The school year is coming to a close, and while most students are looking forward to prom and graduation, there is a couple who’s end-of-year plans include a lot more running. The Broad Run Off organization held their annual Spring Bloom Adventure Race—featuring a 15 hour event Saturday, April 26, and a 4 hour event Sunday April 27. BHS Full Steam Ahead had 1 team racing the 15 hour and 4 teams racing the 4 hour, Making for a total of 11 racers that came out that weekend from the club to participate in these events.
Adventure racing is a hybrid sporting event in which competitors are given a map and compass, and must find hidden checkpoints by trekking, paddling, and mountain biking. These races can span from anywhere from 3 hours long to over ten days, and can include a wide variety of disciplines.
After preparing for months on end, team Ghost Riders raced a 15-hour race, racing against their mentor’s team, Broad Run. 6:00 AM, April 26, 2025, racers began pulling up to York River State Park, with their gear and a mindset to race. When asked about his experience, Eli Miller, Senior team member of Ghost Riders said, “We originally had set plans for how we were going to have to run the course but we ran into an issue of a flat tire. We thought it would be an easy fix but it tore at the valve so we unfortunately had a 45 minute delay. From there we had to adjust how many checkpoints we were gonna get and adapt to the challenges as they represented themselves.”
This team learned a lot during this race and will be continuing to use their experiences and what their mentor Mr. Johnson has taught them in races to come.
However, not everyone is committed to running a 15 hour race, especially if it is one of their first races. This is where the Broad Run Off Road organization really comes to life, with their 4 hour, beginner friendly races. These races give new racers all of the same experiences as the longer race, but without the extra grueling 11 hours. On Sunday, April 27, 2025, 4 teams from Brunswick High School came out to race, and they had a great time.
Team Man Down, consisting of Logan Kisselbach and Evan Mullen, both seniors, had a strong performance, coming in second place in their division. They were joined by teams Howling Snails, Barn Swallows, and Fast and Fabulous. Ella McMonagle, Brunswick senior, raced the 4 hour race as part of team Fast and Fabulous. When asked about her experience, she said, “It was a fun experience that I could never get back. It was so amazing and I loved every second of it. Working together with Lexy and having her be my partner through this whole time has been amazing. This was our fourth and last race as a group and I am just so grateful I got to do it with her.”
As two leadership members of the Full Steam Ahead club they will be missed but they look to still make an impact in the racing community even after high school. “I feel like I’ve had my fair share of racing for right now, but I’m very excited to volunteer and help with the racing community. It is such an amazing and impactful thing that I’ve had in my life and Mr. Johnson has just been the most amazing thing and has made my high school career and experience just better.”
With the racing season kicking into high gear, one thing is very clear. The future of this unique sport is in good hands, and some of these high schoolers will be racing long into the future. Through rain, flat tires, and losing maps, one thing remains: The bonds that will last you a lifetime with your fellow teammates and competitors. When you sign up for a race, whether it be your first 4 hour or your 10th multi-day race, you become part of a family. That family, that community, is what makes this sport so, so special, something these students are getting to experience at such a young age.