How I Accidentally Fell in Love with the Great Race

Stories

Jan 29

Written By

Hmm. Where do I even start?

A lot of you don’t know me. You know my husband, a Great Race navigator and X-Cup Legacy president, Brandon Gregg. My first introduction to the Great Race came back in 2017 when Brandon casually asked, “Hey… do we have any plans this summer? Can I go on a race with Christian Lauber?” I had questions.

At the time, it sounded like he wanted to use up all his vacation time on what I assumed was basically a very long road trip. I was not too excited. But when Brandon got back, I have never seen another human being so giddy. Like kid-on-Christmas-morning giddy. So obviously, I needed to see what all the fuss was about.

The next year, I brought a friend with me to the start in Buffalo, NY. We only stayed for the kickoff, then snuck in a Niagara Falls visit before heading home. And let me tell you… that was NOT enough. I got a tiny taste and immediately wanted the whole thing.

The following year was the real plunge. I was pregnant with our first daughter and figured this was my last chance for a big adventure before life changed forever. So I tagged along for the entire race from Riverside, CA to Tacoma, WA. I had no official role. No schedule. No responsibilities. My only daily plan was: “Oh look… a National Park. Guess I’ll stop.”

I hiked, explored, swam, and met back up with Brandon, Christian, and the other teams each night at dinner. That year finally made everything click. Brandon had explained the race to me a hundred times, but I didn’t get it until I lived the rhythm of it day after day.

That race is forever burned into my memory. It’s also the only time in my life I’ve ever traveled and hiked completely solo, which feels wild now. Highway 1 in California will always have my heart, but Crater Lake absolutely stole the show.

We won’t talk about 2020. Moving on.

In 2021, I showed up with a toddler. Brandon actually found out I was pregnant again on the race… surprise! I couldn’t do the full route that year, so my daughter and I met up on Day 7 in Beckley, WV and made it to the finish in Greenville, NC. Let me just say this: the Great Race route with a toddler is impossible.

In 2022, I had a brand-new baby and had to sit that one out completely. We cheered from home, and got to watch the livestream, as Brandon and Christian won their division. They still like to joke that I’m bad luck, since they won the year I wasn’t there. Rude.

By 2023, I was desperate to get back out there. The kids stayed with grandma, and I met up on Day 3 in Memphis, TN to drive the support vehicle all the way to the finish in Colorado Springs, CO. My favorite finish memory? The insane winds that nearly took out the balloon arch.

In 2024, I did a little of everything. I was at the start in Owensboro, KY, went home to Ohio for a few days with the kids, then jumped back in to drive support from Binghamton, NY to Gardiner, ME. Side note: I left Owensboro and immediately got a flat tire. Huge shoutout to the Buggs, who drove to meet me at a rest stop in Kentucky to help fix it. Great Race people are just built different.

By 2025, I decided I might as well go all in. I volunteered and dragged my dad, Chris Wadas, along with me. We worked the lunch merch tent and got to meet incredible people in every town. Sharing that experience with my dad was something really special. And yes… now he gets it too.

This year, my dad and I will be back again as volunteers, and we are ridiculously excited for Route 66. There’s something special about feeling like you’re part of this little secret Great Race club that gets it.