Running the Colonial 200 Relay - Part 4 - Running Into the Night

Keith Hands Off to Mark at Leg 10 at
Mechanicsville Baptist Church

As morning gave way into afternoon and the shadows became longer, we began to realize that before too long, we would be running out of daylight. Literally. We figured sometime during Legs 14 or 15, it would be time to add headlamps and flashing lights to our running equipment per the Relay rules.

 

"Invisible Woman" Andrea on Leg 14 is
almost invisible except for her safety gear

 

Now, running after dark was nothing new for anyone on the team. Most of us were regular morning runners used to starting before sunrise to log long runs as part of marathon or half marathon training. However, there was some mystique associated with running through the night. It was a new challenge and everyone wanted a shot at it.

The whole team put on tutus to support Andrea
as she climbed the hill on Leg 14



We continued to pull together as a team. On Leg 14, Andrea was faced with a tough uphill climb. We drove ahead of her and everyone (guys included) donned tutus to cheer her as she made it up and over the hill. Not bad team spirit. We all tried to squeeze in some shut eye when possible, but even the best of us nodded off unexpectedly.




Steve Grabs an Unplanned Nap Waiting for a Runner

 
The whole sleeping thing was a real challenge. Even assuming that you could get comfortable enough to catch a few winks, inevitably the interior light in the van would come on or something else would disturb your nap. The net result was a whole bunch of punchy people. The best solution was to send the chase truck a couple of Legs down the course so that a couple of runners could snooze and wait for the rest of us. Maybe a second van is not such a bad idea.

Melissa Hangs Out the Window Waiting
for Hank on Leg 19

As we made our way around Richmond and into Ashland, we could feel the end of the Relay pulling us closer. My last leg started at the Ashland YMCA at just before 2:00am. When I crossed Route 1, there was not a car in sight. Once the street lights were behind me, the darkness of Hanover County was amazing. And quiet, except for the occasional dog. The darkness was broken only a couple of times by a Hanover County deputy cruising the length of the leg with his blue lights on. He slowed and asked me how I was doing. Nice gesture on his part. After 30 seconds, he too disappeared into the night. It was nice to reach Leg 24. We were 2/3 finished!