Some people come to race. Most people think of it as a race. I go to walk. It’s what I do! Regardless of your pace, Ocracoke Island Runfest Weekend is a great two days in late April! This year’s events were named in honor of the 300th anniversary of the demise of Blackbeard at Springer’s Point here on Ocracoke: the 5K/10K “Scallywag” and Blackbeard’s Half-Marathon.
This year and last, I signed up for the 10K on Saturday and the half-marathon on Sunday. Never had any intention of winning. I walk. And because I am in, shall we say, an advanced age group, there aren’t many competitors. So I placed third in the 10K and second in the half-marathon. Same results this year. 
(2017 race photo)
(Awards presentation after the half-marathon– apparently the woman in my age group who finished before me wasn’t able to stick around for the ceremony!)
For the record, I wasn’t the last one across the finish line and those who came in after me were younger. But they finished too, so they — we all– are winners. This year I wanted to walk faster than last year. That didn’t happen in either event, but my times were comparable. And this year I might have been a little slower for a very good reason! Her name is Deborah. A dear friend from high school/ Girl Scouts/ church in Boone came up from Tampa,FL, to walk with me on Saturday and to cheer for me on Sunday! Photo ops might have added a few minutes to my times. I’ll take it.
(My personal photographer and long-time friend, Deborah/Debbie Rhoades; maybe I should post a photo of us from “way back when” as well!)
Why am I writing about this? Because it is such a great event! It was a topic of conversation all week beforehand. In one class, students who were going to be volunteers were talking about “laggers” and I pointed out quickly that I was not going to be a lagger, but rather a walker. Big difference! Some of the students ran in the 5K (but not the 10K OR the half-marathon, thank you very much!), and many of them were volunteers and/or cheerleaders along the route.
All along the way, there were so many people supporting us. Directing us along the route, providing water, yelling encouraging words… friends, students, colleagues, fellow walkers and runners. Planning these events is a lot of work, and obviously our race director Angie Todd and others, including Greg Honeycutt who started the races in 2012 (and who at Appalachian State with me, “way back when” although we didn’t know each other then), did an amazing job of pulling it all together.
(Friends Flavia, Ruth, Debbie and Louise providing directions, support, and encouragement!)
The courses showed lots of thought, from including scenic spots like the lighthouse and British Cemetery, to starting the half-marathon an hour earlier and getting the long (and this year very windy) trek to the campground out of the way first, to providing an amazing buffet (thanks to Red and Ashley from Gaffer’s)
and liquid refreshments from 1718 Brewing Ocracoke afterwards. Both years participants received shirts (upgraded this year!) and finisher’s medals. Overall and age category winners also received awards. 
(Last year’s loot) And those who “raced” both days this year got a great hat to keep us cool in future walks!
(and the “swag from the 2018 events)
This year was especially fun for me because I had Debbie to keep me company on Saturday and to be my personal photographer on Sunday. If you are reading this you probably know that my camera is almost always with when I am walking. But I rarely get on the other side of the camera, and that’s how I like it! But it was fun to have Debbie following me around in my golf cart, snapping photos along the way.
Thirteen miles is a long way to walk, non-stop, alone (others were walking, of course, but this year I did not actually have a walking buddy). 
But all along the way were volunteers who cheered, danced, sang, encouraged. The shouts of “Beth,”Miss Beth,” and “Miss Layton” kept me going. And at the very end, as I crossed the finish line (not in the pain that this picture indicates!)
on the second day, Angie herself (who ran the Boston Marathon just a couple of weeks earlier) said, with conviction, ” I am so proud of you!” And she meant it. Still makes me feel good. Thanks, Angie!
Ocracoke Runfest Weekend is another example of what makes Ocracoke special. A lot of people went to a lot of trouble to make this event happen. And I personally felt a lot of love and support. Everybody knew I wasn’t a serious racer. But they also know-how much walking and Ocracoke, in different ways, mean to me. And all along the routes, on both days, that spirit of caring and welcoming and encouraging was evident.
Will I walk again next year? That’s the plan. Will I improve my times? Well, I have almost eleven months to “up my game” so we shall see. Stay tuned.
bethdlayton 