If you think you are close to your classmates now, imagine this: two minivans, 10-11 runners, 200 miles, 24 hours, zero showers, hour-long catnaps if you are lucky. All of this leading up to a spectacular view of the ocean and a numbing dip in the water. Sound fun? Two teams associated with the HBS Triathlon Club and totaling 21 people thought so.
Over this past weekend, these intrepid HBSers headed up to the White Mountains of New Hampshire for the Reach the Beach Relay, a unique annual race that tests not only endurance, but logistical planning and strategy. The race starts in Franconia Notch State Park and has over 400 teams navigate 200 miles of terrain through 36 runner transition points for 24 straight hours, finally wrapping up at Hampton Beach. Each member of a team runs three to four legs of various lengths and difficulties, for a total of about 16 – 25 miles per person, while the rest of the team rides along by van to cheer runners on and rest up for their next leg.
Between eerily quiet night runs lit only by headlamps, spectacular scenery awash in changing foliage, and triumphant finish line festivities, it was a race people will remember for a long time to come. So next time you see these classmates, call them crazy or ask them about joining for the next endurance sport event!
Triathlon Club Runners: Andrew Mondi, Ben Thomas, Bill Hauschen, Brent West, Christina Hruska, Johanna Wightman, Kassidee Kipp, Katie Tong, Kay Fukunaga, Pat Bane.
Section G Runners: Antti Hovila, Blake Hall, Courtney Keph, Gareld Harris, Karen Kwok, Matt Thompson, Molly Rosenman, Pat Donohue, Philippe Bertreau, Ulrike Killy.
For more information or to join the Triathlon Club, please email Christina Hruska (chruska@mba2010.hbs.edu), Andrew Mondi (amondi@mba2010.hbs.edu), Jo Wightman (jwightman@mba2010.hbs.edu), or Katie Tong (ktong@mba2010.hbs.edu).
