CrossTimbers Volunteer Report
February 25, 2006
Antje Spethmann

I got up at 4:30 a.m. and, like everyone else, drove in a pouring rain -- North along 35E to Gainesville and then turned left. By just before 7 a.m. I made my way to the start of this great race, to find many NTTR members bundled up and standing in the parking lot ready to brave the day. Theresa greeted me as soon as the marathon and half-marathon runners were off. The only folks who remained (six in all) were waiting another 30 minutes for the start of the five mile race.

The 50 milers had started at 6:30 a.m. And so we huddled under the pavilion, which was wrapped against the rain, and began to get ready for a long day taking care of wet, muddy, tired runners. Soon, the five-milers were off as well -- heading up the short but difficult part of the course while Theresa put out aid-station food and her husband drove supplies to the other volunteers.
While it had stopped raining just long enough for the Marathoners to get out on course, it never cleared, and soon heavy sheets of rain were again cascading off the roof of our little sanctuary. The first five-miler - a man from Sherman named Dennis - was finished in under an hour (albeit his slowest time ever, he claims).

I continued slicing tomatoes and onions, shredding lettuce. I really didn't think anyone wanted a burger at 8:30 a.m. Soon enough, tho., others were finishing as well, and Dennis had changed to dry clothes and felt the hunger coming on. He amused me with recipes that included ketchup and crushed Lays in your bowl of beans while telling me stories of how he'd lost weight. All very funny, except I couldn't get the grill to heat up. I quickly switched to a back-up unit, started grilling, and watched a line form.

From there, I grilled 250 hamburger patties and countless hotdogs and veggie patties. I fed an already overweight chocolate lab. I fed kids, and parents and old folks and runners... some of them kids and parents and older types. It's an amazing wide community this family of ultrarunners. An 11-year-old was trying to reach Washington DC for a race. He completed the half.

Jay kept making noises about being born in the stone age. Some runners felt older after they'd finished and some... well, some felt nothing at all. Considering the rain, it was an amazing turnout. But the best part is the love and attention to detail Theresa put into this race. It's a great course and has always been a fun event, but for a few years, it was neglected and needed a boost. Theresa gave back to this race and our sport as only a believer can... she has the soul of an ultrarunner and she proved it with her tireless dedication to those poor slobs out on the trail. It did stop raining about 1 p.m. Still, the course got worse and worse.

By the time Ryan Loeding won the 50 miler, there was nothing called traction left anywhere near the lake. Theresa has moved Cross Timbers to the end of February (a good time to run) so as not to coincide with Grasslands.

To that end, I would like to encourage, nay challenge, all NTTR types to come out and support her next year. She had some brave and true volunteers this year... but she deserves our support. And I, for one, intend to return. If I can't run next year... at least you know the burgers will be good.