A group of GHS cross country athletes recently took on the challenge of running a marathon over a period of 24 hours. Calvin Cummings (GHS ’22) spearheaded the event after seeing similar challenges elsewhere. His fellow teammates Bailey Wentworth, Alie Peterson, Reed Henderson, and Josh Lehmann (all GHS ’21) jumped at the idea.
While the challenges Cummings saw involved running one mile every hour, he tweaked the plan to run a 5K every three hours, building in more rest time. When the group realized they would be just shy of a marathon, they added on 1.4 miles to reach that goal.
The team got started at the Cherry Hill Trails behind Sebago Brewing on Lower Main Street. Peterson said they did a mile warm-up, their first 5K, and a 0.4 mile cool down. After getting breakfast at Mr. Bagel, they went to the high school track and ran the second 5K of the day. Lehmann then had to split off from the group to go to work but ran a 10K on his own so he was on schedule to complete the challenge with his teammates. The rest of the group, armed with snacks and energy drinks, prepared for the rest of their day.
Photos courtesy of Kristin WentworthThe athletes built in some practice runs before the big day. Shown above are (left to right), Top row: Reed Henderson, Calvin Cummings, and Josh Lehmann. Bottom row: Alie Peterson and Bailey Wentworth.
The team traveled to Otter Pond for the third 5K and back to Shaw Park for the fourth 5K. While the day was hot and humid, the group was able to cool off in Wentworth’s pool or by jumping in the river at Shaw Park. Wentworth said the 80-degree weather was definitely a challenge because it was difficult to stay hydrated.
For the night runs, which included an 11 p.m. 5K at the Narragansett Trails and a 2 a.m. 5K at USM, Reed said they stuck to in-town neighborhoods and places they knew. Again, the weather was a factor as they had to contend with torrential downpours.
The team’s challenge ended at Pine Point Beach with a 5 a.m. run. Peterson said they were rewarded with a perfect stretch of weather for the final leg of the challenge.
All agree that the pandemic has really brought a damper to many things including school and sports. Wentworth added that they are fortunate to participate in a sport that can be practiced on their own, but said they rely on the motivation and encouragement of their teammates. After time apart early on, she and Peterson began running together again.
Cummings also acknowledged it is hard to run alone. By getting the group together for this challenge, he hoped it would make them all feel a bit better. Lehmann said an event like this brings the sport back to life for him as it has been challenging to stay motivated during this unusual time. As for Henderson, he just hopes they get to start the season.
All five said they would take on another challenge and encourage others to try it as well. There was much they enjoyed about their 24 hour challenge – mainly just spending time together and exploring different places to enjoy their sport.