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what’s running through my mind?

|week 9| marching on + back to nature

five february runfessions

race report: bhic turtle trot 5k {7.3.18}

July 11, 2018      21 Comments

When we made plans to spend our 4th of July week in Southport, NC, I immediately hopped online to find a race in the area. Even though we weren’t going to be there over a weekend, having Independence Day in the middle of the week ensured that someone in the North Carolina area would be hosting a celebratory run.

My search led me to two events: a small, low-key Turtle Trot on Bald Head Island on July 3, and a larger, themed 5k in Myrtle Beach on July 4. For a hot minute, I entertained the thought of doing both, but the 4th of July run would have left me unable to attend the Southport parade festivities with the family, so I tabled South Carolina until another time.

The BHIC Turtle Trot 5K it was!

It’s currently turtle nesting season along the Southeastern coast, so island and beach towns work hard at raising awareness for the cause. Sea turtles, using the moonlight to navigate, make their way up the beach in the middle of the night, lay their eggs in the dunes, and crawl back to sea. Scientists and local conservations groups mark the tracks and document the nests, and wait about 50 days for the babies to hatch. The babies make a mad dash for the water, trying to avoid seagulls and other predators, and hopefully find their way to the safety of the waves.

During this time, it’s extremely important to leave the nests undisturbed (unless with a biologist or park ranger, who will sometimes gently unearth the eggs to record data, and is usually more than happy to show the finds to passers-by), and it’s also crucial to keep light pollution to a bare minimum on the beach at night. The mothers rely on the moonlight and  light from streetlamps, houses, cars, or even flashlights, can confuse them and lead to false nests.

I have been very fortunate to see turtle tracks to new nests, eggs in the nest, and baby tracks, although I’ve yet to see the new hatchlings make their way back to the sea. Maybe one day. It’s just an incredible thing to witness.

But I digress.

The Turtle Trot 5K is actually a regular, weekday event. It’s probably a huge hit with guests of the island, and I think it’s fairly cool that it’s available to so many people. My brother-in-law volunteered to run with me, so we both registered.

This is a slightly more expensive 5K than I would normally run: $50 for off-islanders. The fee includes a bib, shirt, refreshments, and the $22 round trip ferry ticket and tram ride to the island and then venue. That being said, I know the funds go to turtles and conservation, so it’s money fairly well spent.

We received email race instructions prior to the morning of and were directed to take the 8:00 AM ferry. We would be greeted by a member of the Bald Head Island Conservancy, who would provide our tickets and escort us to transportation once we arrived on the island.

Done and done.

We were loaded onto a tram with other runners and walkers and took a 15 minute drive to the Conservancy. I confess that I was a little queasy from the boat ride and the bumpy roads – sometimes I’m a little more about the destination than the journey – and very grateful to reach the venue.

There was a great little clearing where everything was set up: I loved how the shirts and bibs were rolled up together, safety pins already attached to the bibs. It was a really nice touch and we were able to just snag our packets. There wasn’t an official gear check, but we were told that we could leave our belongings inside the conservancy, with the welcome desk. So nice.

We milled around, enjoying a snack and the beautiful scenery. Usually, by this point, I have run, showered and eaten, so I was doing my best to stay fueled.

This race had a bit of a later start: 8:30 onsite registration and 9:30 gun time. I was hoping that the beach island air would make it more manageable, but there was no getting around the fact that it was hot hot hot.

At about 9:20, the race director made his speech. He informed us that unless it was our first 5K ever, it was NOT going to be a PR race. The course involved some paved roads, but also sand and hills, and because of the weather, the advice was to take it easy, hydrate at the three water stations and just enjoy the island.

I didn’t need to be told twice.. I hadn’t really paid much attention to the course map, and that was probably for the best. Had I known what was to come, I might have reconsidered.

At 9:30, we set out. My brother-in-law wanted to stay with me, even though I encouraged him to go on ahead. He has a much faster pace than me and with the heat, humidity, unpacked sand and hills (which he is used to as he lives and trains in the DC area), I hated holding him back. He’s a great sport though and stuck it out, even when I started intervals at about 3/4 miles in.

We left the conservancy, ran down the street, over a bridge (read hill), and then looped to a beach entrance. This was rough. The sand was soft and dry, and there really weren’t any even, packed sections. The tide was high, too, so we spent the run looking for the flattest, most stable sections and trying to first avoid the creeping waves, and then staying clear of the tide pool that had formed after the turn at the Point of Cape Fear.  This section of the race was about a mile long, and while the view was gorgeous, I wasn’t sorry when we got back to the road.

The next two miles would through shaded streets past lovely rental homes. The tree cover cut the temperatures significantly, which was nice.

And then we reached the last half mile of the race. It was supposed to be a  u-turn, which would wind around and take us back to the conservancy. However, the actual turn was literally 1/4 mile straight up a crazy-steep hill. The view from the top? Beautiful! But gah, my endurance was shot!

K was absolutely gracious – he would run up the hills and wait for me to catch up, which was fine. I am always good for running downhill, so it balanced eventually. Finally, we crossed the finish line and I crossed off that next state.

The race had set out water, bananas and bagels,

but the snack shack was also open and a scoop of Italian Ice sounded like a much better choice.

I was probably delirious with dehydration and heat stroke, but it was pretty much the best Italian Ice I’ve ever had.

After the awards presentation (hats were presented to the winner of each of five age groups), we realized we needed a ride back to the ferry. One of the conservancy employees graciously offered to take us in her golf cart, and even treated us to the “beach” way, to give us the best views of the island along the drive.

The breeze of the ride was a great way to cool down a bit.

Really, the biggest hiccup of the day was that the next ferry didn’t until 12:30, so we had some time to wander. Had I realized that (and I had known we could have “checked” some gear), I would have brought  backpack with some wipes and snacks, so we could have maybe checked out the beach, looked for turtles nests and taken in some more of the sights. We did end up climbing the lighthouse and getting lunch, but I was desperate for a shower at that point and couldn’t wait to board the ferry back to the house.

I love that the Turtle Trot 5K is a frequent thing so visitors can take advantage no matter when they come to the island. It’s small (this particular one was under 100 people) and low key (no timing chip, no medals, no photos, etc), but definitely for a good cause. I might do it again if convenient, but would also be open to other options in the area, just because of the cost.

Have you ever had to take a ferry to a race? 

Are you willing to spend more on a race if it’s for a good cause?

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Comments

  1. Kim G says

    July 11, 2018 at 1:24 pm

    I love that you were able to find a race to do while you were on vacation. I often find myself looking for races when I travel for business but unfortunately I’m never successful, not yet anyway!
    Kim G recently posted…2018 Mid Year ReviewMy Profile

    Reply
    • runswithpugs says

      July 11, 2018 at 1:49 pm

      I was pretty thrilled about the whole thing. I’m lucky the holiday fell during the week although this particular race always seems to fall midweek.

      Reply
  2. Jenny Albertson says

    July 11, 2018 at 1:27 pm

    I try to look for races that are for a cause in the first place. I feel like I can go run for free anytime, but if I’m going to pay for a race it needs to be for a good cause. That’s not always the case but the majority of the time it is.

    Reply
    • runswithpugs says

      July 11, 2018 at 1:48 pm

      Excellent point. I feel like a lot of causes don’t get tons of money back, just because so much gets absorbed by the event itself (permitting, employees, LEO, etc can get pricey, and that’s before shirts, bibs, medal, timing systems and the rest), but in situations like this where it’s in house and doesn’t require too much, I am happy to contribute.

      Reply
  3. Deborah @ Confessions of mother runner says

    July 11, 2018 at 2:01 pm

    I just recently heard of bald head island! Looks like such a fun place to visit. I love how you always find a race to run while your travel
    Deborah @ Confessions of mother runner recently posted…How Running is a lot like the best (and the worst) boyfriendMy Profile

    Reply
    • runswithpugs says

      July 11, 2018 at 9:03 pm

      I do try to find those races when I can. After all, if I’m going to be somewhere, I may as well get a state.

      Reply
  4. Debbie @ Deb Runs says

    July 11, 2018 at 3:36 pm

    Congrats on crossing NC off your state list! I’ve run races in NC a few times. We vacation on the OBX and there’s a Lighthouse 5K in Corolla every Wednesday during the summer. I love it’s low-key style. My friends and I ran the OBX Half Marathon in November to celebrate my 60th birthday!

    I have never taken a ferry to a race, but I did ride a school bus along the Pacific Coastal Highway in the dark on the way to the start of the Big Sur Marathon. I thought we were all going to die on those curves with nothing below but the ocean! I would definitely pay more for a race where the money went to a good cause!
    Debbie @ Deb Runs recently posted…Let’s Brush Over My Workouts And Talk About Our Visit To Vanish Farmwoods BreweryMy Profile

    Reply
    • runswithpugs says

      July 11, 2018 at 9:02 pm

      Gah! That must have been terrifying! I don’t know how I would have felt about that kind of ride!

      Reply
  5. Kimberly Hatting says

    July 11, 2018 at 6:24 pm

    That’s great you could find a race while on vacay, especially one that support such a great cause. I would have scaled that lighthouse a few more times, though, while waiting for the ferry LOL 😉

    Reply
    • runswithpugs says

      July 11, 2018 at 9:01 pm

      I don’t know about that. This one was one of the more treacherous I’ve visited, and it was pretty tough in terms of narrow steps, ventilation and crowd control. My claustrophobia was in full swing.

      Reply
  6. Stacie Seidman says

    July 11, 2018 at 8:56 pm

    Sounds like a tough one! It is expensive, but when you factor in the ferry ride, it makes sense. Sounds like it might be a lot of fun when it’s a bit cooler out. Congrats on getting through!
    Stacie Seidman recently posted…What’s Up WednesdayMy Profile

    Reply
    • runswithpugs says

      July 11, 2018 at 9:05 pm

      Acutally, it was $45 for on-islanders, so I think it was a great deal! I would love if they did it about one hour earlier, but I imagine people don’t like to get up early on vacation like I do.

      Reply
  7. Kathryn @ Dancing to Running says

    July 12, 2018 at 12:42 am

    Yay for finding a race to run while you were away. I did that once when we were in San Diego and it was a really fun way to experience some of the local running culture.
    Kathryn @ Dancing to Running recently posted…2018 Goals – Midyear Check InMy Profile

    Reply
    • runswithpugs says

      July 12, 2018 at 12:44 am

      Im sure San Diego was beautiful! I can’t wait to run in San Francisco!

      Reply
  8. Wendy says

    July 12, 2018 at 2:05 am

    I would gladly pay that for such a worthwhile cause. That late start time tho… Great job!!!

    Reply
  9. Farrah says

    July 12, 2018 at 2:30 am

    That’s such a great cause to support! I like how they put together the shirts and bibs so conveniently too! I’m not much of a morning person, but I’d prefer to start/finish races early!
    Farrah recently posted…150 Best Waffle Maker RecipesMy Profile

    Reply
    • runswithpugs says

      July 12, 2018 at 2:43 pm

      I know! Obiously, that wouldn’t be a reasonable setup for bigger races, but it was so nice to just grab a roll and be on our way!

      Reply
  10. Darlene says

    July 12, 2018 at 12:14 pm

    I love vacation races. I would have run it too.

    I am running a 5k on Governors island in NYC and will be taking my first ferry to a race. It expect hot as well.

    Reply
    • runswithpugs says

      July 12, 2018 at 2:42 pm

      Oh, fun! Hope it’s a smooth and easy ride! We had some wake and I was not the happiest of campers!

      Reply
  11. Dodie says

    July 14, 2018 at 7:04 pm

    That sounds like a fun race! I’ve never taken a ferry to a start line before, just a lot of buses. I’m glad I found your blog!

    Reply
  12. Janelle @ Run With No Regrets says

    July 16, 2018 at 2:05 pm

    Congrats on your race! I have never run a race in July…I don’t think I could handle the heat! I went to Bald Head Island a few years ago for a wedding and it was so beautiful there! Definitely pricey for a 5K but what a wonderful cause!
    Janelle @ Run With No Regrets recently posted…Ultimate Coffee Date – July 2018My Profile

    Reply

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Welcome to Runs With Pugs. My name is Jenn and this is the story of my love affair with running and finding myself through fitness. From C25K to marathon, from triathlon to SUP, from broken leg to the recovery journey... I'm sharing it all. I'm a wife and mother of one, living in NE Florida, in love with travel, adventure, and food. Oh. We have pugs and a hedgehog, too. Thank you for joining us! We're glad to have you along for the ride!
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