Ragnar Relay 08

Today is most definitely a well-earned recovery day. I had a blast at the Ragnar Relay and very much enjoyed the group in my van as well as the adventure. Our team had 12 people, runners 1-6 in one van and runners 7-12 in the second. I was runner 7 and in Van 2. I got the first "slap bracelet" hand-off in our van and did the first 3.7 mile run and let me say for the record, "moderate, my ASS" as it climbed and climbed and climbed curve after corner after curve. Then I handed it off to Wes, runner 8 who took off and we would stop at different points and cheer for him and on and on until all our runners did the first round.

3.7 Mile Run @ 00:35:20 (9:30 pace)

Then we hooked up with their friends who were also Van2 for the other team and went to Red Robin around 10:30 PM for dinner while our Van1 did their next section. We figured I was supposed to run around 2AM so I had a nice pasta and chicken dinner figuring it would give me the perfect amount of energy and digestion time. Of course we had not bothered to look at what Van 1 was doing and most of their legs were 3ish miles and "easy" (they were running sub-6 miles) and we got a phone call just when we left the restaurant that their second to last runner was starting and my running start time was going to be midnight. YIKES.

So I quickly changed in the back seat trying to stuff my belly full of pasta into my running capri's. I got the slap bracelet right at midnight and took off -- reflective running vest in hand, water bottle in left and mini flashlight in right. I was pretty nervous -- no street lights and it was a cloudy night. But once I hit the course, I was in heaven. What an amazing gift to be able to run through a beautiful part of the country, every step an unknown. I got into a groove and loved every moment. I would definitely do that again even though there were a couple of times that were kinda dicey when an oncoming car would temporarily blind me. I handed the bracelet off, changed out of my clothes and lay down in the back seat and apparently got the best night's sleep of anyone because I did not wake up until 7:30 AM. It was not a steady sleep as I woke up a lot with all when there was a change of runners or general noise but I was always able to fall back asleep.

8.5 Mile Run @ 01:17:34 (9:07 pace)

When I finally woke up at 7:30 AM, we were parked in a high school parking lot and the stench emitting from the van had moved three people in the team to sleep outside on the lawn while the other three of us slept in it. I was the first in the group to wake up (the best rested) and got some coffee and half a muffin and enjoyed sitting on the bench looking at all people sleeping on the ground and other teams chatting and swapping stories. My third leg started around 9 AM and I had just the best run. It was either looking at or along the water. I had a hill in the beginning but the rest was either downhill or flat and I am proud to say that I pretty much smoked it.

6.6 Mile Run @ 00:50:36 (7:40 pace)

When I came in, I let the team know that this was definitely the toughest leg -- physically and emotionally and rallied everyone to figure out ways to keep our runners motivated through our legs. Wes was next and he had a rather dicey moment sitting in the forest with all the running bras we had hung in the back of the seat so we decided that was his theme. At about his 1.5 mile mark, he ran through a mini-tunnel of us waving our running bras above his head and he was cracking up. The next time we did the running bra wave and finally, the Macerana with the bras on our heads :).

Then was Kiera's turn and she had been talking earlier about how much she loved the song "Eye of the Tiger" but it wasn't on the iPod so I looked the lyrics up my Dash and we "practiced" quickly and when she came up a hill, we "sang" the chorus to her. Our next one was "Bringing Sexy Back" and we practiced as Wes' backup singers and opened the back doors to the van blaring the music and lip syncing and danced as she ran by. Chris was a great support too as he would bring water to the runners as we entertained them.

Then it was Chris' turn and we danced to "Twist and Shout" as he went by up a hill. His next song was "Brown Eyed Girl" and by that time, we had a bit of a reputation and another group joined in the dance party as we danced and I passed around pickles.

We did "Love is a Battlefield" for Katie but she didn't even notice because she was so focused (and hungry and exhausted because she had done the lion's share of the driving) but she finished freakishly strong and fast.

Finally Jessica brought us home and we did one stop/dance/song for her and Katie ran her to the finish line the last mile where the rest of the group met and ran across the line -- all 12 of us :)

It sure was fun and of course, I was eyeing the ultra-runner teams as a possibility...hmmmm.

I came home and Wally actually ran away from me when I lifted my arm and I figured that my cue to get my crusty stanky butt in the shower and triple-wash my clothes.