Help "IPA-lot While Fishing" Run for a Cause!
We’re trading the quiet riverbank for the dusty trail, at least for a few miles.
Our team, "IPA-lot While Fishing," is participating in the NASCARP Relay, a unique event hosted by Running Rivers. If you know us, you know we’re usually better at casting a fly than maintaining a 7-minute mile, but we’re lace-up our running shoes to support a mission that’s close to our hearts (and our favorite fishing holes).
Why We’re Doing This
Running Rivers isn't just about a race; it's about protecting the wild places we love. They work tirelessly to:
Connect People to Freshwater: Creating recreation opportunities that foster a love for our rivers.
Preserve Native Species: Working on projects like the Davis Ponds Cup to ensure native fish—like our favorite Brookies—thrive for generations.
Restore Ecosystems: Turning "forgotten" waters into healthy, vibrant habitats.
The Challenge
We’ll be navigating a relay course that involves trail running, fly-fishing challenges, and true to our name,
the occasional celebratory beverage. It’s about grit, bad puns, and great conservation.
How You Can Help
We are raising funds to support Running Rivers’ conservation and restoration projects. Whether you can give the cost of a six-pack, a new fly line, or a full day’s guided trip, every dollar goes directly toward keeping our rivers cold, clean, and fishable.
Help us reach our goal and keep our native trout swimming!
The NASCARP (Native Species Conservation and Restoration Project) relay is basically a "Flyathlon" on steroids. It's designed to be a lighthearted but competitive relay that mimics the high-stakes (and high-speed) world of stock car racing, but with more mud and fewer tires.
Here are the "crazy" rules for the Davis Ponds Cup:
1. The Team Structure
The Drivers: You race in teams of two.
The Pit Crew: You are encouraged to bring a "pit crew" (friends/family) to cheer you on and help you "refuel" at the transition area.
2. The Laps (Run + Fish + Run)
Total Distance: Each team completes 6 laps total (3 laps per driver).
The Loop: A lap is approximately 2 miles. You run out to the ponds, stop to fish, and then run back to the "Pit Road" (start/finish area).
The Hand-off: Drivers must alternate laps. You cannot start your lap until your teammate has successfully "refueled."
3. The Fishing Rules
The Catch: You must catch and release a fish during your lap.
Pond Marshall: You have a 20-minute time limit to catch a fish. Once you catch one, you must show a photo to the Pond Marshall as proof.
"No Fish" Penalty: If you don’t catch a fish within 20 minutes, you have to run back anyway, but your team is hit with a "NO FISH" time penalty.
Keep Fish Wet: You must use proper catch-and-release techniques (no dry hands, no dragging fish on the dirt).
4. The "Refueling" (The Fun Part)
Leaded vs. Unleaded: There are two divisions. "Leaded" involves an alcoholic beverage (usually an IPA, fittingly), and "Unleaded" is for non-alcoholic drinks.
The Rule of the Upside-Down Can: After completing your lap, you must finish your refueling beverage. To prove it's empty, you must turn the vessel completely upside down over your head.
Spillage Penalty: If a Course Marshall sees significant "spillage" (cheating!), your team gets a penalty lap.