Grand Teton Relay

If i don't post about races every week, then i get behind! There are two half marathons that i have run and still haven't blogged about. 

But we will save them for another time because this race was especially exciting. 

1- It was a relay

2- It was a beautiful course

3- Things didn't go as planned

4- Mr B was on my team!

When my friend asked me if i wanted to be apart of his team, i thought it was going to be a 12 person team. As the race drew closer (like two weeks before race time), i realized that the captain was expecting me to fill a whole van (6 people) and that my friend who asked me was in the other van. i scrambled and begged asked every runner i knew if they wanted to join me. i also asked non-runners, just for good riddance. 

i ended up somehow talking these amazing four men to be in my van.

Van #2 Jennifer's boys

There were some really strong runners in my van (and even those who weren't runners were really strong in other ways) and i knew that the five of us could cover all of the legs for van 2 without a sixth runner.

After checking our van in and before we began our running, we stopped by Mesa Falls to enjoy the view. The following conversation happened in front of the waterfall:

Me: We sure seem to find ourselves at quite a few waterfalls together.
Mr B (As if surprised to see me): Fancy seeing you here!
Me: Hello, friend.

When the race started, i was under the impression that the other van had 5 runners as well. i soon found out that they only had FOUR runners in their van.

And then, after their first legs, two of their four runners dropped out (including the captain). Which left SEVEN of us to finish off the rest of the race.

And we rocked it.

Offering Mr B support on his long, hot run

"Blasphemous Bill" runs with Sasquatch

Van support

Oh that sunset!

  It was simultaneously extra stinky and extra cool to be the only girl on the team.

We are tough

Everyone picked up more miles and sacrificed more sleep without complaining once. We had so much fun.

One of us ran in the pouring rain.
One of us got wet driving the van when the driver's door started leaking.
One of us ran into a breathtaking sunset.
One of us ran in two inches of mud.
One of us ran in bright yellow tights with black polka-dots.
Several of us counted tons of shooting stars above us while we ran through the night.
Few of us slept.

One of us ran up the Teton pass (1200 feet elevation gain in under 3 miles). Guess who?

At the top of the pass after finishing my ridiculous uphill climb

The team (except the one of us who ran DOWN the pass)

There was "good game" slapping, running through sprinklers, belting Bohemian rhapsody at the top of our lungs, cat calling, dancing in the middle of the road, peeing behind bushes, chugging chocolate milk, nicknaming other runners, ignoring of the typical social norms (including modesty, personal hygiene and discretion with bodily functions), laughing, and general hilarity all along the course.

We finished the 180 mile course in 28 hours and 21 minutes.

The whole team: What a good looking crew

Man, i love these races.