The Tuna 200: A Running Experience
My Week 13 Relay Race to the ocean.
I knew what I was getting into, this was my second year in a row tackling this 206 mile road race in a team of 12 with limited sleep and comfort. When I started this Marathon build and hired my coach, it was a non-negotiable that I would complete this race and thus the training plan included this race.
The Tuna 200 covers Friday, October 20 (Day 90) and Saturday, October 21st (Day 91).
So, what is this “Tuna 200” relay race?
This running race is a 206-mile relay, broken down into 36 individual legs completed by a team of 12 split up between two vehicles. The course starts in Garner, NC (just outside of Raleigh) and travels down country roads to Atlantic Beach, NC and literally ends on the boardwalk on the ocean. The race takes on average 30 hours to complete and runs throughout the night.
How do you actually run this race?
We split our team up into two vehicles of 6 runners each, giving us VIC 1 and VIC 2. The race starts with VIC 1, runner 1. That runner completes leg 1 and then passes off the baton (90’s style slap-bracelet) to Runner 2 at a runner exchange, and then runner 2 completes the next leg. This process repeats until all 6 runners have ran their initial leg. When the sixth runner finishes their leg, they pass the baton off to VIC 2, runner 1. Then VIC 1 will leap frog ahead and wait for their turn at Exchange 13. This process repeats until all 36 legs are complete and the team crosses the finish line.
The race started on Friday morning, but my adventure really started on Thursday. I had some work requirements in Oklahoma the week prior to the race and my return was on Thursday before the race. My return flight landed in Raleigh around 6:30pm and after waiting on my bag and driving home I was expecting to be home around 8pm.
“What the hell, what are those yellow lights?” - were my initial thoughts as I walked up to my parked Jeep then it hit me like a ton of bricks. I left my LED lights on! After cursing myself for a quick moment, I called the parking authority and they arrived quickly to give me a jump-start. After this initial frustration, I was on my way.
I finally arrived home around 8:30pm on Thursday night, but I still wasn’t ready. I had a load of laundry to get done, followed by gathering my sleeping bag, mat, bag, shoes, headphones, snacks and everything else for this 30+hour race. It took a few hours of collecting my gear and packing and when it was all done and said, it was 11:30pm!
Great, I have to wake up in just 4.5 hours.
Waking up at 4am gave me enough time to finalize what I needed before Jeffery arrived to drop off his car and Dave was picking us up at 5am. We made it to the local park and in time for our 5:45am start time! At this point I’ve been up for 24hours with only 4 hours of sleep!
The start was warm enough for shorts and a T-shirt, a much welcome change from last year when we were standing around freezing. Our first runner was Karen and this was her first time completing the Tuna 200. She was excited, antsy and ready to go when the start took place.
Karen was off and the start of our 2023 Tuna 200 Relay was a reality! After the start, we quickly got in the vehicle and sped off to encourage her a few miles in! The course is clearly marked for the runners and in the vehicle we follow the running route and give encouragement along the way, often times stopping to get out, ring some cow bells and give a little motivation!
The rules clearly state that runners do not need to run in specific order, teams just simply need to change runners at each exchange. For this first iteration I am runner number 5 and my first leg will be 9.07 miles that incorporate some decent hills.
Looking through the race binder in the vehicle, I find “Leg 5” and review the route and the elevation profile. It really doesn’t look too bad to be honest, but somehow in the back of my mind I remember my friend Thomas running a similar route and it looked incredibly difficult.
Before I know it, our baton is slapped on my wrist and I’m off! I’d like to run a sub 9min/mi on this leg and so I take off relatively quick. The start is mostly flat and downhill and this allows me to pick up the cadence and complete my first 3 miles in good time.
Mile 1: 8’27” | Mile 2: 8’32” | Mile 3: 8’33”
Going head first into mile four is where the hills started. They weren’t necessarily very steep, but were longer, persistent climbs that seemed to drain the life right out of my legs. I pushed hard with my heart rate staying right around 155bpm and my breathing producing my signature “wheeze” that happens when I’m pushing hard. Yeah, I know that might be a sign of something more serious, but I’ve had it checked out by my docs and all is good. It’s a naturally phenomenon that happens when I’m exerting myself pretty hard.
Miles 4 through 7 had some ups and downs that was nice on the legs to get a change in cadence and stride. I had it in me to just keep going, heart rate and breath be damned, I felt good, had a sweat going and wanted to do good for my team.
Mile 4: 9’06” | Mile 5: 9’38” | Mile 6: 9’25” | Mile 7: 9’07”
At the hilltops my team stopped and got out of the car to cheer me on! I can’t explain how much this helps. These little moments of encouragement are like bursts of Nitrous into a race car. They get your feet moving faster and let you know you’re part of a team, and we don’t want to let each other down.
In these parts of North Carolina, the terrain is predicable and constant. If you’re going downhills you’ll cross a stream, river or lake and then you know you’ll be going right back uphill. It’s common everywhere in the Pine Savannah and Sandhills. During this run I ran down to a lake, only to know there was a hill climb on the other side. Passing the lake gave me views of an old mill, I’m guessing from the 1800’s and it was great to run past a body of water on this leg. But the view was short lived and the hill was smacking me in the face. The reality of getting up the hill was unavoidable.
I had it in my mind to NEVER walk on this race unless necessary to avoid a vehicle. On this course, the roads are open, traffic is expected and drivers often have never seen a runner on these roads before. You must keep awareness and be ready to act to avoid a collision.
Climbing out of the lake was tough! My heart rate was hitting the 160’s and my legs were on fire. Some negative thoughts flooded my head and just when I was about to have a debate with myself, there’s my team! Standing at the top of the hill, yelling, ringing the bells and cheering me on.
“Well, damn. I guess I better keep going!” - It was NOT an option for my team to see me hurting or walking. So I pick up the pace as best I could and push hard through the remaining miles.
Mile 8: 10’26” | Mile 9: 8’46” | Last Sprint: 8’14”
Getting to the exchange point was a relief and I passed on the baton to Laura who had a tough leg of her own! After the legs we had a changing tent set up to change into dry clothes, use some baby-wipes to wipe down and then get back in the vehicle to support the next runner. It’s a quick turn around that doesn’t allow much post-run stretching or cool down.
After getting settled into the vehicle, Strava informs me that I’ve set a new PR. I’m simply blown away because there were some serious hills in there that felt like they were beating me down!
After our van was done with our first iteration, it was time to get some food in our stomachs and then get some rest because we’ll be running next late at night until about midnight.
We made a short stop at a grocery store and then decided on a local deli for some much needed sandwiches and potato salad. It simply hit the spot and filled the gut! Given a short nap, I think I’d be ok for the next iteration.
We made our way to the next exchange and break out the sleeping pads to get some rest and relaxation. The outdoor relaxation didn’t last long as a very strong storm front moved with wind, lightning and rain forcing us to make a hasty cleanup and jump into the vehicle for safety.
After a few hours of rest and approaching severe weather, we apprehensively made it to the exchange zone and awaited our team and runner. Thankfully the heavy rains moved on past us and our vehicle started our legs under some light rain and mist. The temperatures hovered around 60F and with a light rain it made for some great running weather!
At least it did for about 3 hours, until the lightning bolts started hitting the ground!
After a 90 minute delay and some confusion as to the restart, things got rolling again and my second run of the race started at 10:23pm. At this point I’ve had 4.5 hours of sleep in the last 41 hours. This run will be tough!
Snow Hill!
Roughly 30 minutes before my 2nd leg of this race we had a stop at Snow Hill Original Free Will Baptist Church. This place is just absolutely incredible every year of the Tuna 200. The Pastor and congregation opens up their church and dining hall to all of the runners coming through. They make home-made goods and create a smorgasbord of options for food. The people are incredibly nice and the food is perfect at this point of the race.
Of all the options I had before me, I done messed up.
I chose to eat a Chili Dog with Slaw as the last thing I ate before leaving the church! This would later haunt me after my second leg!
This leg is my second longest of the race and is 6.39 miles long with only 184ft of elevation gain over the entire distance. I’m really not sure what my goal is for this run, besides I don’t want to be passed or “killed” as we say in the relay world and I’d like to finish around a 9-min/mile.
I take off at an easy pace to get my heart rate up. I’m tired, it’s late at night and I need to get the joints going before I step it out.
This leg has my ONLY real race competition! On mile 3 I heard footsteps approaching me from behind. I was on a downhill stretch and the steps kept getting close, so I decided whoever this was would have to fucking EARN this kill. This would not be given.
The footsteps got just behind me and I picked it up again. A quick glance at my watch and we were running right around an 8’00” mile. Now that may be absolutely feasible at any other time in my life, but here in the dark at this moment, with a stomach full of chili-slaw dog, this is turning into a challenge.
“Hey man, are you going to slow down?”
What the hell was this guy asking me? My response was “Fuck NO! You’ll need to earn this”
As we stepped it out, we finally hit the low point of the slope and the route turned uphill. It was precisely at this moment that the chili-dog punched me in the solar plexis and my pace slowed and this young man behind me made his NASCAR style move. It would be the last I would see if him, but damnit for a good 3/4 mile, he had to earn it.
SECOND FASTSEST 10K!
After setting a 10K PR on my first leg, that was full of hills, I’ve now successfully set my second fastest 10K on tired legs and a stomach full of chili-dog.
I didn’t know this though until after my run because I was too busy throwing up to look at my phone.
Mile 1: 9’15” | Mile 2: 9’04” | Mile 3: 8’22” | Mile 4: 9’36” | Mile 5: 9’33”
Mile 6: 9’22” | Mile 7: 8’29”
I was the last runner in my van and we ended up changing out with our other van.
After each leg we would set up a changing tent, change clothes and wipe up, but when you’re racing and living out of a Suburban XL, grabbing your gear looks like this:
It’s a team effort to get through this race! It’s a crew drill of getting equipment, driving, grabbing food and doing what must be done to keep the team going!
I was the last runner for our vans 2nd effort of the race and we decided to find a quiet space and try to get a few hours of sleep. We finally laid down around 12:30am with an alarm to get up at 3am. It was approximately 50F outside and we found a spot behind a tiny library near our next van exchange.
Once awake and back up our first runner was on the course! The early morning was the coldest of the race and it was good team building waiting for Wes to come in and exchange with Laura as our final legs of the van were to be completed.
My last leg was leg was short at just 2.59 miles and I kept telling myself. “It isn’t even a 5K! GO FAST”. My goal was to get this done in under an 8’00” mile.
I decided to go as light as possible. No water bottle, no phone, nothing. Just take off and go hard.
This resulted in setting a new 2-mile PR!
At the end of my run I passed on the baton to Robert! A man who was on fire and setting some serious PR’s so far on this race! I wonder how he’d do after a lack of sleep and tired legs. Turns out he’d set yet ANOTHER PR.
The finish line was absolutely EPIC! Bryan was our last runner and it came down to an absolute finish line sprint!
The finish was absolutely amazing and it was great to see my friend Bryan finish this race! He’d put in a lot of work and effort in the months leading up to this and to have a finish like this after 200+ miles of racing was something out of a movie.
After the race we had our Tuna, Tacos and Beer at the finish line. After that was a short nap and then a team social outing for some seafood, beer, laughs and a good time.
Great summary of an incredible weekend. CAR is definitely making waves in the Central and Eastern part of NC.
Love every bit of it!
I guess i have to keep my head down and maybe one day i will join the tuna crowd.