Races like Ragnar relays have intrigued me for a while, but the idea of sleep deprivation and running in remote places solo in the dark have made me relay-shy. Enter a new, hopefully annual tradition for me: the 8-Hour Dream Endurance Relay. I’m not sure why I never took advantage of this close cousin—a relay with a small loop course, run during day light hours, and only a couple of miles away from home.
The race starts right in front of the health and wellness center on Butler’s campus. I’ve run that stretch a thousand times on my own, so it felt sort of homey. Each team can set up their own tent, creating a little village. The tent provided much needed shade, and it was great to hang there and soak up all of the team vibes between legs. The tent village had a fun and festive vibe, with a small side of competition.
The goal for the day: run as many miles as possible in the 8 hours. Some people run the whole thing solo to get in an ultra, while others form teams of up to 8 people. They can be co-ed or not.
For each leg, it’s a pick your poison situation: a shorter (nearly 2 miles) or longer (about 3 miles) loop. The course covers every surface imaginable: concrete sidewalks, asphalt parking lot, crushed limestone trail, wooden bridge, dirt footpath with roots and rocks. It loops around Hinkle Fieldhouse, behind student housing buildings, along the Canal Towpath, onto the paved trail parallel to the towpath by their athletic fields, up a steep hillside to the bell tower, along the edge of Holcomb Pond, and back around to the tent village and start line. They fit in an awful lot in such a short course.
Emma, one of the Indiana Volée leaders, organized a Oiselle team for the event. This was the perfect scenario. She managed a lot of the details, plus had all of the gear we needed to set up shop for the day. Never underestimate the value of an experienced team captain!
Our team was a mix of eight women, some I run with regularly and some new faces too. Emma organized the lineup in order of anticipated speed. My pace put me in position 4. Waiting for our first 3 runners to go, I was surprised how much anxious energy built up. I could channel zero of that zen I’d cultivated at Missoula. I was all raw nerves, worried about messing things up for the team.
The heat was growing by the time I ran my first leg, and would continue to swell into the 90s with a heat index well above 100º. The air was so wet, it was like drinking, not breathing. Most of the course was exposed to full sun, though as it shifted in the sky, we got more shade later in the day.
For the first half of leg number one I thought, This heat isn’t so bad! Ha. The beginning of the loop, a very fast downhill, lulled me into a relative ease. When I turned into the uphill portion of the course, my inner fire flared, then raged.
By the time I rounded the corner, the tent village finally in sight, I was soaked with sweat. It continued to pour when I stopped, my body furiously trying to cool down. I had anticipated a 7:30 pace for myself, but came in just under 8:00 instead. We all had a similar heat-induced adjustment. The heat was trying enough that we instituted a buddy system, where each person was responsible for checking on the well being of one other runner after their leg to be sure no one wandered off and passed out in the hot sun.
Lounging in the tent after that first leg, my nerves calmed and I was able to just enjoy the music, catching up with running friends, and eating all of the food. We may have overpacked a bit. We had several bins and coolers full of smoothies, watermelon, oranges, pickle pops, peanut butter and jelly fixings, cheese, hummus, pretzels, carrots, celery, goldfish crackers, popcorn, chocolate peanut butter cups, rice crispy treats, chocolate chip cookies, sparkling water, gatorade, sodas, and cold brew coffee. And probably other things I’m forgetting. Plus, my husband stopped by a bit before my final leg with a ice-cold delivery of orange sherbert push-up pops. I’m not sure anything ever tasted so good.
My second and third leg played out much like the first, nearly identical in pace. Challenging, for sure, but steady. I expected I could do it again for the fourth and final leg, but the impact of spending hours in the heat took its toll. Being in marathon shape didn’t save me from slipping, as I thought it might. That last leg took me a whopping 45 seconds longer. It’s no wonder I flamed out. My resting heart rate just sitting in the heat was more than double what is typical for me.
We managed the heat as best we could. Cold wash cloths chilled on ice helped, and so did access to the Butler gym, showers and bathrooms. With the extreme weather, you might think the race was miserable, but honestly, I had a blast. The community spirit and team vibes totally outweighed the struggle. I was glad to stay outside a little longer for the post-race cookout. They grilled hamburgers, hot dogs, and veggie burgers while a bluegrass band played.
Most of our team had to leave before the awards were announced, but Emma, Rachel and I were still around when we found out we came in first place for all-female team. I hadn’t expected that. I’ve never finished top five in a race, much less come in first. We won a box of donuts, two bottles of André, and jackets with the 8-Hour Dream logo that say “Podium Finisher.”
I don’t even know how many all-female teams there were. Could have been two or ten. Either way, I don’t really want to know. I was happy to celebrate and revel in that win.