Take the Lake 2020 gets creative

Thank you for your patience while we have been evaluating the uncertainty of holding a traditional Take the Lake event this year.

The heart of Take the Lake is promoting health and wellness in our community, and it is in this spirit we are making plans for the only sure and safe event we can count on this summer which is a virtual 2020 Take the Lake.

The technology supporting virtual run, bike and swimming events has taken a major leap since smart distancing and government regulations are the new normal until the COVID-19 pandemic is under control. Virtual races create an online support system, a community of participants, and the ability to creatively track progress and goals. 

Our 2019 5K event coordinator, SetUp Events, is helping us plan and execute an innovative and fun event with a focus on building community. We hope to share an event website and link with registration and fun tips to get started on your personal challenge within the next few days. 

Here are few of the highlights we can look forward to as we get ready to 2020 Virtual Take the Lake ...

2020 TTL will be a 15-day event ending on Labor Day Monday…Participants will have two weeks and Labor Day Monday to complete as many of the personal fitness challenges as they choose. All events are FREE.

The challenges will include a virtual 15 mile run/walk, 15 mile bike, 15 mile paddle and 4 mile swim along with 7.5 mile family walk, bike and paddle options. Participants can complete a mile a day for 15 days for each challenge or complete a challenge in one day. How a participant gets their mileage is totally their own goal and decision.

RunSignUp (who manages the online registration and records participant mileage for SetUp Events) offers a great virtual route tracking tool. For example in the 15 mile walk/run around the lake when a participant posts their mileage for the day, they can see exactly where you are on the route whether it’s in the state park, Waccamaw Shores, or Canal Cove, etc. Participants from anywhere in the world can "walk around the lake" and see where they on the course. I think this will be really fun way to track progress and invite friends and family to participate together even when they are far away.

TTL will set-up a Facebook Group for registered participants to share goals, training milestones, post photos, etc. We hope this Facebook community keeps us connected and helps us get to know each other better. 

We will sell awesome TTL t-shirts online during the registration process and will offer shipping to your home with a postage charge. Also, we will offer a drive-by packet pick-up on a specific day during a specific time. Drive-by packet pick-up allows participants to put their name and bib number on a sheet of paper in their car window and drive through the pick-up point to receive their packet. Specific pick-up details in Whiteville and Lake Waccamaw to follow. 

Online t-shirt sales help cover the cost for 2020 Take the Lake, and we appreciate your support with a purchase. We will use the same t-shirt brand and blend as the popular 2019 t-shirts and are updating the women's v-neck shirt supplier so these shirts will run "true to size." Tim and Edna Dowless of locally-owned TLD ScreenPrinting will supply t-shirts again this year. Thank you Tim and Edna! 

Our traditional Take the Lake event would not be possible the past 10 years without the loyal support of our sponsors, community volunteers, civic groups, Town of LW, Lake Waccamaw State Park, Columbus County Parks & Rec, Boys & Girls Homes, and the incredibly dedicated  LWPD, LWFD, LW-EMS and Whiteville EMS. The impact of COVID on these businesses, organizations and families is profound, and the virtual event will give everyone a break this year so they can focus on recovery. It is our hope we can return to our traditional event format in 2021. 

Everyone who registers for 2020 TTL will receive a Special Edition JAMA (John A. McNeill participation award) this year.  We hope JAMA collectors will enjoy this one-and-only Special Edition chip.

Take the Lake looks different this year, but we hope it is different in a good way and you will join us on this virtual adventure with the resilience and fortitude of each person since 2010 who has ever worked for and accomplished their personal TTL fitness goal. 

Start thinking your 2020 TTL fitness training plan and look for details and a link to register in the next few days.