Wasatch Back RAGNAR 2010

FRANKS & BEANS AND KRISPY KREMES

Back in January when I first heard about the Wasatch Back RAGNAR Relay I was intrigued. I spoke with Abril from my MOPS group regarding some of the details and it really sounded like a new and exciting challenge for me to take on. Abril and her husband TJ took on the exceptional challenge of being the team captains and organized a team of 12 runners, 2 volunteer drivers and 3 volunteers to help out along the course. I am so thankful to the two of them for all the time and commitment they put into organizing our team, reserving hotel rooms, securing vans, collecting funds, scheduling team meetings, and all the other time consuming details that went into allowing our team to have such a fun and successful weekend - all while training for the RAGNAR themselves and raising a family with four precious kids. Talk about commitment!!The runners in Van 1 (legs 1 through 6), along with Abril's cousins Jason and Stacie, drove down to Logan on Thursday June 17 where we had a carb loaded dinner then headed to our hotel where we decorated our van before trying to catch at least a couple of hours of shut-eye. Our teams starting time was 5 am so we all had to be up at 3 am in order to get ready and get to the race start in order to complete our safety check-in and safety training. I was runner 3 and my first leg started around 7:15 am on Friday and went 5 1/2 miles from Hyrum to Paradise. After all the runners in Van 1 finished their runs we had a couple of hours to get to Jessie's Aunts House in Huntsville to shower and try to nap before we had to be at our next exchange around 3 pm. Unfortunately our van did not have time to enjoy the amenities offered at the Aunt's House but we all surely enjoyed a nice shower.

My second leg, or leg 15, started about 4:45 in the afternoon on Friday with the sun beating down on me all the way. I ran 5 miles from Peterson to Milton in the heat and was so thankful for the families that sat in their front yards cheering us on and spraying us down with the garden hose. After everyone from Van 1 had finished their second run we headed to North Summit High School for a nice cold, $2, community shower. We had about 4 hours before we had to start running again so Shelley, Bree, Jeanette and I all slept in the van while Abril, TJ and Zac slept under the stars.
My third run, leg 27, started around 4:15 am on Saturday morning from the hills in Francis and went along the Jordanelle Reservoir. It was still pretty dark and chilly and I could hear the Provo River off to the side. For the first 4 miles or so I listened to the sounds of nature rather than my music. Although I could scarcely see the scenery, even with the mandatory head lamp, it was one of my most beautiful runs yet. I was feeling great for the first 4 miles and then came a never ending hill that I ended up having to partially walk up. I had been so nervous about having an 8 mile run for my last leg and running on very little sleep but in the end I was pretty proud of myself. Stacie & Jason rode in our van for the first 6 legs of the race before they switched over to van 2 for the remainder of the race. The major exchanges where both vans, with all 12 runners, came together were always so much fun because we got to see the other half of our team.
The last run for Van 1 at Exchange 30 where TJ handed off the bracelet to Stacie took place in Heber. From there we headed to Park City to Bree's family cabin for another shower and a little bit of down time before we had to head out to The Canyons where we would watch our final runner come into view and where we all ran across the finish line as a team.
Van 1: Bree holding one of our flags that we had to use when crossing the street, Jeanette, Shelley, Agnes, Abril and TJ. Van 2 leaving Exchange 30.

Awww.......the finish line.
Along with Abril and TJ I made many other life-long friends during our two day journey across Northern Utah and can't wait to do it all again next year. (Who knows I just might agree to repeat the madness in October for the Vegas RAGNAR.)