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

Bear Lake Half Marathon

The best thing about running a half marathon is running it with your friends! Yep that's right, Amie, Jamie and I braved the cool wind and rain to run today in the Bear Lake Half Marathon. This was Bear Lake's second half marathon so I guess it was as good as what could be expected. I really liked the shirts and the course wasn't bad. It was a pretty flat route that wrapped around part of the Bear Lake. My favorite part was seeing the rainbow over the lake. I really didn't care to much for the part where you ran on gravel road since it was raining and the road was kind of muddy. For sure more than 4 port-a-potties should have been placed at the starting line when there are over 700 runners. And the race really should start on time, not start 2 hours later.

Greg did a good job taking pictures and getting drenched in the rain. Here I am again running the final stretch. My time was the worst I ever got 1:52:19. I did run a little slower due to the roads being kind of slippery and I had a gut ache because I ate breakfast at 3:00 this morning and then only had a bite of a bagel while I was waiting (for 2 hours at the starting line because they didn't start it on time) until 7:40 when the marathon started. I hate running when I am hungry :( ! But hey, I still placed 2nd in my age group (a miracle) getting a pretty neat medal and I got to chat for 2 hours at the starting line with my good old friends from work. Next week I'll be running the Wasatch Back Ragnar Relay with more friends. I can't wait!

Bees Vs Cubs

Each year the Salt Lake Bees baseball team offers free tickets to the elementary schools in Utah. Jensen asked me if I would be one of the volunteer parents to help chaperon the kids. Sure, I said! How could I pass up baseball.
We rode on the UTA Front Runner down to Salt Lake. It was air conditioned and much faster and better than a school bus.
This is the group of kids by Mr. McGruff in front of the stadium.

The first pitch of the ball game. It was a foul and came our way. However, it went up and over the top.

Jensen and his friends loved the game. Mom loved it too. Hopefully we will go again soon.

The Ogden Marathon-- The Good and The Bad!

The Good:
1. The course was absolutely beautiful

2. It was very well organized and staffed

3. Good weather

4. I finished it!!! (4:14:58)

5. Great family support

6. Made new friends

7. Medically staffed

The Bad:

1. Got a blister

2. Heart Break Hill mile 14

3. Sore muscles

4. Developed dehydration

The good and bad list sums it up, but I put some extra pictures on here for you to look at anyway while I tell my story. This is a picture of me at mile 13. Giving my family a thumbs up meaning I am doing great!

After mile 14 "Heart Break Hill" named after the Boston Marathon, and the hill at the end of mile 15 my quads were pretty shot. My right hamstring pain that developed around mile 5 went away at mile 8, but my left leg numbness was now going away and I could feel a blister on the bottom of my foot developing because of the cheap Walmart socks I was wearing because my good running socks got holes in them when I did my last long run. And for the very first time about mile 20 I got lightheaded. This picture above is at mile 23 when I am walking over to my family to get some Vaseline to put under my arms for chafing. They told me I looked white. I told them I felt like I was going to pass out. I felt like I needed to sit down to raise my feet above my head to make the feeling go away, but I knew if I stopped running I wouldn't be able to finish the race.

The best thing in the world then happened. Kaleena, my sister-in-law, ran the next few miles with me. Many times I told her that I was going to pass out and she just kept saying, "you're almost there!" or "just run to the next orange pole, then stop light." Then she said she could see the finish line. I couldn't see it anywhere, but I heard Josh on the side line saying, "Cheryl it's just 1/2 mile."

Running the final stretch. When I crossed the finished line at 4:14:58. A medic ran over to me and took me to the tent. I told her I was going to pass out. I laid on a cot and was covered with a blanket and Dr. Graham came over and checked me out. He said I was pretty orthostatic. My blood pressure was pretty low. After the recovery he talked to me and told me I had developed dehydration. I'm not sure how this happened because I stopped at every aid station for a drink. The only thing I can figure that I did different was that I drank water at the first 3 or 4 aid stations instead of Gatorade (because I thought I would get sick of the Gatorade).

Well, I tell ya, I learn something new every time I run a race. I'll just have to run the Ogden Marathon again next year!