Dixie Dirty Dozen The Finish

The Finish Line

So after 200 miles and 32 hours we made our way into Oak Mountain, the finish line! Us in van 1 had been done with our runs since around noon, but van 2 had to finish their legs and run into the park! While we waited for the other van to get into the park, some of our van took showers and got cleaned up at Kevin's house. Me, I went and picked up my dogs from their "hotel" and brought them home. I knew that if I had taken a shower I would be done for the day! But I met back up with my van mates at Kevin's house, while we waited to head over to the finish line. A big thanks go his wife for making us breakfast and allowing 5 stinking tired runners into their home.
Around 2:30 we headed over to the park to watch and cheer in the runners coming in! and enjoy some post-race food, beer and fun!

Why we run?!

We didn't have to long to wait for our runners to come in! 

Team Wheels in the Sky

Team Relay RockStars

Team Dirty Dozen Finish Photo

When I had signed up for this event I had no idea what I was getting into or that this event would be a part of my good-bye to the south. I am so happy that I signed up to do this!! It was a weekend filled with memories that will last a life time! Who cares about the lack of sleep, being stuffed in a van with 5 of your new closest friends, lack of eating normally and running where you never thought you would ever run!? It was my last run in the south, as the week after I was making my move back to Michigan after living in Alabama for 8 years! It was great send off...be with people that will be friends for years to come and doing something I love, running! 

After we had all parted our ways for the day, I was on the post race high we all get...and started looking for the next relay race!! After googling Relay run races I was shocked at how many there are!! So I am ready for the next one..just got to get the 'band back together'

Dixie Dirty Dozen part 2

Now that we have covered the over view of the race lets get to some of the dirty details! So Van 1, runner 1 --Me-- Started at 7am at The Silver Comet Trail.  I started with 7miles and got the team going! We had 6 people in our van, so our runners only had 1 leg per stage.

Sam & Jason exchanging the Yellow Bracelet

After each leg we had an exchange with our van mates. And as exchange occurred we would cheer on, not only our teammates but the others there as well. Again there were only 8 teams, so we did get to know each one at the exchanges.

What made this rely race different compared to all the other relay races out there, was that after all the runners from van 1 or 2 finished their legs there was a mandatory stop/break. This was done, for good reason, there were only 8 teams! And each team was at different pace/speed, we had the lead group averaging a 6:15pace and the rest of us were between 8:30-10:00min/paces! So this allowed the organizers to get the volunteers at their spots with more ease as well as the police who were there to guide our teams in the middle of the night! So when we all regrouped we were allowing the volunteers to regroup as well as it allowed all the teams to get together and meet and talk! This made the experience even a little bit more fun.

Niki Running into exchange/break 

After we van 1 finished our legs of running, van 2 was getting ready, but they had a little bit of harder leg. The reason I say harder is because the heater had turned on!! We were in Georgia, in May! It was hot, so us in van 1 got lucky we had the morning runs and somewhat cooler weather.  We would meet up with them again at the next mandatory/break point. With the start of van 1 at 6pm.

Hanging out at van exchange/break 

Our break/regrouping point was at the Eubanks welcome center in Piedmont, AL. The people that were there were very welcoming to having a whole bunch of runners come and invade their center. We were camped out on the floors of the center and outside. But soon 6pm rolled around and it was go time again.

And van 1 starts again!

I got to lead off van 1, and the nice thing about that was even though we were going into night time runs, it was 6pm so it was not dark yet!! I lucked out!! But as the race continued it did get darker out for our van runners and for van 2 it was the middle of the night! Our runners had yet again great runs, with the only 1 runner missing mis-hap! Jason's 4mile run turned into a 8 mile run after missing one of the turn signs, but he wasn't alone another team was right with him. But special thanks to the awesome race director Kirk he just allowed our teams to drive to next exchange site to keep with the flow. After our 6 runners finished with our legs we met up with the other teams and van 2's for our break/re-group time. Van 2 was set to start at Midnight! And we were there to wish them luck as they started their midnight runs!! 

Van 2 runners start @ midnight

But....we were not off to a hotel for a quick few hours or sleep or shower...no we were off to exchange point #25 to check teams in! Our team had to volunteer to exchange points, we had hoped to have some of our non-runner friends to donate their time, but that didn't happen. So it was up to us. When we got to the exchange point we tried to sleep as best as we could. Some in the van some of the ground! Me, I took the ground and I may have gotten 1-1.5hours of sleep. But just enough to be able to keep going until late Saturday afternoon. But as we slept, Danielle stayed awake to see the 1st team of runners come and go and then waited another 45mins or so for the rest of the groups to come through. 

Van 1 @ exchange #25

After the last runner came and went we packed up and went to the next van meet up spot. Which would be where I would start my final leg of the Dixie 200. Just a 2.75mile run starting at 5am. I say just 2.75miles but my oh my was that the tightest run ever!! Something about no sleep, being in a van and being up for 24+hours I guess does that to you! But I knew the end was near. When we got to exchange #27 we met up with van 2 which was volunteering at that exchange! and oh man they looked tired!! of course they were just up running during the middle of the night!!

The final van exchange break point was at the Morgan Vineyards! and let me tell you the heat and sun had come out! Again I felt lucky for our van as we did not have that bad of weather for our runs but van 2...they had the grunt of it. But with these final 6 legs we would be getting into Oak Mountain State park and the finish line!!

Van 2 @ exchange #27

The Girls of the Dirty Dozen

Having these mandatory Breaks were a great part to this experience! It made getting to know other runners and even those in our group better! I know that typically relay races are not like this, but it was a great added touch.

Part 2 is over...will get to the final part and the finish very soon!!

Dixie Dirty Dozen Part 1

Dirty Dozen (-1) Pre-Race

200 Miles, 2 vans, 24 hours & 12 people.....That's the short of the Dixie 200 Relay running race.

The full version is an awesome event that has made memories to last a life time. Months ago after following Michael on twitter tweet about his time doing the Ragnar Relay Miami to Key West, I told him that looked so fun and there was talk of the Dixie 200 Relay being set up for Atlanta to Birmingham. Right in my backyard! So in February while Michael was picking up his packet for Mercedes Marathon he also became team captain of the Dixie 200,and the  Dirty Dozen was born. At that time, it still just seemed like a great fun adventure and I really didn't put much thought into "what have I signed up for!?"

As the months went on for preparing for the race, there were many name changes in the dozen, some left the group and some were added and it wasn't until the week of that we had our final dozen, ok really 11 but who's counting! I had met a couple of them, briefly, prior to the race but we were about to spend 24+ hours together, we would get to know each other really soon!! 

Van 1

Van 1 (half dozen)
Sam @alum98
Kevin @kdwashburn
Jason 
Danielle 
Dave 
myself @jcrawford720  

Van 2 (half dozen -1)

Michael @bama26point2  
Allison 
Jeff
Tanya @tlsylvan
Niki @harrisniki1

Van 2

Pre Race Instructions

Now that we know everyone...onto the race it's self! It started with most of us jumping into our vans from Birmingham and traveling to the start point in Atlanta at the Silver Comet Trail. We arrived at the Holiday inn close to the start line around 10pm, and we settled in for what would be our last night in a bed until Saturday night. I shared a room with 3 of the other girls, Niki, Allison, & Tanya. I was 1st to sleep, mainly because I was the lead off person to start the race. Somehow I was picked to go 1st! Nothing like pressure to start of our team off right!! Prior to the start we had a little debriefing of the events of the race. Due to only 8 teams in this inaugural race we would have mandatory breaks after van 2 completed each leg. This was done to make sure the groups stayed together (as much as possible) and to help with volunteers at there check points.  Having these breaks made it nice to see everyone at the van exchanges, it really added to the bonding/getting to know everyone on this adventure! 

my Final Leg of Race

As for the running, myself, I had some of the best runs I have ever had!! My 1st leg started with 7 miles with a time of :58 a 8:11 pace!! I was amazed!! My 2nd leg which started about 11 hours later that day, was 4 miles with a time of :33 a 8:01 pace, still amazed!! my 3rd leg, a even shorter leg, but 12 hours later and (maybe) 2hours of sleep was 2.75 miles with a 8:08 pace. And let me tell you that 3rd leg..even though it was short I was shocked at how stiff I was when I started!! Wow the hamstrings were tight, note to self....next race like this make sure to stretch!!

Starting Line

Everyone seemed to have great runs through out the entire 200 miles! We in van 1 were very lucky, we were able to get most of runs in during the morning or early evening! Which ment cooler weather and not so scary!! As for van 2.....somehow they ended up running in the hottest parts of the day and in the middle night down some of the most back woods type areas with dogs....and from what they said ALOT of dogs!! According to Niki in order to be sub-8 for entire run is to have dogs chase you in the dark of the night!!

Instead of going on...I think I will make this part 1 of 3 on the Dixie 200!! This is just the 1st recap of the event, I have yet to cover the exchanges, and of course the finish!!

Finisher Medal! 

Before I end this portion, I want to say this was one of the best things that I have ever been a part of!! I am so glad I didn't scare myself out of doing it!! It was also a bittersweet....it was my last tour of the south before moving back to Michigan.

Have you ever been a part of running relay race?
Would you spend 24 hours with 11 of your closest running friends and run 200 miles?