Ragnar

I should probably wait to do this post.  You know, let it all sink in a bit, absorb, reflect.  But seeing as it's been 48 hours since the whole ordeal began and I've gone through every emotion I can think of in that time span, and it seems impossible that it's only been 48 hours, I'm ready.

Everything started off without a hitch.  Everyone got into town safely, the 12 passenger van was picked up, delicious jimmy johns was consumed.  I kissed the girls and Ian goodbye and we headed up to Madison.  It was a great night.  My mom, dad and little sister met us at the hotel.  We walked across the square to a very Madisonian dinner experience ($12 pitchers of beer and the most delicious cheese curds ever).  We walked up and down state street and then called it a night early, tired already from the travel and the knowledge of what tomorrow would bring.

Julie trying out the nighttime running gear

@ the old fashioned

 it was Lia's birthday!  and she got to try her first cheese curd, on her BIRTHDAY!!! she of course loved it.

 Sean and Lia, the two rockstar vets of our van (Julie too!)

We awoke around 5, everyone antsy and ready.  We picked up our amazing team shirts and made our way to the starting line.

Mine said "This is going to give me so many blisters...THAT'S WHAT SHE SAID!!!"

(AND IT DID :O( )

I was in van 2 with my two sisters, brother in law, and two of Julie's friends from Boston.  We watched the 6:45am crew take off, cheered our van 1 teammate on, then made our plan for the next 5 hours, until it was our turn to run.

We ate breakfast in town then loaded up the van and headed east.  We stocked up at a grocery store and hung out at the first big exchange between van 1 and van 2.  As the time got closer to our start I was nervous.  Jenny, a member from van 1 had to run a 10.9 mile leg in crazy heat and sun.  As we watched the amazingly strong runners start to peel in and hand off their electric orange slap bracelets my stomach was in knots, but mostly I was SO excited.

warehouse bathroom in Wisconsin, we got used to peeing in weird places

(the rest of the photos are from Kelly's camera, I took NONE after the first leg...whoops!)

But it was hot.  Like REALLY hot.  The temps were in the mid 80's but with the clear skies and strong summer sun the heat index was over 100.  We could feel that it was hot, but there was a breeze and in the shade it wasnt too bad.  In short, I was compeltely unprepared.

My sister kelly was the first runner in our van. She took off well and we took off to the next exchange.  By this time I was SO nervous.  I just wanted to get running.  Soon enough I was.  My first hand off went smoothly and I was ready.

My leg was beautiful.  Country roads through farms.  Sounds picturesque right?  Well I hardly noticed the scenery thanks to the burning sun in my face and the breath-sucking heat.  It was hands down the worst run I've ever had.

I would have been disappointed that I had to walk some on my first leg, but there was no room for that.  I could barely jog to the finish line.  I had absolutely nothing left in my body to give.  Who can be disappointed with giving their all?  Not this girl.

the face of a survivor

two of our loyal cheerleaders

re-salting the body

Julie getting ready for her first leg

The rest of the afternoon I felt terrible.  I simply could not get enough fluid in my body and my stomach was a wreck.  In retrospect I'm fairly certain I was suffering from some form of heat sickness, but thankfully after a delicious panera run after our first legs were finished I was revitalized and pumped up for the night run.

chicken orzo soup and a turkey panini have never tasted so good 
(apparently Julie's tasted pretty good too)

We tried to get a little shut eye before our night runs.  It felt nice to lay down and have a real bathroom to use.

camping out at the second major exchange

No sleep was had at this point, but no bother.  We were pretty pumped for the night runs.  Cooler temps and no sun?  YES!!! But I was still nervous.  After such a horrible first run a lot was riding on this night leg for me.

I needn't have worried.  The moment my big sister slapped that bracelet on me I was off.  I don't think I ran all that fast, but I felt so good.  I passed 4 people, a big deal at this point of the race for me.  I didn't stop once.  My legs felt amazing my lungs felt good.  I was flying high.  When I saw the one mile left marker I picked it up and gave it all I had.  It felt good.  SOOO good.

Shortly after my night leg I crashed.  We finished around 3 am and desperately needed sleep.  After arriving at the next big exchange and while the other van ran we slept.  In the van, on the ground.  We slept.  Two hours of sleep never felt so good.

But Saturday was even hotter than Friday.  And we were tired and sore to boot.  Sleep helped but we all had no appetites and needed food.  It was weird to shove a quarter of a peanut butter dipped bagel in my mouth, absolutely hating every bite, but knowing my body needed it.  That's when it really hit me how hard our bodies were working and how much in survival mode they already were.

last morning, post 2 hour of sleep

running casulties, Sean, you're a BEAST for running with this blister

pumping up for the final leg, Joe's concerned face and my neck ice pack say it all

We welcomed our van1 runner with pizazz and Lia took off on her last leg.  I think at this point we were all kind of in survival mode.  Lia had suffered from heat exhaustion and it was really super human of her to run at all that morning, but she did and I think it all gave us the boost we needed.

My last leg was 5.9 miles.  I was pretty worried but also pumped.  If I could survive that horrendous 6.6 the day before surely I could do this.  And I did.  I started off slow and steady, trying to get into my mental grove as fast as I could.  It so helped that I had some shade, a water soaked hat, and support along the way.  This time I was prepared.

I didn't break any time barriers but I did it and I finished strong.  It felt pretty amazing.  I got to hand off to Julie and support the rest of my team through the grueling heat of the afternoon.  Kelly ran 2 extra miles to help Lia with her leg and Sean ran a ridiculous 8.2 down the hot beach to the finish line. I serioulsy don't know how they did it.  It was brutal.

van nap crash post 3rd leg

catching the girls and Ian in their cheerleader shirts at the finish line

crossing the line as a team

medals and popsicles and glory!!!

There were many points along the way that were extremely hard.  There were moments I wasn't sure I'd be able to do it.  There were LOTS of moments that Julie reminded us "I know it's hard, but fun, right?!"  And you know what? It was.  LOTS of fun.  So much fun that it feels weird to not be in a van right now, weird to be bathed and have clean non workout clothes on.  So much fun that as soon as my thighs stop burning and I can walk like a normal human being I can't wait to get my shoes laced and get out there and run. It was an incredibly inspiring, motivating weekend, especially considering the long road it took me to get here.

I can vividly recall the first time I ran after Louise was born.  I waited the recommended 6 weeks, sure that it was enough rest to have a successful short jog.  It was horrendous.  It took me months to even be able to run at all without incredible pain.

To be here, able to do what I just did is something I am so incredibly thankful for.  I don't take this body for granted for one second and I aim to push it to it's limits and respect what it allows me to do.  I am just brimming.  Not so much with pride but with appreciation, for hard work, for motivators, for an amazing support system (namely an incredibly understanding rockstar husband).  I am just so lucky.

Thanks team!  and Ragnar of course.  Until we meet again...