End of the Road Team Legs 1-5 Photos

It began like most days in the Borrego Springs area: warm and dry. Temperatures for the day were to reach the high 90s and lows would descend into the low 50s - both ranges would not disappoint the Wild Miles Relay.

Team Thrown Together calculated their individual pace times prior to race day and settled upon an 8:00 am start. The Wild Miles Relay is a staggered race with teams leaving as early as 5:45 am and as late as 10:30 am on the morning of the race; Team Thrown Together would be the third to last team to leave from Borrego Springs on their 183-mile bid for glory.

Morning introductions of the team were continued [ see Teammates ] as other teams exited from the starting line. After several well wishes and "go get 'em"s, Matt Allsopp led the attack, rocketing out into Leg 1 (Let's Get This Party Started, 7.65 miles) of the race. Later reflecting on his first leg of the race, Matt commented, "It was a solid run, but it might of gone better if I hadn't dressed in black shorts and a black T-shirt." A lesson well learned in the desert heat. Circling around the sparse residential area of Borrego Springs, Matt returned to the starting line and handed the baton to Matt Hay for Leg 2 (My Oh My What a Beautiful Day, 5.6 miles). Matt would lead this leg out of Borrego Springs and into the desert morning, handily addressing the 1100-ft. elevation increase over four miles.

Arriving to Yaqui Wells Road, Matt and the team loaded both pace vans and set off through Yaqui Pass to the formidable Grapevine. By late morning, the Grapevine Canyon was heating up to a comfortable 100 degrees. Leg 3 (Grapevine Half Marathon, 14 miles) was one of the only two legs that pace vans were not allowed; vans and teams would have to wait on the other end of the canyon for their teammate. Lee Hoedl was the teammate selected as the person crazy enough to take on this run - a 5+++ stretch with 3000 ft. of elevation increase over the 14-mile sanded trail.

Shortly afternoon noon, Lee exited out of the Grapevine and handed the baton to team member Stacy Park. Lee was heard to comment, "I could really use a Dairy Queen M&M Blizzard... okay, maybe two..."

Stacy, no stranger to marathon running and midday heat, took the baton and began to whittle away each foot and yard of Leg 4 (We Made It Through The Grapevine, 6.8 miles). Through it all, Stacy was heard to mutter again and again, "Shit!" as he became the first teammate to be inflicted with runner's rash. By midday, temperatures started to soar on the rural roads of the Wild Miles Relay.

Quickly following Stacy's leg was Krystyna Mardula's leg - Leg 5, I'm Not A Wimp For Choosing This Leg (3.43 miles). Accessorizing in her matching visor and running shorts, Krystyna was off and running, descending into her miles of Leg 6.

The pace vans continued to do a wonderful job of keeping the runners hydrated and happy. Mobile One was operated by Michael Housch and Arnold Ramirez. Mobile Two was operated by Devlin Caskey and Danny Hawke. Leap-frogging across the route, they continued to stay one step ahead of the runners.

Team Thrown Together would need this vital support if they were ever going to catch any of the other teams that were ahead of them...