Wednesday, October 1st.
Wake students woke up ready to hit the bricks—literally. Hit the Bricks, a campus-wide philanthropic event, raises money for the Brian Piccolo Cancer Research Fund. Teams run laps around Hearn Plaza, and every lap counts toward donations. Here’s my day pounding the pavement with Anthony Aston Players (a pink flock of flamingos, aka the theatre club)!
10:30 AM
I arrived bright and early (okay, right after class and a quick meeting). Our team was small at this time but mighty, and our tent stood spotless, ready for the chaos ahead. We unpacked our new HTB t-shirts and geared up, grinning like champs before the sweat even started.
10:35 AM
It was officially my turn to run! The best part of being on a team was the relay-style handoff. Every quarter lap we passed the backpack (with the precious key card attached) like it was the Olympic torch. It kept the energy high and made the whole event feel less like cardio and more like a chaotic group project.
11 AM
The tent quickly became our home base, full of sweaty flockers sprawled out, catching up on schoolwork (because, yes, it was still Wednesday) or obsessively checking our rankings.
11:30 AM
A mysterious stranger pressed a sticker into my hand while I was gasping for air post-sprint. I barely saw his face, but apparently it came from President Wente herself, thanking me for “hitting the bricks.” I slapped it on my shirt instantly and wore it the rest of the day.
11:45 AM
Pass, pass, pass. A lot of my handoffs were embarrassingly sloppy, but when we nailed a clean throw? Pure serotonin.
12:00 PM
When noon hit it was specialty lap time, an addition to relays with extra challenges to get bonus laps. The onesie lap was our moment to shine—and yes, we were absolutely prepared to run around Hearn Plaza in full ridiculousness.
1:30 PM
Snow cone truck. Enough said. Multiple icy breaks were had, and I regret nothing.
2:30 PM
Best surprise of the day: Billy the rescue pup joined us for moral support. He was the true MVP of our tent—10/10 vibes, zero laps.
3:00 PM
One of our theatre professors stopped by to run with us. She’s one of those people who enjoys running (couldn’t be me), but we loved her dedication. Flamingo spirit knows no bounds.
4:00 PM
I brought a brand-new spray deodorant, determined that our tent would not be remembered as the funky flockers. By the end of the day, the bottle was practically empty—but hey, we were sweaty, not stinky.
5:00 PM
Fueling station shoutout: the Harvest Table tent. Fruit, bagels, and—my personal weakness—giant cookies. I definitely ate at least four. No regrets.
5:30 PM
I had to tap out for rehearsal (after a much-needed shower and dinner). Our once-pristine tent looked like the aftermath of a very fun, very pink hurricane.
Final Score
Anthony Aston Players snagged second place in the General Division! We came, we conquered, we flocked. Do my legs still hurt? Absolutely. But every lap was worth it—for the laughs, the cookies, and most importantly, the cause.