The Runners With Sole
knew they were prepared
for their 210 mile trek
across NH. But...
would they actually
reach the beach?

Part 1: Building the Team

When folks across the country randomly received unsolicited e-invitations last winter to form a 12-person relay team to race 210 miles across NH, web masters on the 3W became understandably interested and suspicious. In fact, these requests for participation were real! "g" wanted to run Reach the Beach Relay Race (RTB) for 2 years, and in 2006, it was going to happen. All he needed were 11 more adventurous souls.

"g" initially contacted the usuals. As it would be, Fast John would be in Italy during the race in September. The Hat had an unequivocal and unshaken NO ("You'd have to scrape the skin off my face before I'd run that crazy thing!"), and JD from Malta had taken the request under advisement. Long Shots ("g's office mate) was in, but how would he wrap his annual plans to attend NASCAR racing around RTB scheduled for the same weekend? ("Oh, geez," reminded "g", "both are in NH! One ends on Saturday and the other begins on Sunday!" Marathon Jeannie ("g's" sister-in-law in VA) couldn't wait for a road trip and had been searching for an opportunity to give her self-designed, pink Nike Frees a real challenge! Cool. That's three. Only nine more runners to go!

Jim came to "g's" attention by way of a gathering at the Hat's. RTB immediately became Jim's answer to what's next after running Boston later that spring.

Tony, a former colleague of "g's from the mental health clinic, made an early and unquestionable commitment to RTB. He saw this adventure as his grand finale, the finish line of all finish lines, after many years of marathoning across the east coast. T-Man knew he had been running on borrowed knee time for, 4-years... so... he was nothin' but green-lights for the RTB!
Gove had also logged thousands of miles on roads and trails as he clicked off zillions of 5Ks, 10Ks, half-marathons and marathons over the years. "g" knew of Gove through his wife's work at Skidmore College, and through various 5Ks he had organized on campus. Gove was in.
Maureen and Natalia came to "g" through T-Man and Gove's connections with the Saratoga Springs racing community. These two woman are the essence of competition. They bike, hike, completed triathlons... you name it... it's on their "I never stand still" list of things to do.
Iron Al, another of "g's" office mates, lunged at the opportunity for another challenge. However, "g" had one little concern with Iron Al's immediate soul connection with RTB. Although Al was strong as the jaw on a pit bull, had become a Kung Fu master the last 7 years, and had been playing competitive baseball for years... he had never run a mile in his life! "Not to worry grasshopper," he soothed "g", "I will be race-ready in September."
Steph (expert in butterfly knives... and I don't mean those dainty little tools of destruction you find on a butter dish on Thanksgiving), Megan and Chris came to "g" through the GE/Iron Al connection. They had plenty of running years among them, and with mostly 5Ks under their soles, they joined the team with plans to use a half marathoning training schedule to prepare for RTB.

By March there was a full roster of 12 eager, foot-stoppin' runners who would attack the 2006 Reach the Beach Relay Race... hills and all... with rockin' energy. They would be forever known as...

Runners with Sole