File under "Strange things that happen during relays":
Despite everyone's best efforts, it is darned near impossible to stay organized with 6 severely sleep-deprived humans trapped in a van for upwards of 30 hours. Everyone is juggling a bag of items for use during the event (multiple pairs of running shoes, dry clothes to wear in between runs, personal food, safety vests/headlamp/blinkers for the night runs, toothbrush, baby wipes, etc.), and a bag for after the event (clean street clothes, mainly), and a sleeping bag. Throw in a couple of coolers, mass quantities of water, and any shared food, and the vehicle gets pretty busy.
I have a decent system of what needs to stay with me and what can float around in the back. My during-race backpack has three compartments, but is about ready for the fabric recyclers. The compartments exist, but the interior has shredded enough that stuff mingles together at the bottom. It still functions, though, and is just the right size, so I keep insisting on trying to use it.
It is now time to retire that backpack.
Every time I started rooting around in there for something I had put into a particular compartment, I came up with the lone pair of emergency clean underwear. Given that I lived in a pair of compression running shorts for the event, the message from The Universe was somewhat obvious. But The Universe wanted to make sure I got the hint.
During my last run (a wonderfully easy 4.2-miler), I'm trotting along, enjoying the scenery and the cool misting rain, and I spot something in the grass next to the road. Could it be? Noooo. But yes, it is.
A clean-looking pair of errant women's bikini underwear.
Then, when the woman who ran after me finished her segment, she told me that SHE had seen a pair of seemingly-clean ladies briefs in the grass.
Message received and acted upon.
