wasatch back: hour by hour

*note: I totally stunk it up at documenting this thing. That camera got really big and heavy the more tired I got....it's really like having a small expensive child along for the ride. So here is a small modge podge of photos from various cameras and phones*

3:00(pm): our team packs up our "Legs of Glory" van and heads to our exchange where we meet our runners from van 1.

4:00: driving. excited. anxious. full of energy. oh--and the van is still spotless and organized.

5:00: Checking in. Safety meeting. See our first speedo, among other awesome outfits.

6:00: Our first runner is OFF!!
(our 6 other teammates in van 1 have already ran their first legs)

7:00: It looks as though I say a prayer.

And then look like a dork.

Jill hands off and I run my first 3.6. It's HOT. But it is BEAUTIFUL! We see dudes running in dresses.

I hand off to Camber.

8:00: Our girls are running. The sun is setting. This is awesome! gatorade. gatorade. gatorade.

9:00: We are meeting so many amazing people along the way! How about a 78yr old who has run 80 marathons! We see a blind runner too.

10:00: The 6 of us are done with our first legs. We love it! Our van 1 is off and running, and we are headed to the next major van exchange to get some "rest"

11:00: Stuck in Ragnar traffic. (1000+ teams this year!) Ate the best tasting sandwich I've ever had in my life....a plain bagel with ham and cheese. That's it! And nothing has ever tasted so good. Followed by a handful of pretzel m&m's.

12:00: We "sleep". Ha!! I spread my sleeping bag outside of our van. In the dirt. On a hill. Under the stars......wow. I think 100 people walked passed and said "oh--there's someone sleeping there". I waited to get stepped on.

1:00: (am). Still waiting to get stepped on. Enjoying stretching my legs. But definitely not sleeping.

2:00: Dana is ready to run again. She takes off and we jump in the car ready to meet her at the next exchange. How am I so alert?

3:00: gatorade. gatorade. gatorade. Last time I did this I got dehydrated during my night run. I am NERVOUS!

4:00: 9.6 miles.Gag down a GU and I'm OFF!! Headlamp. check. Reflective vest. check. Taillight. check. It is dark!! I can see a stream of blinking lights ahead of me (waiting to be passed:) This is awesome!!! 40 degrees has never felt better....I feel like I am flying!

5:00: This is so so cool (I might have said that outloud). My team stops along the way and cheers me on. I'm passing by a tiny mountain lake. The sky is just starting to get light.....why is this ending? It's over too soon! 69 minutes and I'm done.....feeling great!

6:00: Chicken noodle soup! It's getting light out! I'm starting to craaaaaaaaaaassh.

7:00: Our girls our running! I'm in the back of the van. I start to doze. I look at my watch. I wake up from my nap. 11 minutes. That works.

8:00: Cheering on our girls! Cheering on other teams!

9:00: We are done with our second leg! Headed to the next major exchange to rest and eat while our van 1 does the running.

10:00: The van is TRASHED. We smell. Bad.

11:00: There is no way we can sleep. It's starting to get hot. The speedos are out in full force again.

12:00(pm): We are getting excited (and nervous!!!) for our final leg. I eat another amazing plain bagel sandwich, drink up, wash the inch of dirt off my face, and stretch out in the grass.

1:00: Eeeeeeeeeek!!! I am next up!!! THE HILL. I have no idea what to expect, except that I might die.

2:00: I am running!! Slow and steady. But running. Climbing. I hate it. hate it. hate it.
I am totally fake smiling at my team, because deep down I might hate them a little bit too. Until they stop and give me water and cheer me on.....then I love them again.
I tell myself, "when I get to that tree, I'll walk." But then my body keeps (slowly) running. climbing. My team is cheering. Everyone is cheering. That's the best part about these things--everyone cheers for everyone! Other teams gave me water. Offered me tootsie rolls (? no thanks). Sprayed me with water guns. I loved EVERYONE! "I will walk when I pass that guy", I tell myself. He tells me he's going to grab on to my ponytail for a ride up. Well I can't walk now.

WHERE IS THE TOP???

If a mom swears in the forrest, will anyone know?
Then a sweet angel appeared and told me I had .18 to go. I LOVE YOU!!! Run!!! Run!!! I passed the bracelet to Camber and prepared my self to hurl.

waiting.

waiting.

waiting.

feeling better.

I DID IT!!

I DID IT!!

I'm done!

Oh wait--I'm done.....I'm not ready to be done!

3:00: Our girls are running! Camber is tackling the upper half of the mountain. I can't stop eating hot tamales.

4:00: Anika is headed dooooooooown the moutain. Full speed. She can't stop!! We can see Park City--the finish line is so close!

5:00: Shannon is running in for the finish!! We're done!!!

6:00: We're falling asleep in the parking lot. Do we really have to drive home?

7:00: Im home!!!! Oh I am so happy to see my family!! The kids ask to smell my armpits. They are weird like that.

8:00: The best. Shower. Ever. I ate a Chipotle burrito in 5 minutes.

9:00: I sit down to watch tv and snuggle with Robby. I'm out.

Loved spending time with these awesome girls!!! 3 of them stepped in just DAYS before the race when we our original team mates dropped out. We were just in it for fun, but somehow ended up placing 10th out of 99 in the Women's Open Teams and 16th out of 127 Women's Teams. Total time to run 189.5 miles = 29 hours 26 minutes.

When can I do this again?

you HAVE to run one of these!! check it out here....
and maybe I'll see you in VEGAS!