To read part two of day thirteen, click here.

My crew, Colter’s crew and two crews of middle school and high school teachers were all in the gravel parking lot, but no one was comfortable with the crews mixing. Each crew was sticking together.

Katie came over to us and told us that we were Crew Eight, and that it was time for us to get in a large circle with the other crews.

“Okay everyone, here’s how this is going to work. Crews Six and Seven, you are going to be running a 3k. You’re going to run down this hill, turning left at the fork. You’re going to run until you see the van, and the people with signs. When you reach them, you’re going to turn around and run back. But you’re going to pass the road you were on before, going past it to the dead end before coming back.”

“Crews Eight and Nine. That would be you boys messing around. Yes, you.” Everyone laughed as the two boys stood up tall.

“You will be going with the other crews to the van. But you’re going to take a left instead of turning around. You’ll follow the road until you see another person, and they will point you onto a trail. You will follow the signs posted on the trail, until you hit another gravel road. Follow the gravel road, and you’ll make it back to the first person you passed. Then you will come back up the road, and the start line will have become the finish line.”

“There will be several spots where you can get water along the trip, but not a lot. Another thing – there will be a person walking the trail, making sure that everyone makes it back. He will be the sweep, so make sure he doesn’t pass you. If you have to go to the bathroom, leave something on the trail. Something that he will actually notice. Your shirt, your bandana, something.”

“Go ahead and take your places at the starting line!”

I took a position not far from the back. I didn’t need to be in the very front, but I didn’t want to be in the very back either. I glanced at my watch – my goal was to do the seven miles in two and a half hours. It was eight o’clock, so I wanted to be done by ten thirty.

There was a shot, and we were off.

Click here to read the next part of Day Thirteen.

*Everything here is from my own memory and may not be correct. Outward Bound is not responsible for anything I post here. Thanks too NCOBS for letting me use their photos.*