You have to be half crazy

This year I ran the Wasatch Back with one of my really good friends Tara Alder. When she asked me I was assured that it was all for fun and my 9-10 minute mile would be fine. Well in reality it was fine but way under what the rest of my team was capable of. Some were training for marathons and others work out a lot. I was definitely the weakling which felt a little intimidating.


For those of you who don't know about the race it is a relay that runs from Logan to Park City. You have a team that consists of twelve people and two vans. The first team starts at Icon and the second team starts at Liberty, UT (near Eden).
This year we had a later start time (10:30 A.M.) so the second van that I was in didn't begin until about 5:30 P.M.. Here are some pictures of the girls in my van in order from left to right,Tara, Amy, Kasey, Mesha,Me and Shandra.


I ran the first leg for my team and boy was it hot!! Some members of the community sat in their front yards and sprayed us with hoses as we ran by (and it felt so good!). Finally, I completed my first leg and I had quite a bit of time to kill before the second.
My team was full of some great athletes. Most of them ran eight minute miles even up the hills (which there were a lot of). After everyone ran their leg we switched off with the next van at Snowbasin and attempted to get some sleep. Tara and I found some grass in front of our van and laid out our sleeping bags. I got about an hour and a half of sleep (and it was the longest stretch I slept in 24 hours).
My favorite part of the run was definitely my night run. Maybe that was because it was the coolest of all three runs. I felt a little stupid with the reflector vest, head lamp and LED butt flasher on, but the run was mostly enjoyable. I am sad to admit it is the only run I walked a little on. It was my moderate run and I didn't train very well for the hills that were in it.
It seemed like a long time before we were able start our last runs. My third run was hot again and some of the other teams had members that were almost throwing up as they finished their runs. Again I was grateful for the kids that sprayed us with hoses at the side of the run. Here is a picture of the last run and don't worry I know I look so pretty.



I felt so bad for the girls that had to run the Ragnar hill. It is a steep incline from Midway to Heber. They say running it is the equivalent of running on a treadmill at an 8 incline. Combined with the heat and fatigue of already running made it a daunting task. Our team then ran through Deer Valley and down into Park City, finally ending at the Canyon's Resort.
All in all I really enjoyed the experience, but told myself that you have to be half mad to do it. It is like running three times in 24 hours without any sleep. I loved how everyone painted their vans and dressed up in team shirts. Some teams were a little more extreme. For example; one team ran holding onto outdoor equipment such as backpacks, skis, and surf boards (to promote their website). Some ran in tu tu's and another man ran in a Halloween nurses uniform. Our team was called Victorious Secret and we had the shirts to prove it. If I ever do it again I will train better and know what to expect. The girls I ran with were great and I am happy I got to participate in such a great event. Here are some pictures of our complete team and some random ones form the race.