Fun while Volunteering

Saturday night I helped Josh and Gina with the Into the Darkness run. I was stationed at about the three mile mark and my job was to direct runners down hill towards the finish. After all of the runners passed my spot, I was to ride back out the way they came in making sure that no one was hurt, injured or otherwise stranded on the trail.


As darkness began to fall on my little spot in the woods, I began to hear gunfire nearby. I guess hunters wait until dark to fire off their guns. It was kind of spooky! I was texting with a friend of mine when Josh rode up. He said that he had forgot the tape at the entrance to the Endurance loop. He asked that I rip down some tape from my spot and take it back out. I had already ridden the beginner loop, intermediate trail, endurance loop (backwards in prep for my night ride) and outer loop prior to "officially" being there. I quickly hooked up my light, took the tape and headed up the jeep road (had already ridden down it twice). It didn't take me nearly as long as I remembered from past rides and soon was on the intermediate trail. I arrived at the intersection and had enough tape to successfully block the trail appropriately. Next, back to my little spot in the woods and back down the jeep trail. (That's three times.)


Once safely back in my spot, I sat down and continued to text asking my buddy who by now was at Explore to text me the # of runners and when they started. I knew my flashlight didn't have the freshest of batteries so I didn't want to waste it. I anticipated (and pretty close) that the first runners would get to me in about 20 minutes or so. Yup. It was pretty cool to see them. At first I could see them way down below as they began to snake up the trail. Then I could see them for a good bit until they got to the jeep road. I cheered them on and warned of the hill. I heard my coworker's wife as she called out obstacles to the group that trailed her. We exchanged mutual "Hey Jen's." Several of the runners asked if I was the 3 mile marker, and I told them I was the closest thing they were going to get. I guess Josh had told them that I was out there. =) Many of them thanked me. I tried to cheer them and encouraged them as much as I could.

After awhile the herd thinned out and the last two ladies were like, "we're having a blast, but we're last!" I said, "you're here and that's all that matters! Great Job!" After they passed I texted my friend, waited about 5 minutes then headed back. The ride out was a hoot. I haven't ridden in the dark since last fall, so I took my time. I also got to enjoy the stuff Josh had put out on the trail. Lighted skulls, a talking skull and many light sticks. He really does a great job with this race. I might just have to try running it next year. Oh yea, on my way down the intermediate trail, my light came unplugged. Nothing like sudden darkness to make you hit the brakes. Then try hooking the damn thing back up in the dark!!! Fixed it, went on. It came unplugged again after the bridge. I got it fixed again and switched it from my backpack to my jersey pocket. HA HA HA! It gets really dark out there! WOOOOOO!!!

I had a blast!!! To top the evening, I got to see a friend from LGH that I haven't seen since I left - he was one of my best friends there at night, so it was awesome to get to talk to him again finally. He won his age group, as did Jen. Jen's sister placed in her age group as well. All in all a successful evening!!! YAY!!!