Meet Cheap Bait - Caryn W

Name: Caryn W

Age: Masters Age Group :-)

Relay Name: Hot Rod Red or Krav Mama

Hometown: All over - I grew up military, but consider myself a naturalized North Carolinian - this is where I put down my roots!

Current: Raleigh, NC 

Have you ever done this before? Yes, I did the Tuna Run last year for the first time

What are you looking forward to the most? Hotcakes and Sausage. Ooo.. and that tuna!  Ooo.. and the beers at the finish line (summary: food and finish)

What are you looking forward to the least? The long run at night

What should your van mates know about you before hand?  Hmmm...  don't like peanut butter?

How long have you been a runner?  20+ years.  I started when I was in the Air Force - my running buddy and I ran all over DC on our lunch breaks!  Running the MCM a few years back was like being home again!  I recently made the leap into triathlon, too!

Favorite gear: I do love my pretty running clothes!  SkirtSports, Oiselle, and Sugoi are my favorites!  I've recently realized that I also need Injinji socks for my long runs.. my toenails disagree vehemently with the marathon!

What is your favorite color? ORANGE (and also pink, grass green, and turquoise)

Do you have any children/pets? 1 husband, who is responsible for 1 child (10 year old boy, James), 2 beagles (Blue and Merle) and one useless cat (Newkie)

Hollah! 

 
What's your favorite food?  I could live on Tropical Smoothie Cafe.. sadly there will be no Island Green smoothies on this trip.

Hobbies: Krav Maga (above.. looks like fun, right?!), gardening, and all kinds of crafts!

Meet Cheap Bait - Sara S

Name: Sara S

Age: 29 bahahaha no really it’s 38

Relay Name: Mountain Goat or Goat 

Hometown: Wilmington, NC

Current: Raleigh, NC 

Have you ever done this before? Yes, I did the Tuna Run last year for the first time

What are you looking forward to the most? The silly antics and camaraderie of our team and a good Bloody Mary at the end

What are you looking forward to the least? The lack of sleep

What should your van mates know about you before hand?  I have a pretty sick sense of humor and may not always be politically correct. I also hate rude people so don’t piss me off or your toothbrush may get swirled in a toilet (just kidding I wouldn’t do that to my friends). I like a good challenge, which is why I like to run hills.

Scrappy, like a goat!  Or maybe scrape-ey

How long have you been a runner?  Maybe 12 years. I started to run to get into shape and then did a 5k and it’s been uphill (and yes I love a good hill) ever since. Last year I started doing triathlons and really like the challenge of 3 sports.

Favorite gear: Balega socks-I have way too many. Headsweats visor-I always wear one as I hate sweat in my eyes. Running Shoes because who wants to run barefoot. Right now my favorite shoes are my Brooks Glycerin and my Hoka One One.

What is your favorite color? Pink but I love all colors except maybe dookie brown

Do you have any children/pets? Yes, 21 month old named Sophie (she’s a human although sometimes she acts like a crazed animal). 2 Corgis, Pippa and Murphy. 2 chickens, Henrietta and Edith.  If I could con my husband into it I would have a bunny, goat, and bees in my backyard and a horse.

Making a friend during last year's Tuna Run

 
What's your favorite food? Indian-Chicken Tikka. It’s my favorite food before a long run and yes I have a stomach of steel.

Hobbies: Knitting (no I am not 80), running-duh!

Meet Cheap Bait - Mara B

Name: Mara B. (she's the one on the right... hey.. Cheap Bait was there, too!)

Age: 31

Relay Name: TBD

Hometown: Sligo,PA

Current: Raleigh, NC 

Have you ever done this before? Nope! 

What are you looking forward to the most? A new challenge and meeting a new group of runners 

What are you looking forward to the least? The next day soreness

What should your van mates know about you beforehand? I am very Easy going, I do tend to require more bathroom breaks than the average joe and I am a constant grazer so I will come well stocked in snacks

How long have you been a runner? I’ve run off and on since high school but have definitely picked up a bit in the last couple years.

Favorite gear: I have zero preference as long as it’s comfy. I have a little of everything.

What is your favorite color? Blue (like a lightsaber)

Do you have any pets? Yes, Toogie who is a sweet dachshund and Walter who’s my running buddy.

What's your favorite food? That’s a hard one! Tossup between ice cream, turkey sandwiches, and crab legs (let's hope not all at once)

Meet Cheap Bait - Kelly V

Name: Kelly V
Age: 31

Relay Name: TBD  Oh, c'mon, we can do better than this, Cheap Baiters... let's give our girl a nickname!

Hometown: Pinehurst, NC

Current: Raleigh, NC 

Have you ever done this before? Nope! 

What are you looking forward to the most? The experience and challenge of trying something new 

What are you looking forward to the least? The stench (stink, stank, stunk)

What should your van mates know aabout you beforehand? I'm pretty easy going. I’ve been told I’m a fun person although I can be shy at first. Lucky for you I’m more apt to be silly in the wee hours of the morning with little to no sleep.  There will be plenty of that (little sleep, that is.. which I guess is little of that?!)

How long have you been a runner? I started running in October of 2010, ran my first race ever (a 5k) February of 2011 and my first half-marathon November of 2011

In case we haven’t met that is me on the far left.

Favorite gear: Athleta Fast Track Tank, Honey Stinger Organic Energy Chews (thank you Caryn for the intro), my Garmin  You're welcome!

What is your favorite color? Blue excluding Carolina Blue 

Do you have any pets? Yes, Olivia the sweetest 5lb chihuahua you’ll ever meet and Kelso a 10+lb longhaired cat

What's your favorite food? Ice Cream

Favorite movie: Steel Magnolias  

Most memorable vacation: My trip to China in 2009  

Most desired place to visit: Greece or somewhere tropical is what I’m feeling right now 

Hobby(ies): Running, reading, crochet/knitting 

Spouse/kids? Husband Charles, together 7 years/married 3 years, and a 19 month old son, Noah  

Yes I am that cheesy girl who has a dog, at a wedding, in a dress. (I didn't notice that the dog was wearing a dress.. did anyone else?)

Occupation: officially a Stay At Home Mom as of October 2013, formerly the Project Information Coordinator for an architecture firm in Raleigh  

Favorite TV show: The Office or Law & Order SVU 

Favorite book and/or author: Hmmm recently I guess I’d say The Violets of March by Sarah Jio

Meet Cheap Bait - Colleen B

Name: Colleen B

Age: 27 

Relay Name: Shotgun Betty 

Hometown: Fort Worth, TX

Current: Raleigh, NC 

Have you ever done this before? Did it last year for the first time! 

What are you looking forward to the most? the amazing experience that comes with the camaraderie from your teammates and the epic party after! 

What are you looking forward to the least? The exhaustion and mental abuse you give to yourself when you're tired and feel like you can't go on

What should your van mates know about you before hand? I'm loud, opinionated, crass, offensive, I curse a lot (the F word is my favorite...and I don't mean fudge), and I love to laugh!

How long have you been a runner? I started running in the spring of 2012 and ran my first half marathon spring of 2013.

Favorite gear: Brooks shoes, Nike barely there tanks, Moving Comfort sports bra, Pro Bar gluten free gummies, my Garmin Forerunner 610

What is your favorite color? Purple...no pink  AHHHH (movie reference) Monty Python for the win!

 

Do you have any pets? Yes, 1, a Pit bull/boxer mix. She's 5 and her name is Zoey Pupperlumps 

 

What's your favorite food? Mexican & French 

 

Favorite movie: Forrest Gump 

 

Most memorable vacation: epic road trip with my dad in 2013 and visited New Orleans, Fort Worth, 

Austin, and Houston 

 

Most desired place to visit: France (will be going next year!) 

 

Hobby(ies): Running (duh),  photography, food, and wine 

 

Favorite word: moist (because everybody else hates it) ew... we'll all be "moist" during the relay!

 

Most despised word: failure

 

Spouse/kids? Boyfriend of 7 years and the Pupperlumps is the only kid I'll need :) 

 

1 song that sums up your life: Heart of Gold-- Neil Young 

 

Occupation: Operations/Office manager at a local Allstate office and part-time Meredith student (graduating 2015!!! woohoo!) 

 

Favorite TV show: Trashy TV and Big Bang Theory

 

Favorite book and/or author: Mary Kay Andrews (author), The Invention of Wings (book)

Rave Race - Runcations!

"Well, I think that's kinda crazy, but if that's what you like, then good for you!"... said my sister-in-law, from the pool, as I excitedly explained to the family that I found a 5K right at the beach where we were vacationing!
Apparently, there's a company that puts on weekly races along the Outer Banks (runcations.com), and they even have great swag!  For roughly 40 bucks, me and nearly 400 other people spent Wednesday morning running through scenic Currituck, beginning and ending at the Whalehead Club (sort of like Biltmore Estate at the beach).  There's a Wednesday series, called the Lighthouse 5K (there's a lighthouse right next door), and a Thursday series in Nags Head*.  For a 5k, it had surprisingly nice swag - a decent t-shirt (same brand as our Cheap Bait shirts!), sweat towel, stickers, and a MEDAL.

Bonus, they emailed my results, and included which place I was in my age group (11th out of 44) and overall (not quite as good!).  Post-race food was delish, and I even made a race friend - someone who was doing her first 5K ever and just needed to connect with someone for a little confidence boost (she also did great).

What's an early morning vacation race without a little treat afterwards?  Not worth having, if you ask me.. which is why I stopped at Duck Donuts on my way back to reward myself with maple bacon donut!  What a way to start the day!

*we actually stay in Nags Head, and had I known that there was a series a bit closer, I would have opted for that vs. driving nearly an hour up the coast to Currituck.. but it was a beautiful drive!  Next year I'll do Nags Head, and when the kiddo realized there was bling, he regretted his decision NOT to - he'll be joining me next year :-)

What to pack for 36 hours of living in a van

With our team meeting coming up this weekend (and me so sad that I won't make it!), I thought it timely to add a "here's whatcha need" list to the blog.

Crap you need to wear

• 3 full changes of clothing, along with 3 gallon-sized zip locs.  Put 2 of the sets into ziplocs and squeeze out the air to save packing space.  Wear the 3rd set. (Top, bottom, socks, bra) - THREE sets are not optional, unless you want to ride on the roof.
• 2 sets of sneakers (if you have them), rotate them during your runs.  Also, it may rain.
• 1 pair of comfy shoes for not running - these are your chillin' in the van kicks.
• Sweaty bands, scrunchies, hair bands (not Ratt or Motley Crue), bobby pins, whatever spares you'll need to keep your hair out of your face.
• Loungewear - something comfy to wear during the 2-3 hours in which you might sleep.  Immediately after, you will change into one of your running outfits.
• Your Team shirt for the finish!
• Post-race clothing - something for Saturday night (dinner or hitting the bars), to sleep in, and to wear home on Sunday.  Ideally all of this after a shower.
• WIPES - you don't actually wear these, but they will be part of your clothing ritual, so keep 'em handy with your changes of clothing (along with DEODORANT).  After each leg you run, you'll cool down while the next person runs their leg, THEN you'll change at the next stop.  Wipe yourself down, stuff the sweaty clothes into one of the ziplocs (seal TIGHTLY), reapply smell-good stuff, then get dressed in your next outfit.
• Each van must have 1 reflective vest.  We had 2 in each, so that it was one less thing to hand off.  You also need blinky lights, front and back.

Crap to make you comfy (most of this is optional, personal preference.. remember, it all needs to fit!)

• BODY GLIDE, sunscreen
• Sunglasses or visor
• Foam roller
• Yoga mat, for stretching or just hanging out between legs (of the run, not someone else's)
• Sleeping bag or blanket
• Tent - really, only a few people from each van need to bring one.  You can double up, and some people can sleep in the van if they like.
• Pillow
• Towel(s) - Just because.  Either to sit on, or in case there's an oasis on the final leg that actually has a working shower.
• Folding chair
• First aid kit (one per van)
• Markers, paper, signs, decorations - crazy crap to pimp your ride.
• Electronics - camera, phone, charging cords (and an adapter.. these vans won't have USB ports)
• Toiletries - you will want to brush your teeth when you wake up!
• Hand sanitizer, extra TP

Crap you might wanna eat

• Bring whatever hydration, fuel belt, etc you normally use for long runs.
• Fuel, especially for that final, early morning run... you probably won't feel like eating anything heavy at 3am.
• Split the rest of the stuff up amongst the van.  Everyone can certainly bring their favorites, but you don't want 6 people bringing their own coolers and grocery bags!  Divvy up the big stuff, and then let people add whatever else they need.  Suggestions:
• Bottled water - grab a few cases
• Some Nuun tubes
• Case of single-size chocolate milks (also conveniently available at BJs)
• BJs-sized tub of pretzels
• Bunches of bananas
• Muffins for breakfast
• Cheese sticks or squeezey yogurts
• veggies and hummus
• PLAN FOR DINNER!  During the day, you'll be able to find somewhere to eat.  After your night shift or before your night shift (depending on when your van starts / finishes), you will probably be out in the boonies, and pickin's will be slim.  Bring a big pasta salad, or some sandwich fixin's.

... and THAT is how you pack for a relay!  The MotherRunners also have a nice printable version of this, without all of the editorial comments!