The Ragnar Experience

Apparently i have turned into a crazy person lately, for instance, who would want to sign up to get up at 3:15 am, run 3 times in 24 hours, on no sleep, while cheering on the other 5 people in your van and countless other runners through the middle of nowhere, and to top it off paying for that pain??? ME!!

All kidding aside i had an awesome time at this years Ragnar LV. I have been interested in it since my cousins did it last year. So at the beginning of the summer i laced up my shoes and started preparing a few other races came along, but this was the one that started it all.  The original plan was to have Brady run with me, but after his foot issue he had to drop out and my friend, Rebecca, joined the team, i don't think she knew what was coming and i had to ask her after each leg if she hated me yet.

Our experience started with a team dinner Thursday night hosted by our fabulous team captain Toni and was a delicious carb fest!!! We also decorated and packed up the cars with food and supplies for our journey. Then it was home and off to bed.

The alarm went off at 3:15 to meet up with the rest of Van 1 and head to the start line. I was runner one and after check in, safety meetings, getting all my gear on, and the essential photo op i was being called to the start line. It was pitch black at 6:15, but about 15 minutes into my run it was light and the weather was perfect. When the gun sounded i quickly made it up the rocky path and onto the road headed out of Valley of Fire towards the lake. My first run was 5.6 miles and i felt great i passed most of the people on the path and only had 2 people pass me during the run which i was pretty pleased with. I finished in about 55 minutes and then i got to relax as the rest of my team geared up for their runs. We finished at Calville Bay and hung out with Van 2 as we waited for my sister to finish her run and hand off. 

We then drove to a teammates for dinner, showers, a flushing toilet, and rest. Unfortunately Linda hadn't been feeling great during the first leg and she felt even worse during our rest, she tried to push through her sickness thinking it would pass and joined us at Lake Las Vegas for the hand-off.  My next run 3.5 miles started around 5 and went through Lake Las Vegas and over to Lake Mead BLVD., it was so pretty and quiet, i passed the spot i took my bridal pictures and that kept my mind busy for awhile, i then came to a path and it was uphill and had a huge head wind...it slowed me down greatly but seeing my kids at the top running around with the energy i wished i had kept me going. Ellie gave me water and ran with me a little ways so that was fun. Another leg down and only one left was my mindset at this point, until Linda sickness had worsened and there was no way she could do her leg. So Rebecca and i split up her 3 mile run in half and each took a piece. It was dark and i really had no idea where i was going but i was glad to help out and stretch my legs a little. Michelle rock stared through her 8 mile run and then it was off to our next pit stop and sleep. 

Good Springs, NV was where we would start out next portion of the race and we were one of the first teams to arrive. After checking out the wet grass and the freezing temps we all opted to sleep in the suburban. I had no problems falling asleep and got in a few hours before my wake up call that told us Kade had about 2 miles left and i should get ready: the time 4 am. My last run was suppose to be 3.5 miles uphill, but since Linda was out i was going to run as much as of the next that i could then Rebecca would jump in. I started off feeling pretty good and managed a good pace but 2.5 miles up that hill i was so done and i was walking. My van and stopped at about mile 3 and cheered its just around the corner we'll go wait and tell them you aren't stopping. Well i got to the corner and i saw the steepest hill i had ever seen, it was like 3 foremasters in a row only steeper. I kept thinking i should have trained on that hill like Brady recommended but i didn't and i was paying for it.  As soon as i hit the top i started running again and it didn't take long to get back in the groove and i knocked out the next 3 miles at 9 minutes each. I just kept thinking if i finish this one my team won't ask me to run again!!! About 100 yrds. left to the exchange i could hear footsteps behind me and i was not about to let someone pass me at the end of my Ragnar so i seriously sprinted to the finish line:)

By my sister, Natalie's, last run we were all pretty tired and delirious so it began to be fun to nickname runners and we even found a blossoming romance along the way. It was also nice to see my brother in law Dave along the route, they started about the same time as us and we were still pretty close together during our last legs. After our team was through we headed over to smashburger and einsteins for some food, then to Natalie's for a shower and rest before crossing the finish line. Brady and the kids met up with us again and it was great having them come to the end. I loved every minute and can't wait to do it all again next year.