Running Fever

This last weekend was the Ragnar Relay. I was going to wait until I got a hold of some of the pictures to post about it, but I decided that I wanted to write this all down before I forgot everything that happened. First a brief description of what exactly the Ragnar Relay is:

Teams of 12 people race 200 miles, in relay fashion, beginning in Huntington Beach and ending on Coronado Island. The race started Friday morning April 15th at 7:00 a.m. and I crossed the finish line on Coronado a little after 4:00 p.m. on Saturday the 16th, so that made it a 33 hour race...crazy right?? Each person on the team ran 3 legs of the 36 legs of the race.This was the very first year there was a So Cal Ragnar, but Ragnar Relays have been around a few years now, popular in northern California, Arizona, Nevada, and Utah. It was kind of cool being a part of the first one in Southern California.

Our team was formed back in January by my good friend, Rachael. She was our team captain and did amazing job organizing everything. Rachael and her husband, Nephi, did a phenomenal job putting it all together. They made sure that we had matching team t-shirts, food, water, lights, vests, a place to rest, medicine, and midnight pacers.....seriously a job WELL done!!

Our team, Running Fever, was split up into two groups of 6, each group riding in their own van. I was in van #2 along with Rachael, my mom, my friend Kelly, and 2 others who I became friends with right away!! Since we were the 2nd van, we didn't start running until around 11:00 a.m. on Friday. See each person in van #1 ran and then it was our turn. I was runner #12, so I was the very last person to run for my team.

We couldn't believe how HOT it was on Friday. My mom, Rachael, and Kelly all had to run in the middle of the day, so it was SUPER HOT!!! We drove along side the person who was running to not only cheer them along, but also to make sure they stayed hydrated. The heat was crazy! My first run was 8 miles through Lake Elsinore, I did well, despite the heat and CRAZY HILLS!! Near the end of my first leg I could tell that I tweaked my knee a bit, but I was able to finish without a problem. After my first leg ended our van had a 5 hour break while van #1 ran again, so we fueled up on pasta and bread sticks at Olive Garden.

We were due at the next exchange to start our second set of legs around 10:30 p.m. This exchange meeting place was super crazy!! We pulled off the 15 freeway in Fallbrook and parked in this empty, dark, field. Well actually the field wasn't empty at all, it was filled with 500 vans carrying all the other crazy runners, but it was super dark. There were people sleeping on top of their vans, and people just sleeping on the ground...it was insane!! At this point we were required to wear reflective vests, headlamps, and a flashing red light on our backs. It wasn't until I started to get anxious about the night runs when I realized just how HARDCORE the Ragnar really is!! I couldn't believe I was about to run in the middle of the night, but once again I was last to run. It was amazing how supportive our entire team was towards each other. We cheered for each other and Nephi ran or rode his bike alongside us during the night so we didn't have to be alone.

I started my 6.5 mile run around 3:30 a.m. I made the first 4 miles ok, but then my knee just started to kill. I tried to just push through, but I couldn't take the pain. Nephi saw that I was struggling, so he let me ride his bike for a little bit while he ran. (I know I totally cheated!!!) After I got to rest my knee a minute I pressed on and finished my leg, but I did have to walk a little bit. At the end, my knee was killing me and I was practically in tears. I have been training so hard and it was frustrated for me to not be able to run at my full potential...walking for me was embarrassing.

By this time it was around 4:15 in the morning and we were all exhausted. Rachael had arranged for us to sleep a few hours in her grandparents motor home that they had parked at the nearest Wal-Mart. I can't believe we camped out in a Wal-Mart parking lot!!! The 6 of us slept....all sweaty, and dirty, while van #1 ran their last set of legs.

After about 3 hours of sleep it was time for us to finish this race!!! We met up at our last major exchange check point in La Jolla around 10 a.m. The weather by the beach was beautiful, as was the scenery...the hills we had to run were the only thing that wasn't so pretty!! Once again everyone on our team was so positive and supportive as we each took a turn running our final legs of the race. I think I was the only one cranky and on edge from only 2 hours of sleep, being stinky and dirty from the previous day, and my knee wasn't feeling any better, but my team put up with me!

I finally started my last run a little after 3:00 p.m. on Saturday. Like the previous leg, I made the first few miles without a problem, but those last 2 miles we killer!! My knee was killing me, but I refused to stop and walk. With less than a mile to the finish line I felt like I wasn't going to make it, the pain in my knee had descended all the way to my ankle and I felt like my entire leg was about to turn to dust. Just when I thought my knee was going to burst I saw Kelly and Rachael, waiting to run the last little bit with me. I started to cry the second I saw them!! With their help I managed to hobble to the finish line, where all 12 of us crossed together. We did it...I couldn't believe it...what a feat!!

The feeling when I finished is indescribable. I was happy, relieved, sad that it was over, and ticked at my performance all at once. Most of all I was proud of my team, especially my mom....she did awesome! The Ragnar was an experience of a lifetime, and I am so glad I got to do it with my mom. To sum up the race in one word I would have to say Hardcore...I had no clue going into it that it would be as crazy as it was.

Would I do it again?? Absolutely!! (Just not any time soon)

P.S. The shower I took once I got home was the best shower I've ever taken. I don't think I have ever been that filthy in my life. My car had to be professionaly cleaned to get the stink out from 6 sweaty people, but it's all good now. It was all worth it!