RAGNAR time!

We started our RAGNAR festivities off on Thursday night with a pasta party at our house!!! It was fun to be with every one and get excited for the upcoming two days of RAGNAR!!!

I wore my new shirt that I got especially for RAGNAR this year.... it reads -
BABY ON BOARD...
(yep...I'm pregnant again! 13 weeks...)

 We decorated our vans...always fun -

 Our team name is SHAKA LAKA - (named after a lip balm company, who gave us lip balm to give away; thank you Shaka Laka)

Chris and I were in Van 2 this year.  That's something I've never done before - so it was a new experience.  We didn't start until about 1 on Friday.... We met van 1 in the small town of Liberty where they exchanged off to us.  The Honey Buckets were my best friend on this trip!

   
      Started at 1:00 pm on Friday June 15th :
Runner 7 - Maria - 4 miles - easy
Runner 8 - Lisa - 3.4 miles - easy
Runner 9 - Chris - 3.2 miles - easy
Runner 10 - Janna - 3.8 miles - easy
Runner 11 - Jenny - 7.3 miles - very hard
Runner 12 - Braden - 2 miles - hard
        Ended at 5:00 pm on Friday June 15th

I was runner 7.... so I ran first in our van (THANK GOODNESS!)  I got a lot of comments on my shirt.  I'm glad I wore it so I would not feel so guilty running a little slower :)

 Lisa was runner 8...

Chris was runner 9....

Jana was runner 10...

 And Jenny was runner 11 - all of her runs were non support so I don't have a lot of pictures of her running, just at the exchanges.  She was AWESOME!

 Look at her starting up the old road to Snow Basin...seriously she had to run this whole thing alone! Without any vans to cheer her on!

Braden was runner 12..our last runner.  His runs were also all non-support. I can't imagine having to run without anyone there to cheer you on...but they did it!

 After we finished our six runs we exchanged back to Van 1....  and we went to SUBWAY in Morgan.  A sandwich never tasted so good!  Turkey, Bacon, Avocado...I've seriously been craving one of these since I got a flyer in the mail 2 weeks ago!!!!

 YUM!!! 

We tried to rest for a few hours at Camp Zarahemla while waiting for Van 1 to finish their runs.It didn't work so well trying to sleep at 6 pm... but we tried.

 We headed up to East Canyon Dam for our next exchange with Van 1.  James was there volunteering for our team... go JAMES!

 This year is the first year I've gotten decent night shots...because of my new camera... seriously LOVE my new camera!!!!!! :)  This is Jenny...

Lisa, Jana, Jenny

Braden and Chris

 Jenny, Lisa, Jana, and Me!  Right after this I ran my second run. It was more hilly than I originally had thought- and they also added an extra 1/2 mile to it.  I thought I could have cried that last half mile...  I was supposed to be DONE!!  But I did it...

   
      Started at 10:22 pm on Friday June 15th
Runner 19 -Maria -4 miles - moderate
Runner 20 -Lisa - 7 miles - hard
Runner 21 -Chris - 10 - very hard
Runner 22 -Janna - 7.5 - hard
Runner 23 - Jenny - 5.5 - moderate
Runner 24 - Braden - 6.7 - hard
        Ended at 5:45 am on Saturday June 16th

I didn't get a lot of night shots, because they don't do too well unless you hold absolutely still...but I got one of Chris waiting for his runner... 

and Braden knew how to open the shutter longer to get this AWESOME night shot of runners going past with their night gear on. Seriously AWESOME!  The lights you see are the headlamps, and reflections off their vests...so cool.

 Here's Braden getting ready for his run.

After we passed back off to Van one, we headed to Heber for a rest... trying to sleep from 6am to about 8am...in the blazing sun...ya..it didn't work so well.  We didn't get a lot of rest in Van 2, but...we made it, somehow!

Chris made some great oatmeal for breakfast...with strawberries and bananas...

 Chris' blood blister..on the top of his toe...

Lisa's great blister on the bottom of her foot...
Not too many battle wounds on this run... :) thank goodness

Leg 3....
       Started at 10 am on Saturday June 16th
Runner 31 - Maria - 4.1 miles - easy
Runner 32 - Lisa - 5.5 miles - moderate
Runner 33 - Chris - 4.4 miles -very hard
Runner 34 - Janna - 4 miles - very hard
Runner 35 - Jenny - 7 miles - very hard
Runner 36 -Braden - 7.2 miles - hard
        Ended at 4:25 pm on Saturday June 16th

 I'm ready for my LAST run!!!!  LAST one..  I can do this.  I had to really talk to myself on this one. Even though it was only 4 miles, it was tough...(and I have NO ROOM to complain...just see what the others accomplished on their last run...)  I knew I was too tired when I started crying in the bathroom just before the run...  seriously I hate all these extra hormones!

Lisa had a nice long hot one!

 Here's us in the nice cool shade waiting for our runner to go by...

 Here's Chris starting up Guardsman pass....starting up the famous RAGNAR hill...

Jana actually had to run the RAGNAR hill part....HOLY COW she was AWESOME!

 Here is Chris wringing the sweat out of his headband....GROSS....

Maria, Jenny and Lisa cheering from the car...

 Jana making it up the RAGNAR hill....look at the grade she is coming up!!  SERIOUS runners only!

 My favorite sign.... ONE MILE TO GO...  it was my best friend....

Jana's husband was our other volunteer....he actually volunteered TWICE for us!  AWESOME GUY!

 Jenny was next.  She ran the back of Guardsman pass into Park City. Of course we didn't get to see much of her run since it was non support.  But look at her passing this guy at the finish... AWESOME!

 She was a bit hot and sweaty.....

And Braden was off again... our last runner....on to the finish line! (this is the only picture we got of him on this run...at the finish line!  He did awesome!

Our team passed a lot of people on their runs...and in Ragnar we call those Kills...and mark them on our van...  We got quite a few :)

 FINISH LINE!!!  YEAH... we finished!!! 

 We had a good time.  We are tired and worn out - but once again we reassured ourselves that we can do HARD things...very hard things - and we become better people! I know I probably won't be running this next year...but next time I do - I will prove it to myself that I can do hard things again!

 I LOVE RAGNAR... I love running with my husband...I love being cheered on by my friends and family...I love having people depending on me - and not letting them down!  I love having people believe in me, sometimes even more than I believe in myself and helping me accomplish a goal so I can believe in myself even more!  Thanks for a great RAGNAR this year... I LOVED it! (even though now I'm really tired and a little sore!)