So this time around, we had a mixed (men and women) group of all YSA people. It was awesome! Since some us had faster paces, they put our start time at 11 am. This kind of switched up the roles of van 1 and van 2. Van 2 usually runs in the middle of the night and during the warmer parts of the day. Well this time, van 1 got to be the lucky ones to run in the middle of the night, which was awesome for me because I was in van 2! Anyway...
Van 2 wasn't supposed to start until around 4:30 on Friday afternoon. So I worked that morning, then my other Van 2 pals met at my house and we set off. We had to pick up Kaley in Phoenix and didn't really account for traffic, which made us about 20 minutes late to exchange 6, where we were to meet van 1 and start our first legs. It wasn't too bad though, since we had one of our runners from van 1 start my first leg for me (I was runner 7, so the first runner in van 2). My van had to do our safety training and checking in and all. So we caught up to our other runner three miles into my first leg, I jumped out of the car and quickly switched spots with him. Then I was FINALLY off on my first run! It was a pretty cool leg, there was no van support so I was on my own. It was a lot of rolly polly hills which made it more interesting. I finished up the leg (about 4.5 miles) and passed on the slap bracelet "baton" to Naomi who promptly ran in the wrong direction. Haha! Everyone who was standing at the exchange was cracking up.
So we each ran our legs in turn in our van. Runner 9, Davin, ran the longest leg of all the Ragnar races! He ran a 13.5 mile leg right off the bat. He even got a special medal! And not only that but he totally rocked it. Did it in 1:45. Totes legit.
Anyway, Kaley was runner 12 so she ran it in to the next major exchange at a high school in Anthem. We then drove to exchange 18 to take a well-deserved nap and clean up a bit. The nap on the gym floor of the anthem community center was one of the best I've ever had. Haha!
Runner 1 was due to come in around 4:45, and so I was getting ready when all of a sudden Holden came jogging up to our car and was like, I've been at the exchange for like 5 minutes already! So I grabbed the slap bracelet from him and started my second leg. I had my music on for the first mile (of only 4ish) but the night was so quiet, clear and beautiful with an almost full moon that I turned off my music and ran in silence. It was so peaceful and one of the best runs I've had in a long time. How often do I get to run at 4:30 in the morning on an awesome trail and feel totally safe? Haha. It was great.
So van 2 finished up all of our second legs in the freezing cold morning. We headed to Fountain Hills high school to await Van 1 as they finished their third and last legs. We took another epic nap (on another gym floor) and then I waited nervously for them to finish their legs. Nervously, because my last leg was 3.5 miles of Fountain Hills. I haven't ran hills in months and so I was worried I'd have to walk some if it.
To my surprise, I totally and completely rocked it. The first mile was so tough, and I did walk a little bit of it, but sometime in there I got this crazy second wind and just cruised up those long and steep hills. I finished happy and smiling, mostly because I was so excited I was done. Haha!!
So van 2 went through all of our legs, and when we sent off Kaley for her (and the very) last run, we drove ahead to the big finish line. Kaley came sprinting across the pedestrian bridge near Tempe Town Lake and then we all ran across the finish line together! It was awesome, and a great finish to an amazing two days.
Our official time was 30:51:51, which is actually really good! We all had a blast and are already planning for next year. Also this fall, Ragnar is starting a trail racing series and they are doing one the McDowell mountains. You better believe we are putting teams together!! Since they are only 8 person teams instead of 12, we have enough interested people for 2 teams. Anyway, that's on the schedule for October and I cannot wait.
I'm also planning in doing another full in September. Whaaaaat?! Big Cottonwood, to be exact :) be prepared for updates on that one!
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