The day began at 4:30 a.m. We were able to catch a ride with another team early this morning (we had to get to the starting line by 9… Our time to start).
We did get there a little early because the random people we found to give us a ride had a start time of 6:30. We were able to see the sunrise… So beautiful!!!
Corom started off for our team “Viking apocalypse”.
I ran the last mile and a half with Corom (about 16 minutes). He was struggling really bad with the humidity. He had the chills and was feeling light headed and sweating a ton! We all realized that water was the key to this Ragnar! He then handed off to me and I ran my 1st leg of 4.5 miles. It is so hot and humid here… 80 degrees and 70% humidity (at 9:45 a.m.) I ran it in 29.34.08. I was really excited to not run in high altitude but I think humidity is the same disadvantage as higher altitude! It was tough but a good run.
It feels like and looks like we have all showered after our run! Our team is so fun… And Corom is crazy as usual!!!
We ended up rotating through vans so we were/are able to get to know everyone. It was great! Part of our team were Ragnar employees. It is very confusing to explain, so I copied and pasted what Tanner Bell (the co-founder of Ragnar) wrote…
“There is a unique van rotation called the Rolling 7. The way it works is at all times the on-van has seven runners and the off-van has 5. So at the start the relay, the On-van will have runners 1-7 and the off-van will have runners 8-12. At Exchange 7 the two vans meet and runners 8-12 become the on-van. Runners 1 and 2 join runners 8-12 in the new on-van and Runners 3-7 become the off van. One important note, while the van rotation changes, the legs you run are still the same. If you run leg 1 you still run leg 13 and 24.
The advantage is that runners rotate through the vans and get know everyone on the team, instead of just having van 1 and van 2. The disadvantage… I don’t really know the disadvantage. I guess that is why I want to test it.”
To explain the toilet paper wrapped around Corom… We went to a gas station (while Tanner was out running) to pick up more water and there was a sign that read “No Shirt No Service”. Corom didn’t have a shirt, so he made one. He was able to get his service. 🙂
Corom & Tanner, then Corom and Kristen breaking the rules. And Darin is letting everyone know of their rule breaking… He was also cheering on the other teams making everyone laugh!
I do have a lot more pictures because Corom and I were in van 1 and then straight to van 2…
Don’t give Corom the megaphone… Ever! 🙂
And don’t let Corom drive with a lot of people in the van… Ever! 😉
I have not even ran my 2nd leg yet and it has been very eventful and crazy (and hot)!
So I ran on a dirt canal with brackish water for my 2nd leg. It was dark at this time, so I had my headlight on and I carried a flashlight in my hand. It was supposed to be 4.7 miles but it ended up being 5.4. My time was 34:12.05. To be honest… I didn’t even notice because I was looking for crocodiles the entire way. 🙂 And I found one lurking in the water (thanks to the hand flashlight)…
Meanwhile, back at home my girls, g-goat (grandma), and cousins were/are having a great time. They made pizzas, watched movies and are going to a birthday party…
I know that I am going to wish I was there with them in a few hours… 🙂 Well time to post today’s adventures and start a new one later…
Good night… I’m going to get some sleep!
For me… My day started at 2:45 a.m. When my alarm went off; for Corom, his day is still going from yesterday… He did not go to bed last night. I would like to think that he is practicing for Ragnar but in all honesty… He waits until the last minute to do things. He ran out of time to go to sleep before we had to get up and leave for the airport. Every time I turn around and talk to him, he is sleeping… It reminds me of our honeymoon (totally joking :))!
Really though, I do not like flying… It is a little eerie to me. Our flight from Salt Lake to Denver went by fast and wasn’t that bad, but that doesn’t change my little fear of flying!
Corom and I had a little too much fun on the airport walkway escalators… I also had to get some kind of run in… Strike it up for one kill already for Ragnar…
Corom helped a bird get a drink out of the drinking fountain. He clogged up the fountain and the little bird drank away… It also left a little present for Corom…
The flight from Denver to Fort Lauderdale, Florida was long and boring. We have met a lot of people on this trip for 2 reasons only… A shoe…
And there were a few people coming out for the Ragnar Relay Race. We will explain the shoe in it’s own post…
We did take some shots from the airplane. I thought it was so pretty looking out…
We have landed and Corom’s sister (Kymbra) just picked us up from the airport… We picked up a teammate too… She flew in from California.
Switch over to the girls… We heard they woke up for Michelle at 5 a.m. I felt so bad! But that is not surprising… They will be with grandma, too and are so excited!
(I will update this in a little while…)
Well I began my busy day with taking my 3rd child to her speech class…
At home, I had a lot of cleaning and laundry to do… I watched a few neighbor kids, met up with one of my talented track girls (we had a coming to running conversation:)), and then I had scouts…
My daughter was being entertained and watched over by our 2 English Mastiffs. 🙂 The dogs love the girls!!!…
Dinner came next, homework, bedtime routine, spending time with the girls and then bed (at 7-7:15…). I finished up my packing and the cleaning and then helped Corom with his. 🙂
Today was supposed to be a long tempo run… I ran about 11.3 miles but no tempo. 🙂 I am running Florida Keys Ragnar this weekend (Friday and Saturday) so I figured I should change my weekly routine up. I will be racing/running hard for the Ragnar. It will be great speed this weekend… Minus the lack of sleep (but I am used to that :/). We did average the last few miles at a 7:20-7:30 pace. I was tired this morning but it was my own fault by going to bed too late! We met up at 5:30 a.m. and it was 10 degrees. I did stop off at the gym and did my 10 minutes of arm weights. 2 x 20 back lat pulls at 50 lbs and 2 x 10 front lat pulls at 50 lbs. Then back to the back lat pulls, 2 x 10. I headed over to the pull-up machine and did 25 pull-ups at the 80 lb. help weight. I am getting there with my arms… I have no upper body strength, so this arm weight stuff is all new to me! My 2 younger girls were being entertained by their G-goat (grandma). 🙂
For indoor track I sent the kids on a LSD (long slow distance) run. They went for an hour and fifteen minutes today. Before they went they got bundled up for the cold weather outside…
I wasn’t able to follow the kids this time around because all the track coaches had to work in the concessions stand for a basketball game. We were not thrilled…
It actually was not that bad… I did leave for a little while to do a group visiting teaching and then went back to the concession stand.
Corom had a basketball game with the youth tonight and I watched the bachelor with some friends.
Corom took Z to the store (Wal-Mart) to go get another phone plan… 2 hours later they came home… 🙂
Good times!
Mother Racer 