While running is normally an individual endeavor, there’s something to be said about a relay race. The idea of gathering a bunch of friends, co-workers, or family members to accomplish a feat that’s MUCH bigger than you could do by yourself. It isn’t just a run, but an opportunity for camaraderie-fueled bragging rights to say that WE RAN AROUND LAKE TAHOE! Here’s five reasons why we think the Lake Tahoe Relay is one of the best relay races for adults.
Feel Like A Kid Again
Team – Fly The Unfriendly Skies – Photo by: First Tracks Productions
Do you remember how it felt to run a relay race in school? The joy of competition and the yelling of your teammates pushing you to finish your leg. This is your chance to rekindle that spark from your childhood now as an adult. Root on your teammates as you chase them around the lake. Heck, why not kick it up a notch and dress up in fun costumes… or better yet, dress up and paint your car windows with funny sayings.
Grassroots
Running has always been a grassroots endeavor. But today’s races are so… stuffy. Mega-spectacular extravaganzas filled with billboards and loads of fancy gadgets. The Lake Tahoe Relay is focused less on making a profit and more on keeping a long-standing tradition alive. That doesn’t mean we’re not trying to make it better every year. It’s the exact opposite. Over the last few years, we’ve strived to make enhancements such as putting the start & finish ON the lake. And we even found a beer sponsor to give each runner a cold beer at the finish line.
Scenery That Can’t Be Beat
What other relay race gives you views like this? Photo by: First Tracks Productions
There’s a lot of “cool” races that have good views but there isn’t any that provide you a chance to take in the most beautiful alpine body of water on Earth – Lake Tahoe. As Mark Twain so eloquently said in Roughing It, Lake Tahoe is “surely the fairest picture the whole world affords.” As soon as you step onto the pavement and start running, you’ll really appreciate the beauty unlike anywhere else has.
An Accomplishment You Can Be Proud Of
A few other relay races have big numbers and cool concepts but they’re kind of gray. After you’re done running the DeCelle Memorial, you’ll be able to say with a confident smirk “MY TEAM RAN AROUND LAKE TAHOE!” Now that’s a feat ALL your friends and family can be in awe of and look on in admiration.
Run The Oldest Relay Race In America
As we said earlier, we put this race on because we want to keep the institution alive. This isn’t any normal tradition either. We’re talking the oldest continuously running relay race in America. We LOVE hearing the stories of generations of families that have run this event. That Olympians set the race record. That high school teams like McFarland USA use us as opportunity to train. The folklore around our humble race is one that keeps us passionate about it.
So, find six good friends, start brainstorming a punny team name and register for the DeCelle Memorial Lake Tahoe Relay. Help us keep a tradition alive and well.
