Ragnar Relay Wasatch Back!

What a weekend! Here it is Sunday mid-morning and I am thinking to myself, "Where did my weekend go, and why do I feel so exhausted?" I'll tell you where it went, from Logan to Park City (178 miles) with 12 runners each running 3 different legs in a relay over a 2-day span. Yup. That's right. I spent my weekend running through the countryside of Utah with a team named Chupacabra.

This past February I get an e-mail from my friend Allison wondering if I wanted to run in the Ragnar Relay. The what? I figured, why not....it's not till June and that seems forever away. Here it is June and so Friday morning we loaded up the Powells suburban (Andy and Kate who are the most thoughtful married couple I have ever met. They were my 'mom and dad' figure for the weekend, because they took such great care of us 'kids.') Along with the Powells were the Strangs (Allison and Chad). All I can say is what a riot. These two are so fun to be around and kept us constantly laughing (and wiping the tears from laughing). In the back was me and Lou Lou (Leslie Myers) one of my most favorite people in the whole world. I have known Leslie since the first day I moved here and we have been running buds (and 'Lifetime' buds) ever since. Leslie is the quirkiest (in the most admirable way) person I know. She is so fun to be around because she is down-t0-earth and not afraid to let her true side show. (Every body's true sides were shown on this 2-day escapade).

There was another suburban with 6 other people who were running the first leg of the relay. We met up with them and took over the relay in Eden Valley. My first run was at about 2:00 pm (blazing sun shining upon me). It was only a 3.5 mile run, and because I was so pumped to be doing what I was doing it wasn't so bad.

After we all ran our first legs we were at the top of Snow Basin. (Yes, the top. That means our two guys had to finish the first leg by running up the mountainside.) We ate dinner and enjoyed the fact that we were one leg down. (And stinky, sweaty and smelly but oh well).

Allison's dad lives in Morgan, which just so happened to be the place where our next leg was going to begin. Our team went there for a quick face wash and teeth brush'n before our night run began. My night run was at 2:00 a.m. It was actually my most fun run of the relay, because I wore a headlamp and reflector vest and the weather was perfect (41 degrees.) That leg was 6.4 miles, but it felt good because everything about it was something new. (Maybe it was due to the fact that I was running at 2 a.m., which isn't something I do everyday!)

After we all finished our second leg (about 4:00 a.m.) we drove from Kamas to Heber City (which is where our final leg was going to begin the following morning). We went to the middle school which was an 'exchange post' and threw our sleeping bags out on the front lawn of the school and caught about 2.5 hours of sleep. When I woke up I looked around me and saw bodies buried in sleeping bags everywhere...I was surrounded by complete strangers. (I had been so exhausted when I went to sleep that I didn't really care who I was next to). I located my team and we ate some Cheerios and waited for our next leg to begin. The final leg, and the one I had been dreading just a tiny bit.

It was comforting to be in Heber City, where things looked familiar. But, the familiarity wasn't in my favor, because I knew what run I was going to be doing next--the dirt road above the Wasatch State Park Golf Course which climbs up to the top of the mountain and then drops down the other side into Park City.

The morning was perfect weather and I was hoping the temps would stay a bit low for my high-noon run. Unfortunately, they kept creeping up, but it could've been worse. My final leg was on a dirt road pretty much straight up hill for 4 miles. I put on my GPS to track my pace (and to see how much further I had to endure this HELL) and of course my Ipod to fill my ears with music to motivate my legs. It was an interesting trek (and one I am not ready to repeat anytime soon), and boy was I was glad to see the finish line. My team would stop every so often so Lou Lou could come and water me down and quench my thirst. All I can say is what a thrill!

Our team did awesome! Every person in our vehicle ran their hearts out and were so motivating to everybody else. We were all in it for each other, and each person wanted to see everyone else do well. The race as a whole was so organized and just an amazing experience. There were over 600 teams (and probably close to 5500 runners)! How cool that so many people join together to simply run.

By the time our last runner crossed the finish line we were spent. We were tired, sweaty, dirty and aching. I was ready to go home and see my family (Chad had a fun little weekend with the kids!)

Alright...who' in for next years Ragnar?