Swift moving rivers, dense trails of mud, the constant nag of pesky mosquitoes, and sinking in sand with every step were just minor obstacles that runners faced during the 2011 Great Lakes Relay in July.
A total of ten runners from the boys and girls Seaholm cross country team were up for the challenge that started on July 15. Seniors Jack Howard and Zack Demko teamed up with former Maple cross country runners Ryan Petry and Clay Monohan to create “The Red Rockets”. Senior Sarah Feiten and juniors Tess and Mallory Wilberding lead a separate team named “Seriously?!” that included Selena Wallace, Paige Russel, Julia Demko, Elaina Brown, and Allison Wegner.The three-day, 282 mile journey began in Oscada, Michiganand ended in Empire, Michigan, stretching from Lake Huron to Lake Michigan.
Participants would run between three and ten miles each day through swamps, thick brush, and roads that cars could not even function on.
“It was ridiculous terrain,” Demko said, whose team finished 20th with a total combined time of 37:20:00.
Team “Seriously?!” went home finishing 30th out of 35 teams.
The race did feature some of Michigan’s most scenic parks like the Sleeping Bear Sand Dunes and beautiful forests, but that did not make these trails any easier to run on for most of the Maple participants.
“It was definitely one of the most challenging things I’ve ever done,” Feiten said. “Every day we pushed ourselves harder physically and mentally.”
Mallory Wilberding’s toughest stretch of the relay was named “send your goat”. This leg included trails that were approximately three-fourths of a foot wide and in the forest. Each trail was completely surrounded by sand.
“If you were lucky enough to be off the trail you were in the tracks with sand,” Mallory Wilberding said.
“Send your goat” began with an eight minute switchback course that went uphill. The second portion of the leg had runners fighting for position on the trail because it was narrow enough for only one person. At the 20 minute mark, the runners had another uphill track in the sand.
The searing heat coming from the sun only made these legs more difficult on the runners. Thermometers hit mid to upper 90s throughout the weekend.
Training for this relay consisted of two-a-days and running on local trails to get used to the uneven terrain. But the trails in Oakland County were no match for what these runners were seeing on this course.
“We ran in trails around here,” Mallory Wilberding said. “But they were nothing like the trails up there.”
The teams ran this race mainly to stay in shape for the upcoming season and to race against some tough competition.
Girls cross country coach Jeff Devantier was very happy with the members of the team that participated in this event.
“I was extremely proud of all the runners and crew that participated in this event,” said Devantier. “It proves how tough and resilient these ladies are.”
Even though it was not easy for them, every runner from Seaholm completed the race and received their custom made ceramic mug as a gift for running one of the country’s most difficult relay courses.
The runners from Seaholm realized what they had accomplished over this three-day relay, and are satisfied that their training and dedication paid off.
“The sense of accomplishment I felt finally reaching Lake Michigan and finishing on the beach with my team is something I will never forget,” Feiten said.
