Ragnar Wasatch Back

I got to run through beautiful scenery like this a few weeks ago. Unfortunately the experience wasn't quite so serene. I don't think it could be when you and 11 others are running a total of 192 miles over a day and a half.

Serene or not, it sure was a lot of fun! In fact I will probably be back for more next year.... I would REALLY like to do the Napa Valley one now, though. Who's with me?? Atkins? Allens? ... Bueller? :)

Back to this year--I was in a great van with Tom, Joe's Dad, and a bunch of young'uns: Joe's brother Richard, Mary & Becca Carlisle, and Eric Stakebake (Joe's cousins). Just kidding...I'm really only a year and half older than Richard so I guess I'm in that category. We had a Despicable Me theme going for our team--"Gru and his minions."

I guess we did some running, too...

Here we are all at the start line at USU at 5:30am:
(These pictures are all courtesy of Tom and Regina)

Mary (the shiny one) was first up

I was third. My first leg was 5.6 miles. I started out feeling terrible and was really worried. I said a silent prayer, though, and soon hit my stride and made it through fine. I was definitely feeling the altitude. Everything seemed harder.

My second leg was in the heat of the late afternoon/early evening. This was maybe my hardest run, even though it was shortest--4.9 miles. I don't know why but it just was.

Here I am getting some water from my team:

After our van finished our second legs, we went to a local high school that was opened up for us and slept on the floor of an auditorium. We were up again at 4 to get ready to run our last legs.

I had been worried for months about my last leg--7.9 miles and it was mostly uphill. I hadn't had any way to practice hills here in flat Sacramento. Luckily, it went fine. I was feeling really good and I just kept plugging away at it. I couldn't quite make it to the top without walking for a little stretch but I was still proud of how I did. At one difficult part of the run, Coldplay's "The Scientist" came on and totally motivated me ("No-body said it was ea-sy").

Here I am coming in at the end of the run, so glad to be done:

It was a really cool feeling later to be sitting in the car looking at the mountain I ran up.

Some more pictures:

With Chris and Regina who were on a team with Regina's family
(As rock 'n roll as I get :)

Coming in at the finish line at Park City High School

Our whole team:
(Lorna did a great job with the shirts!)

Special thanks to Marsha, Christine and Hallie for watching my kids! I guess I neglected to mention that the kids and I drove to UT alone and left Joe behind so he could study for the bar. Then we stuck around for two weeks until a family reunion. More to come on all that...