BYU-Idaho students battle rain and cold to show spirit of Ricks lives on
Rec Sports hosts annual relay for students, community, faculty and alumni
- posted: 12 June 2007
- scrollsports@byui.edu
Cheers from rain-soaked participants echoed around the BYU-Idaho Stadium track and field during the 50-lap relay last Wednesday.
Rec Sports hosts the event annually, rain or shine. This year, runners, fans and officials battled steady rainfall.
“Even though it’s wet, you [couldn’t] put out the spirit,” said Dave French, a senior from Seattle, Wash.
The wet weather seemed to fuel the excitement for some runners.
“My favorite thing so far: definitely the cold. I think it makes everybody get a little crazy to stay warm,” said Cameron Masters, a junior from Los Angeles.
From start to finish, raucous cheers filled the air. Four-time champion 31st Ward won the Best Participation Award. The yellow-clad ward members beat drums, cheered and laughed for the duration of the race.
“We’re gonna win it all,” said 31st Ward member Krystal Wester, a freshman from Fairbanks, Alaska.
She and other ward members shared a motto. “This year our motto is ‘one for the thumb,’” said Jessica Reyes, a junior from Winston Salem, N.C.
Other racers also expected the 31st Ward to take the relay crown for a fifth consecutive time.
“Our goal every year is to beat the 31st Ward. Every ward that I’ve been in; their goal has been to beat 31st Ward, but it’s never happened,” said 25th Ward runner Hannah Tady, a sophomore from Kansas City, Kan. “They’ve got some sort of secret weapon.”
Tady brought her own secret weapon: a cow outfit. She said the costume was a tactical decision to distract other runners. Tady was not the only costumed runner in attendance.
“One of our ward members dressed up in a Twinkie costume,” said 22nd Ward runner, Kassie Burton, a sophomore from Muscatine, Iowa.
Costumes added to the spirit of the relay race, but unity drove the event.
“[The relay] brings us together,” said 56th Ward member, Kaylen Lawrenson, a sophomore from Lakewood, Wash.
Some attributed unity to their success.
“We never prepare with running,” said 31st Ward member Reyes. “We’re just really unified.”
She said everybody makes an effort to get to know everybody in the ward and challenged others to attend her ward for one day to experience the unity firsthand.
The relay helped one student overcome the challenge of learning names.
“[There’s] more ward unity. I know peoples’ names now,” said 37th Ward runner Skyler Coombs, a sophomore from Salem, Ore.
The event allowed students to see there is more to their ward than meets the eye on Sundays.
“I love being a part of a ward that’s fun and cares,” said 27th Ward runner, Elizabeth Moore, a sophomore from Littleton, Colo.
After 106.09 minutes of running in the rain, the 49th Ward knocked the 31st Ward out of the top spot by crossing the finish line first.
The 31st Ward led most of the race but a late push by the 49th Ward ended the run at four wins.
The faculty finished first in 48.06 minutes to win the faculty, community and alumni 30-lap relay.
The married wards also competed in a 30-lap relay. The 68th Ward won the event, finishing in 42.13 minutes.
After finishing their 50th lap, many students continued running to support lone runner, Justin Larson, a junior from Apple Valley, Minn. Larson represented the 13th Ward for all 50-laps.
“We had only 15 guys come and no girls,” Larson said “I decided to run the first lap, but thought [that was] weak sauce so I kept running.”
After the race, Rec Sports awarded Larson with the Spirit of Ricks Award to commend him for his solo effort.Larson said cheers kept him going.
Many athletes looked to the crowd for the extra push to help them during their runs.
“[It was] the fans. We couldn’t have done it without them,” said 31st Ward runner Garrett Barthelmes, a sophomore from Cambridge, Ohio.
Another runner shared the sentiment.
“The crowd, man, they give you energy,” said Christina Maurer, a junior from Philadelphia, Penn. 
