Ragnar!!!

*WARNING......journal entry post :)   aka....very long.

So in April my good friend Brooke called me up and asked if I wanted to join her Ragnar team.    I was SOO excited.   I had watched her do it for 2 years, and read her blog posts and saw her experiences.  I wanted to do it really bad, but I didn't dare ask if I could (what if she really didn't want me,  which I know is silly).    If I asked,  the I would HAVE to really do it, and be committed....which is scary too.   I also wasn't a runner.   So I never did anything about it.    Well, when she called and asked I was excited, thrilled and scared!    She promised me I could do it for sure.  I had been going to zumba and I had 'thought' about starting to run again.     So I said yes!

I started running on the treadmill.   Until I could figure out the right shoe for my foot.   The bottom of my foot kept going to sleep.    I next started slowly running outside.   It was tough at first!    On May 19th, I was able to go on a team run.   This was the first time I KNEW I could do this.    I did so much better than I thought I could, it was so exciting and exhilarating for me!

Fast forward to June.........

We had a team of 12 women, that run from Utah State University to Park city non stop.       We each run 3 different legs, sleep very little, and laugh a lot!

We met up with our whole team in Ogden.   Meisha, one of the team members has this big huge van, that holds 10 with seat belts, 12 without :).    We headed to Logan.   First stop was firehouse pizza for some amazing food, and fun!   The pizookie cookie was the best!     My Mom agreed let all 12 of us sleep at her house the night before.  She was so cute and so excited for us to come.   I would consider her more of a runner than me!  She has done several 5ks, a 10k, and a 15k!     Anyhow,  8 of us were new to the race so the 4 veterans really showed us how to party it up!    We decorated our van.......it was awesome!

We were the "Speedy Spuds"   so Jewelee made us spuds on the windows.   We decorated each of us.

Me decorating my spud.

Natalie making a "huuuunny buuuuuuucket"

Look how cute we turned out!   I didn't get a picture of the other side, they were super cute too!

My kids thought the devil wig, fit my personality just perfect!

The "veterans"  really knew how to keep us organized!     Because we all went in 1 van, we didn't have time to stop for food or to sleep, we were constantly on the road helping the runner.   We each had a food assignment for the 2 days of sisterly love!    It worked awesome! 

Our AMAZING TEAM!!

Bree, Jen Seamons, Crystal Steed, Kaycee Thieman, Teresa Durfee, Natalie Clark, Meisha Heaton, Jewelee Steed, Brooke Christensen, Jaimie Nelson, Rosanne Rex, and Me!    I LOVE all these women!    I learned so much from each of them.   We all got along so great, everyone was SO extremely helpful and positive.    I thought all of us in the van together would be hard, but there wasn't a single time that was tough.  It was awesome having so much support all the time!

We didn't get much sleep this night!   I was so excited and anxious.   We got up at 2 AM to be to the starting line and ready by 5, which is when the race started!

At the starting line!   

We had awesome costumes of  stripped socks, purple speedy spud shirts,  glow in the dark dread locks (which were awesome in the dark, we could find each other), and 3 speedy spud potato costumes!

In the van having our meeting.    

The first 6 runners were in the front of the van, driving, navigating, assisting the runner, and running.   The other six were in the back, resting, eating, sleeping (haha) and also supporting the runner when they could or wanted to!

I was leg number 2!  I was SO EXCITED AND NERVOUS!

My first leg was my longest at 7.8 miles.

Roseanne was a huge support!

Getting ready for Rock-star Jaime to come in!    

My first leg started at the Old Providence Stake Center.   I ended up passing this girl.

Here is Jaime handing off the wrist band to me!!!!!    So exciting!  Jaime did AMAZING.  She is a solid strong runner!    *speedy spuds...notice pecks man in the white,  I passed his team mate :)

Here I go!

Bree was my water woman!     Jen, one of the women scheduled to run had to drop out the day before the race began.   So SaBreena, Brook's sister, took her place.   She was a trooper!   Running with hardly any training.   Talk about mental tough, this girl is!

Our van supported me so much on this first leg.

The best thing of the whole race was THESE BEAUTIFUL PEOPLE!

I started this leg in Providence, and ran right past my Aunt Shanna's house, past my Grandpa's house, my elementary, my good H.S. friends....almost clear to my H.S.

Darin brought the kids down....without me knowing....he had to go to great lengths to keep it a secret!     They slept at Aunt Shanna's house.   He had to get the kids up at 5:30, so they were outside and ready for when I ran past Shanna's house about 6!   As I was running up to Shanna's house, there seemed to be a lot of people.   I knew my parents would be there, but there were more than just them.    Then I saw a little person.....like Kyle maybe?   Then I saw our Suburban parked in the driveway........then I bawled!     Darin had surprised me!!    I was so shocked and happy that he would do that....that I just cried!    After I passed them I hyperventilated...trying to get my breath back from crying.    Such a great moment.     They stopped to cheer me on a few other times and I cried every time!     Darin got husband of the race for SURE!

This is the 3rd time they stopped, just before hollow road.   My Dad had left to go to work, and Darcy had joined them......so cool!   Thanks so much for coming guys.   It meant the world to me to have you share this amazing experience with me!

While I was running someone was accidentally taking pictures.    There were a few really fun ones!

This is Crystal and Kaycee....deep in though, beautiful women!

Rosanne......mentally preparing?

Does Kaycee know something we didn't know!   Spending a little bonding time?

   

Personal portrait maybe?

My last 4 miles of this leg were unsupported.  It wasn't as hard as I expected.   There was another team from Raft River....and their runner caught up to me,  (she was a really strong runner,  I did pass 7 people)   which was awesome because we helped each other up the Blacksmith fork hill.

This is my amazing support at the end of my leg!

Handing the slap stick onto Kaycee!!   I was so excited I missed her wrist!    Kaycee was amazing!   I didn't know her before the race, but I quickly learned to love her.    We spent a lot of time sitting together in the van because we were leg 2 and 3.  She was so quiet and calm.   She had a wonderful soothing effect on me.    I hope to run with her again someday.

Another accidental shot, but you can tell how over dramatic I was to finish!    I was just so happy and excited that I HAD DONE IT!  Without stopping!    I didn't mean to be so dramatic, I guess that's just me.    I was so proud of myself....I've never done anything like this before.....ever.    It felt so good!

Chillin in the van!     I was worried about the battery in  my camera so I put it away right after this.....I wish I wouldn't have.   Each of these ladies did amazing.  It was so fun to see each others journey.    We each had different struggles, and style, but we each did it!    With the help of each other!   So awesome!

My second leg was about 3 in the afternoon.  It was only 2.7 miles, but I would say it was my hardest.    It was in the heat of the day, it was short, so the van only checked on me once.   I didn't have people running very close in front or in back....I was pretty by myself, and it was also up a slight hill.   I wanted to walk at one point, so I turned around and looked behind me and I could see someone.  I  knew they would pass me fast if I stopped, so I had to keep running!  I am so glad to say now that I didn't stop running.....I had to mentally do it.    I am not very mentally tough, but I got a little tougher on this leg.

My last leg was about 3 a.m.  It was 3.3 miles and really quite fun.  I ran through a neighborhood...as far as I could tell.  It was very dark.   I had music on my ipod which always helps keep my mind of my heavy breathing, making it easier to go further.   But in the middle of the night, in the stillness of the night it didn't seem right to have pounding upbeat music.   It was too still.  Peaceful. Sacred almost.   So I ran with no music.  I survived!  I did it!  I actually loved it.

These picture are at the very end of the race.    We go up Ragnar hill...which is a BEAST!
Brooke did amazing up half of it!   She just kept going and going.  She requested a picture taken at the the hand off to Jewelee.   I was the only one around with a camera, so I was getting up there to take the picture.  Then I got side tracked by some guys who were so excited that they had passed a speedy spud.  They had wanted to pass us the whole race, and they finally did.   So I got distracted talking to them.    Letting them know we had 49 kids between all of us....yes we were amazing!    We ended up passing them again...and totally smashing them at the end :)

So this is the best picture I got of the hand off.   Sorry Brooke.   I felt so bad.  
 Jewelee in the back ground off and runnin.

Jewelee ran smiling like this the WHOLE time!   She did great!

Finished and it feels sooooo good!

Meisha's last leg was suppose to be unassisted.  It was so extremely hot that we pulled up beside her and gave her a neck cooler.

Beautiful country!

Meisha was an animal on this last leg!  It was mostly downhill and she went so fast.

We had to leave her here, to finish her leg.   We were getting so close to the finish it was so exciting!

At the finish line!

Natalie and Roseann sporting the ragnar tattoo!   

They put these on during my first leg, so I missed out.

My Brother in Law was there supporting his wife.  It was so fun to see him.    He took this picture.   It was such a great fun atmosphere being there with all the runners, and being DONE!    We were fast too.

The whole team.   Minus Crystal 'runner' Steed who was killing it on the race course still.  She was able to pass so many people.    That girl is a runner!    Love all these women!

On the way home we got back in the suburban....talk about claustrophobic!    I was so glad Meisha has that big van and was so willing to let us use it.    From what the veterans said, having one van was really really great.    It was very roomy, easy to get in and out of, and so much fun to be together as a whole complete team!  Next year I want to get a picture of everyone for sure.   I feel bad I don't have pictures of most of them running.

I was really excited to put this ragnar sticker on the burb!   I am still so proud of it!    Thanks Brooke for the opportunity.    I learned so much about myself and made some lasting friendships!   

Ragnar 2013 here I come!!