Tuesday, June 23, 2009

Ragnar Relay -- Wasatch Back Style

Think about running 187 miles with 11 other people that are just a crazy as you are to be running from Logan to Park City via the Wasatch Back. Through all the blood, sweat, and tears we were there for each other cheering each other on.
For those of you not familiar with the Ragnar Series, it is a relay race that consists of 6-12 people and each runner runs 3 legs which are different in mileage and toughness, but everyone gets a taste of it all. You're divided into 2 vans with 6 runners in each. Van 1 starts, each runner does their first leg, then hands off to van 2, they each run their leg and hands back off to van 1, where they run their next set etc... you see how it goes. Based on each runners average 10k time, you set an average pace for each other. You then keep a clipboard tracking hand off times to project your finish time. You keep track all along the way to make sure you are staying on pace and at your estimated hand off times. (This estimated time does not account for weather changes)

Our team's name was 24 Sore Soles. I thought this was pretty fitting since most of the runners had done a full or half marathon the week before. I was runner 1 and started the race for our team in Logan on June 19th. It was something I have always wanted to do, but never thought I would have the opportunity to do it until I was notified after the Winter Racing Circuit 30K that a runner on their team had dropped out and they asked me to join their team.

My final stats: Total Mileage 18.4 (Leg 1-- 5.1 miles, Leg 2 --8.5 miles, Leg 3-- 4.9 miles)
Hours slept: Maybe 1/2 hour stretching it would be 1 hour.

Team stats: We finished 226/436 overall in all coed teams, and 159/330 in coed open division. (Coed has many subgroups: open, sub masters, masters, and high school.
Total time: 30:12:44.5
It is truly a unique, exciting, exhausting, fun, and overwhelming experience. I learned that our body is stronger than we think it is. Just when you think you have given your all, you know you have to go out and do it again, and you can! Thank you 24 Sore Soles for letting me join your team.
Runners in picture above left to right: Rob, Christie, Kaleena, Joan, Bruce, Justin, Shauna, Kelly, Chad. Bottom row: Tammy, Cat, Cherilee

1 comment:

Bonnie said...

You never cease to amaze me. You are so ambitious and will probably live to be 100 because you are so physically fit. I just don't know how you have the stamina to do all this running and still be a wife and mom.