Captain's Log, We Run This City, (RagLV-2014)

Ragnar Las Vegas. My third of the year. The last race of the season.

Van 1 at the start line

You know the story at this point: 200ish miles, 12 friends, 2 vans, 3 legs for each runner.

i was the captain of our team "We Run This City." i had run a Ragnar with almost every person in my van already this year. This might have been one of the best teams that i have had. My abs hurt from laughing almost as much as my legs ached from running.

These are my people...crazy like me.

We started up at Mt Charleston ski resort and then ran down off the mountain and along I95 into Las Vegas. The route had the team loop all around Vegas, up to Blue Diamond and then out to Henderson and back over to the southwest of the city, ending only minutes from my parent's house.

Brice meant business!

One of the things that made this team amazing was how supportive the runners were of each other. There was much cheering and encouraging and water-giving and tunnel-making.

Supporting Anna through some nasty desert

My first leg was nasty. Really nasty. It was hot and sunny with no clouds and no shade. i was running along I95. Yes. Right along the highway. That was strange for me. There was a lane closed down for runners but my van couldn't stop and support me because of the route. So i was carrying my own water. The sun blasted off of the pavement and there was a 9.5 mile, straight, ugly shot in front of me. i was getting over a cold and my lungs rejected the fact that i was asking them to work extra hard. It was pretty slow going for me and i was ECSTATIC to see my team waiting for me at the end.

The best part about running in Vegas? Sleeping in a house between legs! After we all finished our first leg, we went back to the 'rents to regroup, nap, eat and get ready for our night runs.

My Dad came to see us off!

i have never in my life had a run like my second leg. i was a little worried since i had been coughing like nobody's business since i finished my first run. But my Dad was there and my team was encouraging so i put on my tough face and got ready to go.

My run started with a lovely downhill. As i bolted along, my dad, on his way home, drive up alongside me and threw me a few words of encouragement. Before i knew it, the first mile was over and my running app told me that i finished it in 8:30. Fast for me. The road flattened out and my core temperature rose enough that i started stripping layers...without stopping. And i started passing people. Mile two hit and i finished in 8:25. i told myself i had to slow down or i would be trashed before the end of the leg. After briefly stopping to pee behind a bush, i took off again.

The moon was out and almost full. i was outside of the city, running through the desert with the moon and my headlamp to light the way. The music was blasting in my ears. My heart was beating with the pace of my feet. i was FLYING. i couldn't slow down. i was passing runners like crazy. 5, 10, 15 people. i flew past the water station. Miles passed and even with my potty break i kept it right at 8:30 mins/mile. In the distance, the lights of the city came into view.

Coming to the end of my 5.5 miles, i didn't want to stop!! i was on the highest of runner's highs. i was exhilarated and bouncing with energy. i had never run so fast for so long before. My own personal record.

high on running flying

After our round of night legs, we once again hit the house for rest. When i woke up the team to leave for our last leg, there was much grumbling. But by the time we got to the exchange and got our runner ready to go, we were back on track and ready to run!

Van 2 coming in to pass off to Van 1

We decided that we were going to "go thoroughbred" on our last legs!

My last run was an interesting one. i was walking pretty stiff because of pushing myself so hard during leg 2 and i was tired from not sleeping because of coughing. But once i got started, i just kept plugging along. My training kicked in and i settled into my long distance pace, even though i wasn't covering nearly the miles that i normally do on a "long run." It was my longest leg at 10.2 miles but it wasn't as hard as my first leg. It was cooler and at least i was zigzagging through some trails and different city streets.

Such a happy sign

Not only that, but my van was there to support me (they were a lovely sight every two miles) and even my dad showed up to leapfrog support and cheer me into my personal finish line.

25 miles, baby!!

i was so proud of my team and the runners that pushed themselves as hard as they possibly could!

The whole team

One of the fun parts about this race was that EVERYONE in my van got a double medal (one for running Las Vegas Ragnar and one for doing two Ragnars in the same year).

BLING BLING

 But since i did THREE this year, i got three! 

Woot!

The best part of Ragnar? Having an amazing team.

WHAT i LEARNED FROM THREE RAGNARS

My body will try to turn on me, but my mind is much stronger.

Sometimes the most encouraging thing is a kind "you got this!"

Having other people rely on me isn't as scary as it used to be.

i really am a runner.

Tough

I can do hard things.

Nothing motivates me more than wanting to make my father proud.

AND

Chasing tail lights in the distance is the best way to spend a sleepless night.

With Jane

Moments captured at my little sister's wedding.

It has been a bad day

Mistake #1- Waking up.

Mistake #2- Thinking a 12 mile run would make me feel better.

Mistake #3- Pretending to care about what i looked like.

Mistake #4- Not giving myself enough time in the morning to shovel snow and scrape car windows (thus making me late to my management meeting).

Mistake #5- Only bringing a salad to work for lunch.

Mistake #6- Actually caring if a boy texted me back (he didn't).

Mistake #7- Refusing to admit that it's not going to break 20 degrees today and therefore not dressing warm enough.

Mistake #8- Agreeing to be social tonight when all i really want to do is blast some Copeland, take a bath and eat ice cream for dinner.


Here's to a sunnier tomorrow.

Pumpkins

The Harry Potter soundtracks are playing at work today. It was 22 degrees this morning and i had to scrape ice off of my windshield.

We had a work party with baked potatoes, chili, and pumpkin carving.

Happy. Happy. Happy.

Jack 0'lanterns at our work pary

Me with my two assistant managers

High on October

i had a pumpkin flavored Jamba Juice this morning ::giggle::

My girl friends baked apple pie with me this week. It tasted as good as it looked.

My friends came over to watch "Arsenic and Old Lace" which is one of my FAVORITE "Halloween" movies of all time. i love Peter Lorre. i LOVE Carey Grant. i love LOVE Frank Capra. If you haven't seen it yet, please promise me you will find it and watch it!

But one of my favorite things about this month has been running through and walking through and crunching and gathering and looking at the gorgeous leaves.

There are only one and a half weeks left. i have the best Halloween costume idea and can't WAIT.

Too many running pictures?

...but i LOVE sharing them.

Actually, i am just not sure how i missed posting about my fourth half marathon. The weekend before Ragnar Napa Valley, (Sept 13th) i ran the Big Cottonwood Canyon half. It was freezing at the start line, and pretty hard to shed the layers up in the canyon at the race start.

The race was the biggest (except for Ragnar) that i have done and was beautifully organized. There were huge mile marker signs along the course, texts sent to my family members as i passed certain check points and photographers along the way snapping shots of the runners. 

The course was stunningly beautiful. The leaves were just starting to turn and the road was windy and interesting. 

yeah...i ran that

i finished the first 10 miles with a 8:50 min/mile pace. My last 3 miles slowed down a bit and i averaged 9:01 min/mile. Coming in at the finish, i was pushing so hard and fast that i felt like my feet weren't even hitting the ground anymore. And then i saw this picture and realized that they weren't! ;)

Home stretch

i got my best time ever.

i also wanted to share one of my favorite pictures of myself of all time. The Ragnar crew snapped it of me when i was on my last mile of my last leg of Ragnar Napa Valley. i was running on sheer will-power at that point. 

i love this shot because i had no idea that my picture was being taken. i was tired but i knew how close i was to finishing. i had never pushed myself so hard in my life and even though i thought at some points during the run that i wouldn't make it, when they took this shot, i knew i was going to conquer. For me it captures the essence of me, the reason that i run and puts an image with these words:

"Running strips life back to the bare essentials. When we challenge ourselves, it breaks down barriers. It brings us back to our essence and peels away the layers of ego we surround ourselves with. Emotions flow freely, the struggle is obvious, and most of the competition is with yourself." -Granak Cunningham

Things to Do when you are sad in October

* Listen to Halloween music (today it's the "Corpse Bride" soundtrack)
* Eat a honey crisp apple
* Hang lights around the house--all orange and purple
* Wear a big soft sweater (i feel like i'm wearing a hug)
* Buy a pumpkin
* Cry
* Sleep in a pile of blankets
* Drink hot chocolate
* Snuggle with a kitty
* Visit the library
* Walk (or run) down a tree-lined street
* Brew some coffee and breath deep
* Watch an "October" musical (yesterday it was "Phantom of the Opera")

i was very sad the last few days and did ALL of those things.

They help :)