ragnar socal april 2012

i made a decision after i had cash that i would set a goal to run a ragnar relay race, so after a few months of getting back in shape i started training in october of 2011.  i did the ragnar's training schedule so it started off very basic.  i would run 3 times a week for 15 minutes at a time.  back then i would stop right when my 15 minutes were up and i felt like i was gonna die!  haha.  now looking back it seems funny.  the schedule gradually would go up each week and i would run up to 13 miles on my long runs.  i was the team captain for 12 girls to run 203.5 miles.  we called ourselves "so you think you can run".  the race started in huntington beach and ended in coronado island!  it was a lot of planning and work, but totally worth it and am planning on running it again next april!  there are way too many pics, but i couldn't cut back so here we go!

8 of us flew together from phx to orange county and hooked up w/ the rest once we got there

miriam, julie, me

 me, miriam, kari, mindy, julie, kelly, caroline, sherri

 we had 2 vans 6 girls in each, our van was tan and i was bummed at first, but when i realized almost every van was white ours was easy to spot!!

 our pre race food: cheesecake factory

 anxiously waiting for wendi and lindsey to meet up w/ us

 we were van 2 so, we were runners 7-12.  here is the first van exchange w/ britain passing the bracelet to mindy!!

 from left to right: miriam, julie, sherri, kari, wendi, caroline, kelly, maggie, lindsey, britain, and me

 kari getting ready to switch w/ mindy

 the chest bump

 kari had a way sick hill that was killer, but she had a smile the whole way!  go kari!

 the van our bff

 me getting ready to exchange w/ kari, i can feel the nerves just thinking about it right now!!

 here i go!!

 these first runs were REALLY hot, so the water was so refreshing, but my nano ipod stopped working for my last mile and it was a bummer!  luckily it worked the rest of the time.  i would of died!

 here is my exchange w/ julie.  this run was 4.9 miles and way way hot, my average pace was 9:01

 karen came to say hieee to us and it was so good to see a friendly face!  the first run made me feel a little defeated :/.  it was really hard.

 karen hooked us up w/ a little pick me up treat!

 julie coming in from her first leg

 lindsey was off

 if you were to cross the street to take water or anything you had to carry a flag or you could be in trouble w/ ragnar rules

 wendi starting her first leg!

 all of us minus wendi, awaiting our next exchange 2

 there were some interesting costumes

 trying to get some "sleep" in the vans

 getting ready for our night runs

 my next run was AMAZING i felt like i could fly and felt totally rejuvenated for the rest of the race.  i ran 3.8 miles w/ an 8:17 average

 had lots of trips to these nasty things

 mindy getting ready for her last leg!

 go kari!

 me getting ready for my last leg, which was 11.1 miles!!  yikes!  but i have to say it was awesome i had an 8:58 average!  i'll take that after over 36 hours of no sleep!!

 yipee all done!

 my dad and karen worked as volunteers and it was a full day for them, but grateful they came to support

 julie on her last run

 lindsey on her last run

 wendi finishing up the last 6 miles of the over 200 mile race

 at the end we all ran thru the finish line together, it was an amazing experience and i loved it so much.  so grateful for fun friends that were able to do it w/ me!  good mems for sure!

 my official medal

 van 1: britain, miriam, caroline, maggie, kelly, sherri

 van 2: wendi, lindsey, kari, julie, me, mindy

 chest bump it up!  yeah baby!

 my number has been thru it :)

 all the other girls were up and at um and off shopping, we decided to relax, sleep in, hot tub, and take our time.  we had the yummiest lunch at bj's pizza.  and then the rest of the girls headed back to az, but julie and i stayed for an extra day.  we were able to do some shopping and got our toes done.  thanks to bren and annette for watching the kids so i could go have such an amazing adventure!  till next year!