*run. drive. sleep? repeat..."

I have entitled this picture of myself

 "Richard Simmons Girlfriend"

Ragnar New England 2009.  New Haven, CT- Boston, MA.  Sept. 11-12.  194.8 miles, 12 girls, 2 Suburbans, 36 hours.

This race was something else.  It took me two days to even sit down and write about it.  And the funny part is, I thought the running was going to be the hard part!  

This experience was such an emotional journey for me.  I did an earlier post about it explaining our cause -- and like any challenge you take on - you know you'll grow, you just never know in what way or how.  So I guess I am going to go stream of consciousness and try and explain what has happened in my head over the last four months.

When my friend Mel approached me to join them on the team I really thought this was something impossible for me.  "I could never do that," was my answer.  I remember that.  And I believed it.  "I'm not a runner."  She looked me in the eye and said, "you could if you trained".  And walked off.  Well, shoot.  That got me thinking.  So I decided to go to the gym and run as far as I could until I was too tired to go any more.  4 miles.  My inner voice said, "you could do it.  You SHOULD do it."  Crap.  I was on the team.

Then came the long months of training.  Starting from the bottom- 15 and 20 minute runs.  And transitioning to 120 minute runs by the end.  Ipod, check.  shoes, check.  socks, check.  shorts, check.  sports bra, check.  socks, check.  running shirt- sweaty.  Dang it!!  Running on vacation through Swiss countryside and Croatian villages (and being chased by chickens, boys, gawked at by old men and honked at by trucks).  Climbing from Sea level to 5000 feet and the high desert and feeling like I was starting from scratch.  Re-learning to breath.  Re-finding my inner confidence.  I learned that the body and spirit are closely related-- and also learned that my body was getting muscular but my poor spirit was pretty neglected and flabby.  Finding and keeping the balance with prayer, scripture study and faith.  Coming home and running again at sea level.  Hallelujah!  I think I am going to do this!  Hydration, diet, sleep.  And then the race...

Jen's Wonder Women

The team is split between 2 cars.  I was in van 2 with 5 other amazing women.  The race works like this... Van one takes the 1st six legs- then when they finish, Van 2 takes over and does the next 6 legs... and they "rest", etc.  This continues until Leg 36 when van 2 brings it in to the finish line.  

The weather wasn't very cooperative.  We've had beautiful fall weather until that weekend when it decided to rain.  But, I am OK with rain.  Just made things a little more wet then they would have been otherwise.  Funny thing is that the weather is beautiful again.  Go figure.

Want to meet my Van-mates?

Jamie-- Texas.  I loved to watch Jamie run.  Every time we would pass her in the van while she was running she would throw us a big grin and wave both of her arms like she was Miss America.  I loved it.  She helped me to remember to enjoy the running.

Laura-- sprints.  On Laura's first leg she was neck and neck with another team for the entire 8 miles.  When the girl tried to pass her at the end of the leg she'd have none of that!  She sped in and kept her place.  Such determination!  Her husband Sean and Jared arranged it so that they could stay in a hotel near our second leg (midnight - 6 am shift) and they could take turns watching the kids (sleep) while the other husband ran with his wife.  I am so glad they did!! More about that later!

Lindsay--  my running idol.  Lindsay is one of the strongest women I know.  She's one of those amazing women who has no idea how amazing they are, which makes them all the more amazing.  Her original mileage for this race was close to 20 miles.  She ended up taking a leg for another team mate-- thus increasing her already difficult mileage to help out a friend in a rough spot.  She runs the St. George Marathon in 3 weeks and is going to kill it!  I feel fortunate to call her my friend.

Irene-- proof that 40s are the new 30.  This is not meant at all as an insult.  I think it makes her all the more cooler that she is hanging with 30 year olds and running adventure races.  I want to be Irene when I grow up.  She was having trouble with her foot on her 3rd leg (going on 16+ miles)  when someone offered to take over for her, she'd have none of it.  She finished that leg with determination.  One of many examples of perseverance and overcoming hard obstacles I saw in this race.  

Treva-- quiet strength.  Treva isn't a girl of many words-- but she doesn't mess around.  She gets it done.  I think she gets VIP for speed... what was her average mile on her 2nd leg?  6.75 minute miles?  Crazy fast!  We kept having to yell "slow down!" to her out the window.  She's a true competitor and athelete-- but more than that she's a constant support and good friend.

I spent the majority of the 36 hours with these girls, but of course, there were 6 more girls that I love dearly.  They were so great at encouraging us and keeping the party going.  I always knew they were coming because I'd hear the music and honking in the distance.  They danced through the pain, high fived and hugged their way through the rough spots.  They were truly an inspiration to me and kept the whole reason we did this race in perspective.  I love you guys for that.  

They thought they could win me in a big hair contest.  That was funny.

Cresting Ray's Hill-- 3.5 miles-- Leg 1

I, of course, had 3 runs of my own.  My first leg had a huge hill.  It was the the point on the trek that took us from Sea level inland.  So in my leg I climbed from 0-400 feet in less than a mile.  I was so worried about this leg-- that hill on paper looked like a killer.  Well, it looked just as bad in person, but my team took me to see it and we scouted it out.  I was determined.  A little worried when the suburban had a hard time getting up it because of how steep it was, but determined.  During the entire thing I thought of my Aunt Melanie.  How far she's come.  Her attitude in adversity.  Her positivity.  Her love for nature and health and life.  I felt grateful to be alive, I felt strong and I honestly know I was helped up that hill by more that just the strength in my legs.

Leg 2- 8.0 miles-- Enter the night.  3 am.  National Forest.  My babe by my side.

Jared ran this leg with me.  Words can't describe how much it meant to me.  We were in the woods for the most part.  It was nice to do something physically challenging together.  This run by itself was more than half of my mileage.  Running with Jared by my side reminded me of the journey we're on together- just me and him.  Accomplishing hard things, re-routing when off course (there wasn't a sign at one of the turns- so we literally ran the extra mile... together), side by side.  Side by side.  Facing the darkness, talking it through together.  Hearing sounds on the side of the road.  Stepping on dead frogs and snakes.  Smiles, laughs, hugs.  Peeing on the side of the road together.  Laughing.

Jar, I will never forget this.  I'll love you forever.  And, I will always resent that you ran this without training at all.

Leg 3- 3 miles -- Bringing it in.

My last leg was the most empowering leg.  I had 3 miles to go... which isn't that much.  But I was tired.  Fatigued.  An emotional wreck.  Amie, I will never forget that pep talk you gave me when I needed it most.  I love you.

I ran this leg as fast as I could.  3 miles at 9 minutes a mile.  That's not much to some, but for me-- especially after running 11.5 earlier, I felt pretty good.  As I ran the music blared in my ears and I thought about every thing I had been through to get to that point.  Hair flowed freely, as well as tears.  People in Suburbia Boston thought the amazon woman running through the middle of town was crazy.  I didn't care... I did it.

The Finish

After all those hours of fatigue, anxiety, emotion-- we were done.  Laura brought it in.  We all walked in with Jennifer Edwards-- who drove 3 hours and got out of the car every hour- just to be there.  We did it for her-- and all the women who have to battle cancer and still be Wonder Women on top of it.  

The End, but not the finish.  I'll be around for a while-- and you never know when I'll pull out the wonderful... and that's a promise.  AKPB

***********

Shout outs:

Mom and Dad

Wasden Family

My husband and kids

Facebook love during the race.

I love guys!!  Couldn't have done it without you.