10/28/2020
On October 21, seven men stood at the start line of the Michigan Pro Ekiden in Stoney Creek Metro Park, about 45 minutes north of Detroit. They fidgeted one last time with their tasuki—the sashes worn and passed like a baton during Ekidens—which were draped over one shoulder, under the other, and—for most competitors—tucked into their shorts. The gun fired, and they took off for a 10-kilometer leg. After about 4 miles, Northern Arizona Elite’s Tyler Day broke away from the pack. At points, with the wind howling around, Day’s tasuki untucked from his shorts, and he grabbed it to keep it stable. Once he hit the final 100 yards of his leg, with teammate Lauren Paquette in sight, Day, who said he hadn’t worn a sash since his Boy Scout days, took the sash off and “white knuckled” it, as he said, around his hand. Then, he stretched it out between two hands and handed it to Paquette, who carefully yet hurriedly placed it over her left shoulder and wriggled her right arm through it while beginning her 6.1-kilometer leg.
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put on two great events over the past seven days. Hit the link in our bio to read the story of the Michigan Pro Ekiden.
