12 Runners = One Crazy Race

Well, we did it again.

We ran another Ragnar Relay Race.

This time, the Wasatch Back.

A race that starts in Logan and ends in Park City.

Team 454 - Save Our Soles

There were 12 great runners who helped us reach this achievement.

And in honor of those 12 runners,

I give you 12 Highlights from the Race.

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# 1 -   Overall, the race course was lovely!  We passed through small towns and in/over mountains.  It was much more scenic than Vegas.

Tifany running in front of a lovely field

# 2 - We met new people who joined our team.  I think this gal's name is Helen, maybe it's Norah, or Ruth . . . . Regardless, she was great fun and a rockstar runner.  We were really tight by the end of the race (as you can tell from my ability to remember her name).

(Alright, I know her name - it's Ruth. And she's getting married this weekend - Congrats!)

#3 - Running up Avon Pass was my running highlight.  It was a 1200 foot gain, and all dirty, dusty road.  You can tell it was a hard run because of my boob sweat, again . . . .  

 

There should be a picture here of me.  But when I looked at it again -- I was horrified!  So just picture a completely haggard, chubby girl with boob sweat and a sunburn.  I also had mud on my teeth. It's not a picture for the world to see .. . .

#4 - My first experience showering in a middle school girl's locker room.  Don't even scroll down looking for a photo!  Let's just say that my nakedness probably made a lot of skinny gals feel REAL good about themselves. 

Oh, don't even bother leaving me a message that I'm not chubby.  The freakin' 'shower attendant' charged me DOUBLE for my shower -- she must've figured that I used twice as much water as the other gals. 

#5 - Hanging with other running teams.  Okay, we didn't do a whole lot of mingling, but just watching other teams is a kick!  It's definitely a PG-13 race when you take a look at all the different team names.  But here's a few of my ' favorites '

(Oh, the funny-ness of computer geeks who run!)

(Sorry, didn't include his teammates who were dressed similarly and cheering him on)

# 6 - Watching the success of  my teammates.  Man, this is really one of my favorite things!  I love supporting the gals who are out running and then watching them finish their legs.  I love, love it when they feel success. 

I know that for all of us there are some runs that don't make us feel successful, but then there are those that do.  Like these:

(Dena, after her first LONG run.  She has done 10 min miles on this run -- AWESOME!)

(Adorable Cheiko after her HOT, uphill, 6.5 mile run)

# 7 - Being loopy.  Ah, the joy of being completely off your rocker after getting little (if any) sleep and running like there's no tomorrow.  Being this loopy makes you think that mooning and flashing your friends is funny.  Along with this stuff:

(Melanie blasting herself with the sprayer)

(It's Helen's name spelled out on our shirts)

# 8 - A Massage at the end of the race.  How do I even begin to describe this messed up highlight?  Can I just say -- LARGE, LARGE sweaty man, with sweaty boob marks (just like mine) touching my body while sweat drips off his forehead and plinks off my hands and arms.  Not to mention the LARGE, LARGE man's overhanging 'areas' around my head and hands!  And why, oh why, did I still have to enjoy the freakin' massage and walk away like a drunken sailor?  I'm so confused by this experience.

 

Yeah, no photos for this one either!

 

# 9 - Proud Kids / Families.  I do love the power and strength of women.  I think that doing hard things makes our kids and families see us in a new light. 

(Cheiko and Ethan)

(Brenda, Mike & Jenna -- Mike & Jenna were two of our AWESOME volunteers!)

(Jaime running in with her family - minus Bailey - after a long run on a crappled knee)

(My Support Club)

# 10 - Miracles.  With 1050 teams moving from Logan to Park City it's easy to appreciate that people made it through safely.  It would definitely be considered a miracle and an answer to our team's prayer that we were safe.

But sometimes it's even more miraculous that one person's prayer could be answered out of so many.

Alexis, told us how she spent her third run (a run that was unexpectedly increased by 1.5 miles), talking to a lady about the church, about Jesus, and sharing testimony.  This lady told Alexis how she was an answer to prayer.  The lady prayed that she would make it through that leg, and that with Alexis she was able to do it.

Finally, it was a real miracle and answer to prayer when Jaime lost her wallet (containing $300 and her Ragnar medal) and found it again.  She found it on top of the car, which had been driven wildly down Provo Canyon in the middle of the night, to church and back and parked in front of Ruth's house. 

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The one thought that has stuck in my head during this Ragnar race comes from the back of some guy's shirt. I saw it at the first major exchange.  It just simply said:

Do Hard Things

And so I will keep trying to Do Hard Things -

Thanks for the journey, ladies!

See you in Vegas ~