Sunday, July 7, 2013

Running with a group...

I love races. I love the energy, the excitement, the feeling that each and every person is out there because they love to run... just like me!

Until RAGNAR, I never truly was able to understand the group dynamics of running. There's just something about running with a group.

Encouraging each other.

Pumping each other up.

Understanding the love for running.


This weekend, I've been able to do 3 beautiful outdoor runs with part of my RAGNAR family & I just feel like I'm flying high. 7 AM on a Saturday?? We've got this...



There's this hill... the dreaded Trilogy Hill that has been my nemesis for way too long.  Yesterday, the group of 6 of us set out, headed to that hill. As I stared it down, I knew that I. was. not. stopping. I was going to make it to the top.  Knowing my group was there with me watching helped me to power through. 

We were headed that direction, smiles on our faces, ready to do our best, each of us pulling for the other.
 
 
With gorgeous mountains ahead, a beautiful golf course on the side, I couldn't help but smile. We looked like a team. We looked like a group of runners. Cars moved over, we ran the streets... like they were ours. There is something so powerful about that. I've seen groups of runners near the beach together and always felt envious of them... this weekend I got to feel the love .

And with that love, I OWNED that Trilogy hill... TWICE.

Not only did I do it, but now I KNOW I can do it again, and with that confidence I have my sighs set on a bigger, nastier, wicked hill.  With Nike Women's coming up in Oct., I know hills are a must.  This was just the confidence builder I needed.

Coming down the hill we still had those smiles and that running love.


Family isn't always about blood. It's about a love.  For us, it's a love for running. So many don't understand, but I'm ok with that.  WE do... and in the end, that's all that matters. :)

Saturday, July 6, 2013

RAGNAR RECAP!

RAGNAR RECAP!

OH.MY.GOODNESS, it was amazing. Amazing, amazing, amazing.



My team Dude, Where's My Van? had a 5 AM start time. As Team Captain, I picked the start time & was second guessing such an early start, but it was perfect. We began in Huntington Beach before the sun came up. :thumbup2:  I was Runner 3 which put me in van 1 with my BFF and a great group of people. My first run was about 6:25 Fri. morning. 5.7 miles along the Santa Ana riverbed in Anaheim. It was a great run. Our team quickly got the hang of following our runner and the insane amount of fun cheering for our teams and others can be. After the first major exchange we had lunch and went back to my house for naps and showers before Van 2 handed it all back to us.
By the time Van 2 finished it was nasty hot, but thankfully cooled off before my second leg. I ran through Murrieta and Old Towne Temecula, and I can say that it was absolutely the run of my life.  8.1 miles of pure bliss. 

Here was me in the van before I ran.



My hubby and girls met me along the route and it was great to see them. They were at the end of my leg along with my nieces & sister to bring me into the exchange.

We had only a few hours Fri night to sleep and I learned that 6 adults sleeping in a van is nearly impossible.:)

My 3rd leg was through Encinitas & Solana Beach. I was pretty nervous because of the warnings about rattlesnakes and mountain lions along the course. Turns out I should have been less concerned about that and more concerned about the hills.  HOLY MOLY.  My run had a 1700 foot elevation increase and it was killer..

Here I am before the run-



I finished with a GORGEOUS view of the ocean since the exchange was located on the beach  Such an amazing way to end my 3 runs. Our team went on to finish in San Diego. 195 miles in about 35 hours with an amazing team.

Here are some more pics...

Van 2 was being lazy in the van and we came up on them not getting out of the van to cheer their runner in the heat. We gave them a good talking to. I'm the one in pink :tongue:
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The medal & our team slap bracelet for the exchanges


Our team at the finish


I am amazed at the organization of the Ragnar staff. The event went off like clockwork. 646 teams and I never saw one issue. Final mileage total for me was 22.4 miles and I loved every single minute.
There was so much love for Boston on the van decorations. It made me so proud to be a part of the running community. :love: 
Now to start planning 2014!!!