In a moment of sheer impulsiveness, I signed up for a new running event in Portland, Oregon, called the 8 Track Relay—a 24-hour relay race paired with a groovy ’70s music festival. The only person I knew on the team was my friend, Mia, who had posted on social media looking for an extra runner. “I can handle four miles,” I thought, a little too confidently.
When I met the Flying Pink Flamingos, my new teammates, I was surrounded by seven super-fit women in their forties, enthusiastically sharing tales of their latest marathons. I seriously considered backing out until they all insisted they were just there for fun. “Winning doesn’t matter to us!” they chirped cheerfully. Our captain took a survey to see how many four-mile legs each Flamingo could commit to. I was the odd one out, signing up for just one leg while most of them were tackling four, totaling a whopping 16 miles.
I pulled the captain aside and casually mentioned that I’m a Type I diabetic. I didn’t require anything special, just wanted her to be aware. She looked like she had just seen a ghost—panicked and unsure of what to say. With Type I diabetes, managing insulin levels is crucial; too little and your blood sugar skyrockets, too much and it plummets. I wear an insulin pump all day and check my glucose around six times daily.
Exercising tends to drop blood sugar levels, making running a real hassle. It requires constant adjustments and diligent monitoring, so I typically stick to casual runs. As the clock struck 4 PM, I began to panic; I didn’t have time to return to our camp and apply the necessary anti-chafing cream in the sweltering heat. Did I mention the heat can also lower blood sugar levels?
I tested my glucose, and to my dismay, it was lower than I’d prefer. I quickly popped a few jelly beans and headed for the handoff area. Squinting against the sun, I spotted my teammate in her hot pink shirt approaching. She handed me the timing chip cleverly hidden in an 8-track tape of “Stayin’ Alive.” I took off, feeling strong and swift.
Then, halfway through the course, disaster struck. I felt the familiar shakiness creeping in. I fumbled for a GU pack, forcing it down despite my better judgment. It tasted terrible, and I was now worrying about possibly vomiting. I barely managed to text my teammates: MILE 3, WALKING. But in reality, I was hardly walking. A fellow runner checked in, “You good?”
“Yup!” I fibbed, my legs wobbling. Sitting down was not an option; I’d never get back up. If I kept going, I feared I might collapse. My initial goal had been to finish somewhere in the middle of the pack, but now I was whispering to myself, “Just cross the line on your feet.”
Finally, the GU kicked in, and I mustered a slow jog for the last quarter mile. Only I knew that my disappointing time was actually a victory. I was still standing and devouring jelly beans like there was no tomorrow.
Not wanting to wallow in pity, I volunteered for a second leg, set to start around 1:30 AM. I lay in my tent, checking my blood sugar every thirty minutes and munching on jelly beans to keep myself stable. Around 1 AM, I strolled to the relay area and was shocked to find the Flamingos in second place overall.
Mia zoomed past, running like the wind. “Why are you going so fast?!” I exclaimed as she slapped the 8-track tape into my hand. With my blood sugar stable, I charged through the course in the refreshing night air, under a brilliant full moon, while listening to Radiohead’s In Rainbows. It was pure magic. At mile three, I texted the next runner to get ready. I crossed the finish line with a personal record, riding the highest runner’s high of my life—and proudly held the title of the slowest member of the fastest women’s team in the inaugural 8 Track Relay Race.
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Summary
In this lighthearted recounting, Jenna Parker shares her unexpected adventure as a casual runner who impulsively joined the Flying Pink Flamingos in a 24-hour relay race. Despite her struggles with diabetes, she navigates the challenges of running and manages to achieve a personal victory while surrounded by a team of enthusiastic competitors.