Vegas Ragnar 2011

If you look really closely at this picture, you might just spot me in the back hiding behind a shoulder. Yes, that is me. Yes, that is a running team. Yes, I experienced temporary insanity.

The last couple of years, my ward has gotten a team together to run the Las Vegas Ragnar Relay. If you've never heard of it, you aren't alone. I hadn't either. It is a relay race that covers nearly 200 miles, composed of 12 teammates who each run 3 legs in a rotation, from Lake Mead all the way across the valley and into west Las Vegas.

When they approached me back in June if I wanted to participate, I just laughed. I had done NOTH-ING in the way of exercising or running since having Riley. He messed up my ligaments and abdominal muscles pretty well and it had hurt to walk, let alone run, for the longest time. So, I thought I was off the hook for another year. After the ridiculous summer heat started to subside in August and the boys were starting back to school, I started running a bit. Little by little, trying to get back into some sort of shape. Ugh. It stinks that it takes so long to get in shape and so short a time to get out of it! Anyhoo, I was only doing about a 5K when one of the ward members spotted me and ratted me out to the team. And when one of their team members was suddenly injured in training and couldn't run, they called me. I have a terrible time saying no, so even though I was not ready and would only have six weeks to train (when everyone else had been for several months) I said OK (NUTTER!).

I later found out that I was to be runner #6 in van #1. Since there are usually 12 runners (some ultra team have only 6!), they are broken up into 2 vans and the vans work in shifts. The first 6 runners running their legs, then resting while the other van and next 6 runners do theirs, then back and forth. My legs would be 3.4 miles, 4.8 miles and 6.1 miles, for a total of 14.3 miles in a 24 hour period. And when I say 24 hours, I mean, people are literally running around the clock until the race is over. So, some lucky folks (and their van mates) would be up and running at 2am in the morning or 11pm at night. Equipped with head and tail lights, along with reflector vests, we would end up running from 7:15am on Friday, October 21st until about 3pm on Saturday, the 22nd. The entire scenario had Jacob thinking that I had lost my mind. But the one redeeming factor was that you were being crazy with your team, yelling each other on, snacking and joking around like teenagers in your van and enjoying some comraderie through our harrowing physical exhaustion.

My van had our bishop Darren Cox, Will Daines, Lisa Banks, Eliza Parry, and Vicki Tracy (the bishop's sister in law). Van #2 had all the married couples in it and a few other friends - Rachele and Jordan Larsen, Tosha and Caleb Hixon, Leah Garmire and Tyson Jakobson. Our team was called "Runnin' on a Prayer" and Will, who was our team captain, arranged for us to get red matching shirts. The other racing teams had some fun names and some even decorated their vans or wore costumes. Some of the more memorable team names were "Curry in a Hurry", "A Bad Case of the Runs", "The Tire-less", "Ragnarcicists", "Sole Sisters", "Running from the Rapture", "Running with Scissors", "Ragnardy Ann & Andy", "A Little Running Never KILT Anyone" and others. Apparently, some decency laws are ignored for races like this, as well, as some guys' team all wore super hero underwear. There were zombies in full costume and make-up and Britney Spears wannabes (those were a little scary). Personally, I think it would have bothered me to run with a costume flapping around and make-up sweating off, but that's just me. They looked like they were having a great time.

I have to admit that despite being really tired and not feeling like I was in nearly as good of shape as the others, I pulled my own alright. My first leg was at midday on Friday out by Lake Mead and was scorchin' hot, but one of my best runs. My second was at dusk by Lake Las Vegas on a remote bike path. My third was at day break out passed Primm on a rocky, unpaved road that felt like FOR-EV-ER. My hip was all ganked and I was in a lot of pain by that time. It was my worst of the legs, but once I was done, I realized it hadn't been too horrible of a time. I am no racer, but I averaged 10 minute miles throughout, and our team was about in the middle for our finishing time which I felt was very respectable. We had other first time ragnar runners as well as first time runners who had never run before period. Some folks were wicked fast like Jordan and Rachele Larsen, Lisa, the bishop and Tyson. They helped the rest of us look good. The folks in my van were HILARIOUS, and it was a good time hanging out with them. I couldn't have picked a better group of folks to run myself ragged with. Then as a team (all 12 of us), we crossed the finish line together. Below is a pic of my friend Leah who was in the other van. We finally got to see each other at the finish.

Everyone got participation medals and there was a BBQ and party at the end. I have to say that even though it was technically a race, it didn't really feel like it. People were so polite and fun. I had other teams and vans drive by me and cheer me on! Everyone was just in a spirit of fun and good sportsmanship. As crazy as it sounds, I think I'd do it again!