Installment #4--Wasatch Back

Some of you may recall that last fall I ran the Ragnar Relay from Valley of Fire to Las Vegas. Well this year I ran the Ragnar Relay from Logan to Park City, otherwise known as the Wasatch Back! (If you need a refresher on how the relay works click here)

I was super nervous about this race for several reasons:

1. I had the longest total miles to run out of everyone on the team

2. I'm not a super strong runner

3. My longest leg was 8.5 miles. The farthest I'd ever run up until the race was 7.2 miles

4. I had a few hills to run up and I'm not a great uphill runner

5. My performance in Las Vegas was not super great and I really didn't want disappoint anyone, especially myself!

So I was runner #1 and my first leg was 7.9 miles. My goal was to run the whole distance without walking and to complete the leg in less then 90 minutes! I was able to stay on pace and complete the entire leg in 80 minutes so I was very pleased with that!

My next leg, which was my night run was 8.5 miles downhill, with a few small uphill parts. I was nervous for this leg because the entire first mile was uphill. Again, my goal was to run the entire distance without walking and I did it!!!!!!

My last leg was 4.8 miles, which I thought would be easy but turns out it was not so much. Over half the leg was uphill and after have 2 hours of sleep in a 24 hour period I was pretty whipped. But again, I ran the whole thing! Sometimes my pace was as slow as a 13 minute mile but I didn't care...I was still running!

I had such a blast with the gals in the van and the whole experience was awesome. It felt so good to set a goal and then accomplish it and even though I swore I was going to take a break from running after the W.B. was over, I lied! I'm set to run the Vegas Ragnar again in October and I want to keep up my running so I don't have to start from square 1 again when I hit it hard for that!

Our Team name was 'I Have to Run WHERE?'

Sione with Vickie and Heather. He started the race and it was soooooooooooo cool to see him! He still looks great and is such a cutie!

The start line!

Cute Kari. She's my sister Heather's sister in law and one tough cookie! She had a super hard first leg and she was a total rockstar!!!!!!

I was so glad that the ladies in my van had artistic ability. The van looked great!!!!

Me chilling after my legs were all over!

The pass of from Kari to Naomi!

Heather chillin' after all of her runs were over!

Vickie waiting getting ready to start her first run!!!!

Relieved after 7.9 miles!

JoJo, Vic and Heather packing up after crashing on the gym floor of a high school!

A nice person at the side of the road spraying down the runners!

Kari, JoJo and Naomi!

Our whole team...both vans, minus me who had started my last leg already. We had Vickie, Emily, Natascha, Nate, Katie, Maleah, Perry, Jo Jo, Naomi, Kari and Heather! I need to photo shop myself in!