In the middle of a nondescript mid-June week, the Bob Jones XC team discovered a lost art. Was it revolutionary, a concept no one had ever considered? Well, yes and no. Mostly no.

After our run on a particularly hot day, we decided to jump into Indian Creek, which runs through Indian Creek Greenway. A-hah! A Hydronym! Quite clever, Madison.

“Wow, you jumped into a creek. A donkey could’ve thought of that, and besides, w…”

Let me interrupt you there. I forgot to mention that Indian Creek has a history of devastation within the Bob Jones XC cannon. And by that, I mean that former demigod Gary got tetanus in that creek. Was he wearing shoes? Who’s to say, but that event has kept the team out of the creek for most of the past four years.
Throughout those four years, a few daredevils (including myself) ventured into those charted waters with no signs of tetanus or sea monsters. Yet, getting into the creek remained a niche pastime; no one had done it yet this year.

That changed this past Wednesday. Jake Bryan and I decided to submerge ourselves beneath those gently flowing waters, and oh my, did it feel great. The water was absolutely perfect; if I had to guess I would pin the temperature in the low 60’s. In addition, no tetanus was suffered nor sea monsters spotted. We earned a new disciple to this semi-revived tradition the next day, and the water felt even better.

Will this tradition revive to the extent of its glory days? Unlikely, but the XC legends of yore would be quite happy that the creek is harboring our sweaty bodies yet again. Will we revive other former XC traditions? Definitely not. Those are best kept eight feet under.

In other news:

• Roman Hanson ran 50 miles this week.