Jim Kornell, Tough Director
“There are only two rules for this race that are non-negotiable,” announces Jim Kornell, race director, “be safe, and have fun.”
He shouts, “Go!” and we’re off! Travis Bower, our secret weapon, runs the first leg of our trek up and over the mountains. Destination: Nojoqui Falls Park in Solvang, 100K (65 miles) of agony and ecstasy away. Our team is comprised of an eclectic group of Dos Pueblos High School teachers: Leslie Wiggins-Roth, math teacher, X-country and track coach extraordinaire; the right-and-left brain Gleason brothers, Kevin (art) and Ryan (science); Travis, math; and moi, English teacher.
The Peregrinating Pedagogists
Leslie has unearthed some ancient DP singlets for us, no matter that they’re all-girl apparel…we’re blue and gold and unafraid to commit fashion crimes for our cause! Our name, the “Peregrinating Pedagogists,” was our first team building effort, and one might consider this a linguistic crime as well, IF one didn’t already know the definition of “peregrinate,” which means “to travel by foot,” or “pedagogist,” which means “one practiced in the art of teaching.”
I filled my purse!
Travis runs the first leg , from Toro Canyon Park up to the Cold Springs trailhead, in a very respectable third place, right on pace according to the logistical flow chart that I, a left-brain-challenged person, created for our team. I’ve driven the Travismobile up to the handoff with Ryan, and as we peregrinate up to the creek, we encounter serendipity in the form of Marguerite Bianchi, a much-loved retired colleague, who boosts us with hugs and encouragement. I’m targeting a race in three weeks, so I’m not supposed to race Tough Enough all out. When Travis tags me and I take off, though, the 7:20’s I’m running FEEL all out. I’m convinced that paces are like purses: you fill up what you have, no more, no less. If Mike had told me to run 7’s, I’d have felt that was all I had. I’m passed by a man in a hula skirt, the “Thrash Polka” team. For the first time, I understand what it’s like to be “chicked” on a run.
"I prefer mountains with my breakfast, thanks"
Ryan zooms off on leg 3, from El Cielito six miles straight up Gibraltar to the sky, East Camino Cielo. This was supposed to be my leg, but in a planning meeting, Ryan had been so sad to lose the uphill portion of leg 2, I felt obliged to trade. Hmmm….I can run 5 miles across Mountain Drive instead of 6 miles straight uphill? Let me ponder it for a nanosecond: OKAY! Ryan throws it into overdrive, passing the hula polka thrashers, and the race is on!
"I eat mountains as an appetizer"
On our way up in Leslie’s Forerunner, we pass Drea, who may appear a diminutive, elegant little deer, but is in reality the mountain lion everyone keeps siting throughout our California foothills…watch out, because she’s carnivorous!
Coach Wiggins on a roll!
Ryan hands off to Leslie with panache, considering he’s just covered an elevation gain of about 2500 feet. Our lovely coach takes off, hair and feet flying. We pass her and she’s hauling. Downhill is her thang! So much so, that 20 minutes into her run, she becomes one with gravity and the pavement.
The red badge
Undaunted, this toughest of teachers picks herself up, shakes out her legs (leaving some artistry on the ashphalt, indeed), and tears down to the handoff, where she cheerfully self-administers first aid, cleaning wounds and icing her ankle.
Helios on Leg 5, in Chrome Yellow
My second leg is deceitful, beginning with a precipitous drop of over a mile, lulling me into thinking I am fast. I am not fast, as my trail shoes remind me as we begin the gradual, relentless, and inevitably slow climb up to the peak. I initially curse my clodhoppers, but am ultimately grateful for them, as the road becomes more technical. I am passed by a very fit looking Lee Carter, then the mountain-eater Drea, who slaps my heinie on her maddeningly limber lope up the mountainside, and finally by another hula man! I slow from 8 minute miles to 11 minute slogs, stopping to walk as my psoas muscles tighten. Stupidly, I didn’t carry water (“I don’t think I’ll need it…it’s cool enough”), and I gratefully accept bottles from Joe Hilton, Polka Thrashers, and Argentinians, who assure me I look better than they did last year: ”I was crawling at this point, and you are still on your feet!” Still, I am humbled, not only by the elevation but the beauty. This is the most glorious leg, with the Pacific sparkling on one side of the saddle, Cachuma gleaming on the other. I think I am delusional, because I see a mirage of Ryan up ahead, when I still have over a mile to go. But…no, I had mistakenly hit a lap button, and I’m finished! I throw myself up the final few feet, slap his hand weakly, and collapse into a water bottle full of chocolate Endurox.
Bonding and bounding to the finish line
While dining on animal crackers, pretzels and beer, we pat ourselves on the back for a day well-spent, and cheer for our other DP team, the Tuff Chargin’ Teachers (Scott, Lori, Roland, Dan, Joe, Larry, Estella and Todd G.). We toast our heroine of the day, Wiggins, who showed her mettle in the mountains. Thanks to Jim Kornell and Cooper Atkinson, for another successful grassroots, genuinely fun event.
PereGRINating!
Awesome job Maggie! I will happily slap your ass any day
hee hee hee
Thanks to Maggie for organizing; the agonizing was worth it.
Great vibe all day.
It might be noted that besides buying some citrus trees, I also had my running clothes laundered. Ah, the perks of having a loving wife.
I agree with Travis – great people and great vibes…. It was really great spending time together outside of DP!