I was dropping Garrett off for preschool a few months ago when my friend Kelli asked me if I wanted to run the Wasatch Back with her team. I laughed and immediately told her no. Everybody knows I hate running and I couldn't imagine myself running to the end of the street, let alone a Ragnar. However, I had just turned 30 the previous week and was having a few issues, so I was feeling like doing something crazy. Running seemed like a better choice than having an affair or plastic surgery, so as she was driving away, I told her I would think about it and let her know by the next day.
I dropped Abby off at my mom's and decided I would go for a run and just see what I was capable of. I barely made it to the end of the block before I had to stop and I decided I just couldn't do it and would have to tell her no. The race was just over two months away and I didn't think I could do it...but a crazy part of me really wanted to try. I asked Greg what he thought and he told me to go for it if I wanted to and he would do anything he could to help me. I texted Mal Pal (my SIL who is a good runner) and asked her what she thought. She also told me to go for it. My mom really thought I should do it and offered to babysit my kids anytime I needed to go running. My sister, Emily, showed me a Couch to 5k program that introduces you to running gradually and builds up your strength and endurance and trains you to run a 5k (around 3 miles) in 9 weeks. I only had 10 weeks to train and was going to have to run roughly 12 miles, but I figured it was a good place to start. I called Kelli and asked her if she really thought I could do it and she told me she wouldn't have asked me if she thought otherwise, but I was definitely going to have to be dedicated.
Well, 10 weeks later and some new spandex, I set off to run my first ever Wasatch Back with Team 303--The Cache Valley Girls. If you aren't familiar with it, the Wasatch Back is a relay race that starts in Logan and ends 194 miles later in Park City. Each team has two vans of 6 runners (12 total) that take turns running. Each person runs three different legs or segments of the race. We started Friday morning and finished Saturday afternoon. No, you never stop and yes, you run all night long.
I had two goals. Number One: To finish without dying. Number Two: To not walk...no matter how tired I was, I was going to run if it killed me. (Which could have been a problem with goal number one, but thankfully it all worked out.)
No, this is not me, but I sure wish I could run like her. This is Launa, our first runner getting ready at the starting line.
I was so proud to see my name on this window with all the other girls. May I add that they are all hard-core marathoners, so I felt like such a nerd sweating through my 4 mile runs while they rocked it doing 10 miles through the mountains. Oh well.
Here I am getting ready for my first run...
Here is a portion of our team. Aren't we great? I didn't take any other pictures until the end. Something about sweaty girls who haven't slept or showered after 33 hours of running isn't really that appealing, so I decided to spare all of us. (And all of you.)
Front Row: Jenny ?, Launa Godfrey, Katie Griffiths, Yours Truly
On a side note, our entire team was over 30 which put us into the Submasters category...a nice way of saying "old women." We placed 3rd out of 13 teams in our category and 15th out of the 98 all-women teams, so we were pretty thrilled. I can't even imagine how well my team could have done if they had chosen a faster runner than me to join them, but they said I was fun to have around and they didn't care if I was slow, so it's all good.
Greg brought the kids to cheer me on during my last run and then met us at the finish line. He said he felt like he had run a Ragnar after dragging them around Park City for the day, but I was sure grateful. My last run was a killer for me, but I will never forget how it felt to come around the corner and see them there cheering for me.
Side note: It was about 95 degrees that day and Greg had dressed them in boots, jeans, and poor Abby even had on a long-sleeve shirt. I guess I should have set clothes out for them before I left. I teased him about it, but I really was so happy to see them that I didn't give him too hard of a time.
I was so excited to see members of my family cheering me on throughout the race. My parents, cousins, aunt, and brother all came at different times and it meant so much to me. My awesome mom spent the day in Park City with Greg and the kids and was there to see us finish. She's the best!
Garrett and Abby loved riding the bus on the way back to our car.
Abbs loved showing off my medal.
We returned home exhausted, but the next day was Father's Day and our 8th Anniversary! I felt bad that both events seemed to take a back seat to the Wasatch Back that weekend, but Greg was a good sport. He did find his hidden Father's Day/Anniversary present while I was gone, so I didn't feel too bad for him. : )
I didn't get any great Father's Day pictures, but did manage to have the camera handy while the kids were wrestling/snuggling with their dad.
And just because she is so lovely...here is Princess Abby saying adios.
