Last Sunday another very successful Darnd’st Du race was held out at the Tanger Outlet Center. This is a race that includes a 5K run followed by a hilly and challenging 30K bike ride, and then another 5K run after that.

In order to organize and make the race a success, there are many things that need to be ironed out before the day of the race. It starts by meeting with Michelle Carswell, the general manager of Tanger Outlet, and her assistant, June Hanson. It is really a helpful support to have Tanger Outlet Center step in and offer assistance.

Raul Najera, the race director, asked for certain things such as parking space for the bikes, restrooms, etc. Michelle and June willingly met his requests and then asked if there was anything else they could help out with.

I had to find a new bike route for the race this year, as there was some road construction on Old Bastrop Highway that was not completed because of all the rain we had in July. I figured out a good out-and-back course going from Centerpoint Road to the end of York Creek Road and back.

If you have ever driven this road, you know that there is a good sized incline just before Southridge Estates, and a couple of miles down the road is a very steep downhill where some riders said they approached 45 miles an hour. The fact is that whatever goes down on the way out means that it will be up on the way back. I have heard from some of the entrants that more than a few of the bikers ended up walking to the top of that short, steep, fast downhill that was now a steep, SLOW uphill climb.

I stayed out Saturday night helping the organizers set up bike racks and finish area and closing off some of the area for parking. Then after about 3 1/2 hours sleep, I made it back out to the start to meet David Alexander who was helping me set up the mile markers and making sure the direction arrows were still in place.

Arriving about 4:45 a.m. I found Sylvia Lopez already there opening up the rest rooms and getting tables out and ready to go. About that time Doug Kangas showed up to offer his help. Doug has helped out with all but one race that we have out there, so he knows what is needed and how to get it done. Tanger Outlet can be proud of the service these two and their staff do to make the race run smoothly.

About 5:30 a.m. Tricia Schneider and Norma Blackwell, organizers from CASA who receive the proceeds from the race, set about handing out duties to volunteers and putting up refreshment stands for the athletes after the race. They were very lucky, as the employees from Best Buy here in San Marcos showed up in large numbers for aid station help as well as helping at the finish line.

At 6:30 a.m., four officers from the Hays County Sheriff's Department showed up to help with traffic control. It is very comforting to the athletes to see a blinking light on a sheriff's vehicle to know that there was some protection for them. They stayed the entire time; and the last officer followed the last biker in who was having a little trouble pedaling up hills and dealing with the heat. While the heat became a factor after 9:00 a.m., the EMT unit said they were standing by but had no calls that needed their attention. It is still a good practice to have these professionals nearby just in case.

Before the race started, David and I headed out on the course to make sure things were set up and ready to go. The runners started in waves so that the total 350 runners didn’t break for the road at one time. I stationed myself at the turnaround point of the 5K run; and runners were doing a few fancy dance steps around the cone in the road, but seemed to keep the pace on the way back.

I then drove out to the turnaround point for the bike route. It is really a nice sight to see these well-trained athletes on some very high-dollar bikes come down the road and head back out again. When most of the bikes had passed, I headed back to the turnaround point for the run.

This time, the run was a little different. For one thing, the temperature was really starting to heat up. And after running one 5K distance and pedaling about 19 miles over some challenging hills with a high temperature, the runners were a lot slower this time. Some of them slowed to make the turn around the cone, and ended up walking for a few yards or more before they tried running again.

Local athletes who took part of the run included David Fisher who took first place in his age category with a time of 1:38:29; Eva Sanders, who took the Overall Female Grand Masters Trophy with a time of 2:21:43 and Randall Wood who finished with a good time of 1:47:46.

Elizabeth Wills also did well with a 2:10:14 time; Daniel Garza ran a 2:14:43, and Laura Mason had just finished a triathlon a short time before this run but still managed a 2:50:17 time. Naomi Adams came across the line in 2:52:25 and Elma Minor followed her in 2:52:29 time.

Brian Weber ran in at 2:51:40; Andre Von Twistern ran a good 2:03:34 time; Jeanie Mize finished in a good 2:14:31 and Joshua Dunn had a fast 1:49:07 time.

Trey Hutton came in at 1:47:02 for a good finish; and I saw both Greg and Paul Pannell at the race, but could not find their times. If I recall times, Paul was in around 1:40 and Greg finished around 2:24.

All in all, it was an exciting event at the Tanger Outlet Center.