Ragnar 2012

Another great thing Mike and I accomplished this last year was completing the Ragnar Relay.

The Ragnar is a 200 mile relay race, and here in SoCal, it starts at Huntington Beach and ends in San Diego, Coronado Island to be exact. You run it with 12 people so over the course of two days someone on your team is always running, while the rest of you are cheering them on.

It was a great experience.

I would not really consider myself a runner.

I run.

But I'm not a runner.

I don't think I'll ever be fast, but it is fun, and I do enjoy it. I love that it is mine.

So, Ragnar 2012 was quite the experience. Lots of silly costumes, lots of cheering, and lots of heat!!

I was ill prepared for the heat. The course could have taken a cooler route, but I guess that would be less of a challenge?

My first run was at roughly 10 o'clock in the morning, it was about 90 degrees with high humidity.

And it was mostly uphill.

I had not prepared for running in this kind of heat, and since about two weeks prior to the race I hurt my right leg, I hadn't been running the distance or hills.

It was brutal. And I made my good friend fall.

I was nearing the end, and my hubby and two good friends were cheering me on. Lynn ran down to encourage me up the hill, and because she was resting she had her crocs on, her foot caught on the sidewalk and down she went!! She smacked her chin and messed up her knee.

I felt terrible! I wanted to stop, but she told me to go on, so I did.

My next run was at night. It was after midnight, and we had rested briefly on the golf course of a swanky resort. I was gearing up to run my leg, when I realized, I really had to go to the bathroom.

I told Mike, who was waiting for me, that my bladder can't handle running unless it is completely empty before I start. He told me I didn't have time, but I insisted.

I ran into the porta potty, with all my gear, headlamp and all, but in my hurried state, I neglected to lock the the door...

Yeah, it happened.

As I was, um, using the facilities, all of a sudden the door came swinging open!

The lady screamed,"I'm so sorry!"
I screamed,"I'm so sorry!" and she slammed the door.

I arranged myself and walked out of the potty with a little less dignity then when I went in and ran my fastest run of the race.

Was it the night air? The rest we took in the field? Was it the beautiful downhill run? Or could it be I was running from humiliation?

We will never know.

The last run, was the hardest. It was over 7 miles and I was beat, but I did finish it, tears and all! I couldn't believe that I had actually completed something I could never envision myself doing!

And now I have just 7 months to prepare for the next. Mike and I are signed up and I'm just starting their training routine. I hope to be faster and stronger than last time!

And remember, always lock the door!!