Being a support crew isn’t easy. You are tasked with shifting the energy, keeping the vibes high and ensuring the work that has already been done, finishes on a high note.
It’s also hard to enter an environment that folks have been in for 3 days. They are tired. They are on a different level of energy. There is a fine line of being excited and over stimulation. And the Home Stretch crew was given the responsibility of helping close out Escape in a powerful way.
It was fun to see old friends and make new friends. 30 runners from all over the global joined together to get our friends to the 5k with the Run 4 School children and the Escape Finish Line.
I knew my approach – run with a friend, run with someone new and run the 5k. The goal was to get roughly 15 miles. I still had the ultra to run and I was concerned about running at a faster cadence than I am used to, would tire my legs. And I was committed to doing the task at hand – no questions.
So when we had the opportunity to sign up for legs, I knew Liz & Marge were the 2 ladies I wanted to join.
Liz and I met on Escape to Chicago. Our first Escapes. We were both nervous. We ended up breaking up some of our longer length runs and tackled them together. We bonded on our love for Bad Bunny (she understands him, I don’t), our love of building community and being able to have real and open conversations about life and careers. It wasn’t until a few years later at Escape to Boston when my friendship with Liz grew into admiration. Liz grew out of the hesitation that we both had in Chicago, I hadn’t. She approached running each leg with a confidence and determination, that inspired me. She ended up running over 50 miles that Escape. It was a feat that was incredible and one that was celebrated. So when I saw her name on the Full Distance for Escape South Africa I was thrilled. I was ready to drop the hesitation and join her on one of her hardest legs of the trip. 8.8k UP A MOUNTAIN. It was tough. But it was worth it, to spend time with her, to share with her what she has meant to me and what seeing her run escape has done for me as a runner. I love Liz. From Chicago, to Boston and now South Africa – I’d run any number of miles with her if she asked.
Leg 1 was done. Leg 2 up next.
Marge, is a “new-ish” friend. The world of social media allows us to connect with folks in our outer friend circles, without ever meeting in person and to be honest, I don’t hate it. I’ve been following Marge on social media for a few years now, and seeing her run Escape to Paris and her other running and life adventures, I knew she was someone I wanted to join on a night leg. A 9k at 1am seemed like the best leg to join. Oh and it was DOWN HILL WITH WIND. Such a joy. It was her last leg of the journey and to see how strong and composed she was, allowed those of us running with her to settle in and coast down the mountain. It was like old friends connecting and being grateful for this opportunity underneath the millions of stars somewhere along the coast of South Africa. A little foreshadowing, but I ran near Marge for the first 15k of the ultra (I don’t think she saw me) and she was the same strong and composed runner on that course as she was going down that mountain – it was motivating to see. I thought of her often during those 34 miles. She finished strong and she was one of the last people I saw as I was finishing – she gave me a high five and words of encouragement and I’m grateful to have shared miles with her and can say she is now a real life friend.
Running, really is the greatest connector.
My legs of Escape were done. I got to finally catch up on sleep and Ted Lasso and relax for a bit until we got to Mitchell’s Plain to run with the 5k with the kids from Run 4 Schools.
This entire adventures was to raise money to build an athletic track for a neighborhood outside of Capetown that is extremely under served. Over a million people live in this small town. It was an emotional day for me and a conflicted experience if I’m being honest. To see the conditions these people live in, while having paid a lot of money to run across South Africa with my friends, really threw my privilege in my face. I’m not unaware of my privilege. In fact, I actively try to be as self aware as I can in my daily life, as to who I am in this world and how I am perceived and given certain access and benefits that others are not. And while, I have helped raise money for this amazing organization and this town – it was an incredible reminder that this world is simply unfair and a HUGE determination of our life’s outcomes are simply the luck of the draw – or lack there of – to where we grow up and who we are born to. Mitchell’s Plain, is full of people with potential and gifts that can change the world – they just need access and the ability to create impact. And I hope, the building of the athletic track, provides a catalyst for kids to see and experience the benefits running and movement can provide, in hopes to create a fulfilling and prosperous life.
Those kids I ran with, have a special place in my heart. I will continue to find ways to support that community for the rest of my life. It’s a promise I made to myself as I ran through the town, trying to keep up with the kids and being greeted with the biggest of smiles from the community.
Escape was done a few hours later. A lot more happened, but the 2 legs with Liz and Marge and the 5k with the kids – were the highlights of Home Stretch.
Being a support crew isn’t easy – but it’s necessary. Everyone needs support in this world.
Life is hard, supporting your people is easy.
So be ACTIVE in your support.
Seek it out.
I promise it’s worth it.
Please continue to donate, as this adventure isn’t over.
And be sure to follow Erin Goodman – the incredible photographer, who captured all of these photos.
a NOLA girl in a Big world 
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