{"id":780,"date":"2015-03-16T20:55:20","date_gmt":"2015-03-16T20:55:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sandybeachgirl.com\/?p=780"},"modified":"2015-03-16T20:55:20","modified_gmt":"2015-03-16T20:55:20","slug":"how-tough-are-you-really","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sandybeachgirl.com\/?p=780","title":{"rendered":"How TOUGH Are You? Really"},"content":{"rendered":"

“Ouch! OUCH! Get it out<\/strong>! No, no. Don’t touch<\/em> <\/strong>it!!” My hand is pushed away by young grandson, inaugural sand spur victim.<\/p>\n

“Here let me show you how I bite them out.” I have my own sand spurs to eject. I show him my time perfected technique. He’s doubtful. I explain how he’s a real beach kid now. That’s what an encounter with sand spurs gets you. He straightens up a little. He lets me remove the trespassers. He smiles. A real beach kid!<\/p>\n

\"run<\/a>

A view of the Wright Brothers Memorial Monument from Run Hill<\/p><\/div>\n

We’re exploring Run Hill State Park<\/a>. While running my up and overs, I notice the park from the top of the monument and wonder why I never take the grands. It’s behind the schools. Very convenient. Close to home. Nobody ever seems to be there. It is an official park with signage and a split rail fence around the massive perimeter. But that’s it. No visitors’ center. No restrooms. Just lots and lots of sand and vegetation.<\/p>\n

And now we know why. Land mines of sand spurs lurking for the unsuspecting adventurer all over the park.<\/p>\n

It’s a beautiful place. You can see the monument well defined against the sky. If you wander far enough you can see the sound in one direction and the ocean in the other. There are tree copses. Acres of sand. And sand spurs. Not enough to halt your progress, except in a few places. But enough to cause you to be wary. Such a pretty park. So underused. Recently I have a thought about how it can come into the limelight and maybe get some funding to create a few sand spur free trails throughout.<\/p>\n

“You know those Spartan events where the participants take on all sorts of crazy challenges?” Hilarey’s dad Robert throws out at recent family dinner, “I’ve got a really tough one for them. How about a pit full of sand spurs?” We all laugh and agree that would be the supreme challenge.\u00a0Not for the feint of heart. I love it, but I’m having trouble imagining even such a sturdy soul as a Spartan taking on a\u00a0pit full<\/em> of sand spurs. And then on the spur of the moment it comes to me.<\/p>\n

\"Sand<\/a>

Sand spur plant grows low to the ground<\/p><\/div>\n

When Outer Banks Sporting Events<\/a>\u00a0adds a Spartan event to their calendar they can have the last challenge be a point to point barefoot sprint through a section of Run Hill. Unique to the Outer Banks. Word would spread. Sports aficionados world wide would crown it THE Challenge to beat. Call it the Sand Spurt.<\/p>\n

Hell, they can have the whole event at Run Hill. Lots of varied terrain to work with. And in the backyard of three schools. After all OBSE supports The Education Foundation<\/a>.\u00a0Spurs one on to think of it!<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

“Ouch! OUCH! Get it out! No, no. Don’t touch it!!” My hand is pushed away by young grandson, inaugural sand spur victim. “Here let me show you how I bite them out.” I have my own sand spurs to eject. … Continue reading →<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_exactmetrics_skip_tracking":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_active":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_note":"","_exactmetrics_sitenote_category":0,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":false,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2},"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[123],"tags":[155,152,153,154,156],"class_list":["post-780","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-running","tag-kill-devil-hills","tag-obse","tag-outer-banks-sporting-events","tag-run-hill","tag-run-hill-state-park"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p5CT4u-cA","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":599,"url":"https:\/\/sandybeachgirl.com\/?p=599","url_meta":{"origin":780,"position":0},"title":"Run for the Hill","author":"sandy jett ball","date":"March 5, 2015","format":false,"excerpt":"Thanks Wilbur (he came up with the idea of once and for all solving the mystery of flight because his father got really, really tired of him doing nothing and told him, no demanded, that he do\u00a0something\u00a0\u00a0with his life) and Orville (he was reluctant at first then slowly came around)\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Running"","block_context":{"text":"Running","link":"https:\/\/sandybeachgirl.com\/?cat=123"},"img":{"alt_text":"Johnny Moore quote","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sandybeachgirl.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/03\/IMG_3358-300x300.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":34,"url":"https:\/\/sandybeachgirl.com\/?p=34","url_meta":{"origin":780,"position":1},"title":"The Never Ending Christmas","author":"sandy jett ball","date":"January 21, 2015","format":"video","excerpt":"It started on Christmas Eve, family wise anyway. 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DCEF's then director, Amy Montgomery, has pitched this money making idea to the board. They\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Beach Life"","block_context":{"text":"Beach Life","link":"https:\/\/sandybeachgirl.com\/?cat=157"},"img":{"alt_text":"with lydia","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sandybeachgirl.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/11\/with-lydia.jpeg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":2772,"url":"https:\/\/sandybeachgirl.com\/?p=2772","url_meta":{"origin":780,"position":3},"title":"Pride Goeth Before the SPRINT","author":"sandy jett ball","date":"November 18, 2015","format":false,"excerpt":"\"RUN I shout to Suzanne!\" She does not need a second urging. We are well into our training and some days are just so boring that we create diversions. Or rather I do and Suzanne gamely follows along. 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