Call me a homebody, or even a townie if you want, but once I become local to an area I like to dig in my heels and stay put.
I’m at my best when I’m familiar with my surroundings, settled into a routine, and have a regular trash pick-up day.
And while I enjoy traveling, my vacations often come with varying degrees of added stress. It was no different this year for the Sandrik family trip to Myrtle Beach.
After piloting the car for a 10-plus hour drive from Pennsylvania to our resort in South Carolina, I immediately found myself doing a life reset of sorts where I suddenly have to remember gate codes, door numbers, and parking spots.
Even as we were unpacking and trying to relax on our first night here, my mind wasn’t on swimming, mini golf, or cocktails. Nope, my brain was stuck on finding food and fuel, and the location of the nearest bathrooms to the beach. My kids are asking about ice cream, while I’m asking myself whether the cream orange travel toothbrush belongs to myself or my wife.
For every solution I come up with, it seems like I’m greeted with two more questions. And maybe all of this that I’m describing is just what it’s like to be an adult, but it doesn’t make things any less exhausting.
The transition from “home” to “away” mode can be a rocky one — especially when you realize you only brought one power block to charge your family’s assortment of phones and watches — but I’ve found the best way to get settled in is by “finding familiarity.” For me, that means going grocery shopping and picking up the same cereal and snacks we have at home. It means hooking up the Nintendo Switch to the TV in our living room. And most importantly, it means strapping on the shoes and going for a run.
Equipped in trunks and swimming socks, and powering forward one step at a time, it didn’t take long to start feeling at home on the beach, even on an unfamiliar surface in the sand. There’s something about running that frees up my mind and gives me a chance to grasp the “big picture” of whatever situation I happen to be in.
Before I knew it, my little running expedition had introduced me to the neighboring resorts and campgrounds, restaurants, and other potential visitation spots, including a basketball court where I eventually smoked my 10-year-old in a game of one-on-one. I went running again the next day, and my vacation anxiety seemed to have melted away.
As the week marches on, I’m becoming more and more comfortable, and perhaps a little bit attached, to our stay at the beach. Which is ironic, because by the time this column goes from my laptop to my editor to eventual publication, I’ll already be back home scrambling to adjust to a return to real life.
Of course, after I immediately unpack and meticulously return all of my stuff to its proper place at home, the first thing I intend to do is go for a run. There I can figure out my next move and, who knows, maybe even start planning for our next vacation.
1 STEP BACK, 3 STEPS FORWARD
Slowly but surely, the Waynesboro YMCA is establishing itself as a destination for the competitive triathlete.
Created in 2015 to celebrate 100 years of the YMCA in Waynesboro, the Strokes, Spokes and Strides Triathlon drew a field of 45 for this year’s race. The event was highlighted by the efforts of the daughter-mother team of Allison and Aubrey List. Allison finished as the top female in 1:16:20, while Aubrey was just behind to finish as second female in 1:16:44.
Waynesboro’s Adam Heebner (1:16:41) and Andrew Bryan (1:18:17) each landed Top 10 finishes, while other standouts from the race include Waynesboro’s Timothy Brinkman (1:21:17), Mady Barker (1:23:46), and Wynn Fertig (1:24:06), and Fayetteville’s Patrick Gavet (1:28:11).
In Chambersburg, a pair of Local.News runners finished in the Top 10 at the ED/K 5K Dr. Edwin Sponseller Memorial Run 5K, a race which drew 70 runners. Hannah Kulla, of Waynesboro, took eighth in 24:19, while Fayetteville’s Jeffrey Myers took ninth in 24:25. Chambersburg’s Craig Leisher (26:06), Jude Swope (27:26), Maria Fernanda Assis (27:29), Jackson Faith (27:49), and Brooklyn Shearer (27:49) all took home AG hardware for their efforts.
A small group of area runners traveled to Williamsport, Md. to compete in the Nick Adenhart 5K. Smithsburg’s David Bowers led the way with a 31:24, while Greencastle’s Deanna Nalley finished third in the 41-60 AG with a time of 32:08.
Travel times were long, but the returns were large for a quartet of Chambersburg runners who showcased their talents at the Hot Potato 5K in Sacramento (Pa.) and the Bulldog Crawl 5K in Nanty Glo. The Hot Potato race saw Elijah Herbert finish eighth in 22:06, while Hannah Herbert took second in the 1-12 AG with a 35:10 and also ran the Tater Tot Mile to finish as third female in 9:11. As for the Bulldog Crawl, Archer Dice was the third overall finisher in 25:23, while Monica Dice finished as second female in 29:29.
A number of others were active in races across the region, including Wayensboro’s Bradley May (45:54 at Frederick Solstice 8K) and Wes Gundacker (2:24:14 at Great Chesapeake Bay 4.4 Mile Swim), Chambersburg’s Erin Barket (2:54:35 at Poconos Olympic Triathlon) and Sara Grove (6:35:37 at Ghost Town Trail Challenge 50K).
And finally, we’ve been told this is a running column, but props need to be given to Waynesboro’s JB Bonner for his performance at Swim Fest Luray in Luray, Va. Bonner won two races at the event, taking victory in both the 750 meters (9:04) and 1,500 meters (18:18).
And now, a look ahead:
5K Run/Walk for PTSD Awareness: Saturday, 7:30 a.m., in Harrisburg. This non-competitive event is designed to raise awareness of PTSD. Register for the event on runsignup.com.
Medal Madness Squirrel 5K/10K: Saturday, July 1, 8:30 a.m., in New Cumberland. Roof Park will provide the course for this race, put on by US Road Running. Register for the event on runsignup.com.
Firecracker 5K: Tuesday, July 4, 8 a.m., in Waynesboro. Set off the first fireworks of the day with this race, which drew more than 330 runners in last last year’s race. Look for the race on summerjubilee.org.
Also: Hometown Heroes Trail 5K (Saturday, in Elizabethville); Medal Madness 5K/10K (Saturday, in Manheim); On the Rocks Trail Run (Saturday, in York); Wheels & Wings Festival 5K (Saturday, in Lititz); Run for the Ages 10K (Sunday, in Reading); Ironman 70.3 (Sunday, July 2, in Happy Valley); Paxtang Lions Patriot Dash 5K (Tuesday, July 4, in Harrisburg).
