What it is, is...

Tribal run: Sun-down to sun-up 5k relay.

My sister Anna is a runner.  Like she runs marathons (yes, with an 's'-- half or full, she eats 'em for breakfast.  This spring she ran ate one of each).  Anyway, sometime in all of this racing, she heard about the Tribal Run.  Andrew and I love adventure, so if it involves a run in the mountains, and a sweet t-shirt (not to mention a best costume award), we're game.  Through the process of evolution, we gathered 9 more people and a 15 passenger van and headed out to Utah for the inaugural Tribal Run.
The race was supposed to be held on Antelope Island, which is an amazingly desolate chunk of acreage in the Salt Lake.  Then due to a couple issues (as in a state-wide fire ban and a SPIDER INFESTATION on the island), the event was moved to a speedway.  That's right- a motorcycle racing facility.  Miller Motorsports Park.  Sounded a little lame, but the TR coordinators got pretty excited about it.
When we got to the park- fully decked out in our custom Kushinda tribal cow shirts and war paint- the stone-cold security man at the gate said very seriously: didn't you hear?  The race got postponed to next weekend. 
Us: What?!  *sadness and disbelief* NNNNNOOOOOOOOOOOOO!
Man: *smile cracks his stony face* Gotcha!  You're gonna want to pull right around...
Regular jokester, eh? 
So anyway, we made it out to the camp, set up our tents and started pre-gaming: volleyball, all-natural energy juice mixed up by a guy called 'the Bird Man', all-natural Swedish Fish, Sharpie tattoos and more war paint, dancing our hearts out to Fun's "Some Nights".
Then the official pow-wow started: an awesome performance by some native New Zealand tribal warriors, a man juggling torches, a group of African drummers/dancers (LOVED this), the lighting of the tribal fire.
And finally, as the sun set over the mountains, WE GOT OUR RUN ON!
There were three different 5k courses, so one at a time we donned our head lamps, exchanged the bear tooth necklace/baton, and chose our course.  There was a full moon that night, so mild darkness combined with the distant beat of tribal drums and the adrenaline of a lonesome run was an awe-inspiring experience.  What an amazing God to create such beauty and enjoyment. 

"The heavens declare the glory of God,

the sky above proclaims his handiwork."

Psalm 19:1

All.  Night.  Long.

The Mighty Kushinda- back row: my brother Jeshua, sister Anna, cousin Megan, brother Jonathan
middle row: cousin Nicole, cousin Kara, friend Kayla
front: Oliver, me, Gigi, Andrew, brother-in-law Luke

Dancing with the African Heartwood Project.

New Zealand tribal warriors.

Luke was our first runner.  Nothing like some last minute carb-loading via glazed doughnut.

Lined up to cheer for Luke!

Jeshua giving me a pep talk.

Keeping warm at the council fire.

Makin' some music.

The next morning Megan's tomahawk -er - mohawk had lost a little height, but was still looking good. 

*Kushinda: Swahili, winning
   

to Utah and back again in pictures

The five of us- Andrew, Liz, Oliver, Georgi, and Margot- recently embarked on a risky adventure. We got into a 15 passenger van with 9 other nuts and drove 23 hours to Layton, UT where my sister Anna, brother-in-law Luke, and nephew Theo reside.
We adventure-seekers were not disappointed.
As a picture says a thousand words, I'll photographically share the illustrated version of our trip.

What we did:

started the drive with nervous excitement- could it be because of the 4 children in car seats?  What?...

did some hair/got it did...

visited the Mormon Tabernacle and museum...

watched lots of Olympics- go team USA!...

Dad could be found doing this at any given moment...

participated in the first-ever Tribal Run...





had a beach day at a reservoir in the mountains...

some got to explore the outrageous world of Park City mountain biking...

girls had a night out in Park City...

went on a supposedly easy hike...



had a blast! [Just outside L&A's front door.]