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Published: June 22nd 2011
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We had another successful Ragnar weekend and the rain waited to start falling until the very last few miles of the very last leg! Unfortunately, I was running that leg! haha! No matter, I finished strong and my team was waiting for me a few yards from the finish line so we could all cross together. We finished #668 of 823 coed teams in 34 hours and 8 minutes. The fastest team was the men's BYU cross country team who finished in 20 hours and 20 minutes...those guys were really fast!
For those who have never experienced this sleep-deprived, grueling road race (192 miles as fast as possible) it's difficult for me to explain why it's so much fun and something I look forward to each year. What is not to love about a 30+ hour road race with a few of your closest friends? And if they were not close friends before the race, they will be after for the rest of your life. There is something magical about 12 people sharing 30+ hours together without the conveniences of home that transform friendships into life-long bonds. I truly love the people I run with and you would too if
Guys in Dresses
Many teams dress up in costumes for the race and this year Van 1 told us they were running in Speedos while carrying a bouquet of flowers so one of the guys (yes, the guys) in our van suggested we wear flowered dresses to complement Van 1. As it turned out Van 1 chickened out of the Speedo idea but our guys still wanted to run in dresses! We didn't run the entire race in them, just wore them to cross the finish line. Here we are trying them on before the race began. you experienced all of the little miracles I saw along the 192 mile course. Every single one of the people on my team are heroes.
One of our runners strained a hamstring one mile in of a seven mile run, yet this runner was not about to let the team down and spent the next six miles painfully making her way to the next exchange.
Another runner had a four mile steep hill climb (the "Ragnar" leg as it's fondly known because it's the most difficult of all 36 legs of the race) and as a show of support and motivation, a second runner jumped out of our van and ran that entire four miles with her...having already just completed a three mile run up another steep hill of his own.
One runner was struggling with an uphill distance she was not comfortable with and once again another runner joined her for four miles of a six mile run.
Several people were always attending to the needs of others, whether it be getting water ready, handing out massages where needed or just offering a show of moral support.
Another person led everyone in a mini
Exchange 6
Kyle handing off to Mark. yoga class on the grass at one of the exchanges at the very moment it was needed most, teaching us all stretches and poses that were desperately needed then and will be useful for years to come.
Many of our runners had never run long distances before yet their determination to tackle each of their runs showed the true spirit of the Ragnar. I am proud of every single one of the people on our team!
For those who don't know anything at all about the Ragnar Relay here's a brief idea of what happens for 30+ hours. We begin with 2 vans and fill them with 6 people each, half guys and half girls for the coed (mixed) teams. (Often these vans are decorated in the most outlandish "costumes!"
Van 1 starts the first 6 legs while Van 2 waits for them to finish. It can be several hours. When Van 1 is finished running, Van 2 meets them at Exchange 6 where Van 2 begins running their 6 legs while Van 1 takes a break. Van 1 uses this time to sleep, shower, eat, etc.
When Van 2 is finished running their 6 legs
they meet Van 1 at Exchange 12 where they take over running and Van 2 takes a break.
By this time it's usually night and for the past two years Van 2 has driven to East Canyon State Park to sleep (along with hundreds of other teams). It's quite an awesome sight driving into the parking lot of East Canyon and seeing all of the sleeping bags strewn about all over the grass. We've never been able to get more than 2-3 hours of sleep here.
We stay in contact with Van 1 by cell phone and text messages so we know when it's time to meet them at Exchange 18. This year we had to be ready to meet them at 3:30 am.
Van 2 then runs their next 6 legs and meets Van 1 at Exchange 24. When Van 1 is finished, Van 2 meets them at Exchange 30 and Van 2 finishes the race with the final 6 legs.
For the past two years I have been runner #12 and this year all three of my legs were unsupported, meaning my van would not have any opportunity to give me water or GU
Exchange 9
Angalee handing off to Mike. because of the way the course was laid out. I carried everything I needed.
All 12 team members cross the finish line together and then each person on the team gets a medal. Ragnar medals are always bigger than any other race medal I've ever received and they always have a bottle opener configured in their design, making them not only decorative, but useful!
It was such an amazing, fun-filled weekend and I'm looking forward to next year! Oh my gosh, Ragnar is only 12 months away!!!!
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