA!! Beck, omg how happy am I for you?! You did AMAZING! That run in the dark is intense, creepers – I would have said the same.
All that hard work and prep paid off. What a fantastic accomplishment.
I love the check boxes on the van, that’s a great idea.
GREAT WORK!! Sorry the weather wasn’t a bit better. But y’all looked awesome!
What a great experience for you and your friends! Congratulations!
Wow, that seems like such a fun way to bond with friends. I think a relay might be in my future
Great job!!
This brings me back to Ragnar last year! Glad you had fun…. on my drive up to North Conway Friday night- I saw runners!!!
This was SO FUN to read, Becky!!! Good for you! You make it sound like it’s so easy and Heaven knows it isn’t! You can tell how much you love the sport. It makes me smile
Wow, that’s really awesome! And I love that it was in my home state! Great job!! If you need a runner for next year, let me know! I’d love run a relay race up there.
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