Girls Just Wanna Run!

This past weekend I ran the Wasatch Back Ragnar Relay with my friends Lacey & Whitney & 9 other girls. Here's a little summary:

• Length: 188 miles
• Course: Starts at Icon Fitness in Logan, ends at Canyons Resort in Park City
• Total # of Teams: About 1040 = Over 12,000 runners!
• Our Team: Van 1 (6 Girls, including me) + Van 2 (6 Girls) = 12 Girls
• Team Name: Girls Just Wanna Run
• Goal for Average Pace: 9 minute miles
• Start Time: 9:00 a.m. on Friday
• Projected Finish: 2 p.m. on Saturday

I loved getting to know the other girls in our van. Here's a team picture of us at the start of the race: Brenda, Whitney, Me, Lacey, Jeanette & Laurie. They were so much fun!!

I was so happy that Christopher showed up at my first leg to watch me run and cheer for me.

He followed me while I ran (about 7 miles) and took pictures the whole way! It helped take my mind off the fact that I was running...and we got some pretty cute ones too :)

I cropped this one that Chris took. It's my favorite because you can see my silhouette and my cool running shoes.

Lacey saved my life with a water break after the huge hill I wasn't expecting!

And my favorite part about each leg...the exchange! It reminded me of my track days when I ran the 4x100 and 4x200 relays. I loved the baton part and it always made me run faster because I knew there was someone counting on me and waiting for me.

This picture summarizes our weekend in a simple way. The lines for the porta-pottys were always SUPER long and since we were often crunched for time (and not to mention the pottys STUNK and were nasty) we decided to go "natural." I really don't think I've ever squatted so much in the bushes...and I'm pretty sure at least 25 people saw my butt. hahah... It was quite the experience.

I really loved our tank tops! The girls who started our team gave me the initial idea for the front (mimicking PUMA and then I designed the back too). They were really lightweight and perfect for running.

Along the way, I found quite a few people I know! Here's me with my co-workers Darrin & Mandy. They ran for the Harris Research team- it was exciting to see them!

I also saw my friend Nikki while I was waiting at the exchange. It gave me an extra boost of energy when I heard her cheering me on! I also saw my friend Erika at the next exchange - I was lucky to find so many friends among thousands of people!

At the end of the race, we got to hang out in Park City and enjoy the sunshine. There was a nice little ride that took us up the mountain. The breeze felt great and the view was beautiful.

After waiting all day, we finally saw our last runner coming up the hill! We were glad we could be there to support her because the rest of our team didn't make it in time!

Running across the finish line was a great feeling. I've been training for this race since April and it was a wonderful sense of accomplishment. I ran over 13 miles and even hit my personal goal pace of under 9:30 per mile.

I'm pretty sure I deserved this medal :) And it was worth it!

GJWR: Girls Just Wanna Run!

I'm sooo glad Lacey ran this race with me! But beyond that, I'm so glad we trained together! I never could have gotten in shape to run this far without her. She pushes me every run and makes me faster. I love my running buddy :)

After the race, we took a little trip to Wendover with Chris's friends David & Kevin. I took a long shower and crashed in the hotel room and we also spent some quality time in the Montego Bay pool.

Despite the fact that Wendover, Nevada is so small they don't even have a Wal-Mart... they do have really gorgeous skies & horizons. The salt land almost looks like sand!

So for a recap, here are 10 memories to give a little taste of our Ragnar Experience:

10. Seeing creative van decorations like giant crowns made out of kiddie pools, bull horns, window paint, streamers and giant bras strapped to the hood of vans + crazy costumes like a guy in a wedding dress, tutus & Zena the warrior princesses

9. Saving an old guy's life...well, saving him from dehydration

8. Eating too many cherries & grapes...way too many

7. The look on Lacey's face when I took like 100 pictures of her running up the mountain... haha the anger in her eyes told me she is not motivated by people taking her picture like I am- but at least I took them as she was passing Barbie

6. Sleeping on a basketball court in a highschool for 2 hours and then waking up to run our last leg

5. Getting awesome tan lines from my tank top, spandex and flip flops

4. Free Powerade & my 3 visits to the Ragnar table to exchange my shirt size from small to medium to large back to medium... really indecisive

3. A rollercoaster of emotions: excited, nervous, exhausted, annoyed, embarrassed, impatient, grateful, relaxed, relieved, awkward, sleepy, cranky, angry, loopy, sleepy, dead...dead asleep

2. Lacey & I squatting behind a bush before my first leg, thinking we were hidden and then a group of guys walking by - who later informed our team that we "made their day"...

1. Sitting in the van thinking, this is ok- but I will never do it again....Then coming home and deciding... Ragnar Relay Las Vegas, here we come!