The annual TFS cross country quadrathlon is a memory carving adventure consisting of lake kayaking a loop from Tallulah beach weaving around the old railroad trestles and back, swimming in the beach area, biking Terrora Circle, and running and out-and-back from the beach to the suspension bridge area.
The near eight mile overall route requires 49-70 minutes of varied endurance, organic skill, conniving strategy, fortifying focus, and a touch of mechanical luck.
Newcomer Zac Smith and multi year veteran champ Perry Gresham were the high school victors while Tyler Farmer and Lucy Alexander won the middle school race. The challenging event is a tradition that unifies the XC families, draws support from the town and school, and highlights the incredible beauty and rich treasure we have in Tallulah Falls.
Each participant has their own story – and those vary from the beginner’s awe to the veterans nostalgia, but one that certainly sticks out this year comes from sophomore Darren Fortner. Normal XC running requires intense fortitude. A quadrathlon requires even more, plus new skill sets. Darren’s kayak flipped a few times, each time requiring water removal. He broke his glasses, chipped a tooth, and was figuratively knocked down, but he embodied the very essence of a harrier. He let no adversity, no matter how painful or discouraging, interfere with the tenacity required to finish the race with all that he had, sans tooth. Darren will remember the pain associated with the quadrathlon; his team will remember the legacy of daring greatly, similar to the essence of Theodore Roosevelt’s “The Man in the Arena” speech in 1910.
In one week we have a full eclipse, a quadrathlon, and a pancake cookout with family and friends – memories indeed!
TFS Indians Sports Information (photo by Lane Gresham; story by Scott Neal)
