I was one and a half episodes into my podcast when I got the call. The Montana Cup Missoula Team bus had a flat tire about 25 miles outside of Butte. Since I left after the bus, it only took a few minutes before I was parked behind it on I-90, hazards flashing.
On the bus, some experienced Montana Cup alum and newbies mingled with an air of uncertainty in what lay ahead on the 4.7-mile course at Montana Tech in Butte. Now everyone was concerned if our teams would even make it to the start line in time.
That’s when things rolled into place.
On the bus, Meg and Forrest hit the phones with Jesse searching for phone numbers to contact Missoula runners and reaching out to team Kalispell who might still be headed east. They were successful. The phone tree word grew with each call; it was an effective and efficient machine. Runners were picked up on the side of the interstate (men first, their race was at noon) one here, two there into empty seats in passing cars.
I unhooked both car seats and six members of the men’s team piled in. They were goofy and polite as we headed to the race check-in. By the time I returned to the bus, only a handful of the women’s team remained. They also jammed into my car. And just before we left, the last shuttle was a race official from Butte with a pick-up who loaded our equipment off the stranded bus.
It took less than an hour to organize and get everyone to the start (which still included a 30-minute drive!) with ample time for warm-up.
As usual, the 29th edition of Montana Cup was filled with excitement and inspiration watching runners give it their all on the technical and hilly course. Cross country is such a unique sport that individual efforts can work together toward a common goal. All participants contribute to the success of the team, not just front runners.
The Missoula Team spirit was not dampened in the least by the bus mishap, in fact it felt it elevated by the glitch. The quick team response was extraordinary in my mind… not just from our team, but the running community who didn’t hesitate to help their competitors. It might not have made us run faster, but the camaraderie reignited teamwork collaborations that have been absent for the past 18 months due to pandemic cancelations.
Next year, the 30th Montana Cup returns to Missoula, so we won’t be boarding another bus for a while, but I hope the unified buzz we experienced endures and encourages more to participate.
Enjoy every step!
Trisha
