Ragnar Las Vegas 2011

What could be more fun than going to Vegas?
Running around the city in the desert with a bunch of complete strangers, of course!

This race was everything you expect (and hope) a Ragnar to be:  fun, rewarding, challenging, and something I could learn from.  And, boy, did I ever learn my lesson!!!

Here's the team:  Heather, Rachelle, Ken, Julia, Travis and me.  We were Van 2 and started running at about 3:30 ish.

Meet Ken- Team Captain Extraordinaire. He makes running look easy- even when it is running up a mountain... or two. Super organized, efficient, and he needed to run at least 5 miles BEFORE his leg even started so that he was properly "warmed up." If you were at the Ragnar, then there was a good chance you  talked to this guy because he started a conversation with everyone.

Great form, Ken!

He even had a giant smile at the top of the "Ragnar" leg in Las Vegas.

Then there's Rachelle. Super supportive, super enthusiastic, super encouraging.  It's people like her that make our sport look good.  Each leg she ran blew me away even more.  Heat, costume, fatigue- nothing can slow her down.  And man, she is FAST.

Run Spidey, run!

Travis- the guy just makes you want to yell OORAH!!!  The former Marine was incredible- especially for a new runner!  Super consistent, speedy, and he led our team with the most kills in a single leg- 54!!!!!!!!!!!!  Could  you expect any less from a marine?

Julia can do anything!!!!!  Hill?  Sure.  Heat?  Sure.  Her blog title fits her to a T and I was in awe of how well she ran her last leg.  Nearly 8 miles in the blazing Vegas sun couldn't even slow her down.  Julia and I had a great talk out by the hot tub between our first and second legs.  I'm so glad that I could run this race with her and Rachelle and get to know them in real life.  They are incredible, strong, women.

This was my favorite picture I took during the race.

Last but not least- Heather!  If I was in need of a laugh, I found it from this girl.  She kept me giggling from sundown to sunrise.  She ran some of her fastest times ever during this race, and it was so cool to cheer her on.  She was runner #12 and I couldn't keep up with her running into the finish.  She. freaking. rocks.

The blog wouldn't be complete without a lot of talking about how this girl did:

We all did jumping pictures in honor of Fast Cory.  I regret not getting our whole team jumping in this spot!

There is a lack of pictures from my first two legs due to them being unsupported and in the middle of the night.  It's really too bad because of the entire race, those were my favorite moments.

Leg 1:  3.6 miles with a 550 foot gain in the first 3.  This leg was harder than I was expecting.  Just when I thought the hill would crest, I would turn a corner and it would continue up another switch back.  Despite the challenges, it was awesome!  I don't think I've ever ran so strong up hills.  I was able to pull an 8:02 average pace, 20 kills (not including a lizard and a giant beetle), and I raced a girl to the end and won :).  It was good times for sure.

Leg 2:  3.9 miles at 1:30 AM.  I ran comfortably, sang some, danced some, saw a shooting star, made sure I had high knees for my team, passed 38 runners, and finished with a 7:09 average pace.  Sweet.  This is the fastest I have EVER run in a Ragnar.  Very pleased.

Then this happened... Leg 3:

It was HOT.

Let's establish something right away- I live in the mountains in northern Utah.  This means that the warmest temperature I've been running in lately is about 50 degrees- and that's in the heat of the afternoon!  I'm more accustomed to 40 degrees than anything.  So the 85 degree day in Vegas was SHOCKING.

I totally wigged myself out before I ran my final leg at 1:30 in the afternoon.  I drank like crazy and ate some snacks beforehand.  (This was another big mistake- I hadn't had a meal all day.  I should have had breakfast at the very least.)

Julia came in after her killer last leg and I had to hold back tears watching her finish so strong.  I was fired up and ready to rock, so I took off.

That's when I ran a 6:50 first mile.
Then a 7:05 second mile.
I was hot.  Understatement.  I felt as dry as the desert.  All the water I had been drinking seemed to have just evaporated!  I wasn't sweating and my mouth was completely dry.  My team caught up to me at mile 2 and gave me some water.  I poured water on myself at the water stop, drank some water, and then drank the entire water bottle that Rachelle brought to me.  She could tell I was struggling.  I stopped and dry heaved, but was determined to keep going.  Rachelle told me to slow down.  Did I listen?

Of course not.  I ran my third mile with a 7:32 average pace- including the dry heaving.
Then I blew up.  I literally felt like I couldn't go another step.  I told my team to go on ahead to drop off Heather.  I just had to be alone (even though they were awesome- Rachelle was even offering to run with me).  I felt so defeated.  I stopped to walk for a few seconds and then made myself keep running, but I slowed down.  A LOT.

I ran the final mile at a 9:25.  There was no way I could go any faster than that.

I made a final push at the end for the last quarter of a mile and ran it with a 7:11 pace.  I have never in my life crashed like that!!!!!!!  Overall my final pace for my last leg was 7:42/mile.  It was discouraging considering this was the leg I was hoping to hit a new 5K PR.

Life went on and our team finished the race in roughly 27 hours.  I don't know our final time and they haven't released the results yet.  I'm super proud of us!  We all ran a great race- in spite of many different challenges and difficulties.

It was a memory maker for sure.

Vegas Sunset

Running a night leg in Vegas rocks my world.

Vegas Sunrise

Ready for our last legs!  Me, Travis, Heather, Ken, Julia and Rachelle

I missed Mindy more than words can say!  This was the first Ragnar that I had to run without her.  I hope I never have to do one without her again :).  (Is that a deal, Mindy?)  She came back from a tendonitis injury and rocked the Ragnar leg.  So proud of her!!!!!!

FINISHED!!!!!!  Ken got some air over the finish line.

Our sweet shirts that Heather made had our names on the back.  Only the girls got shirts this time.  Don't ask me what expression I am making because I have no idea.  Tough?  Sexy?  Pissed?  It's a toss up, really!

Van 1.  Mike, John, Jeffery, Lance, Ridge (12 years old!!!), and Roxie.

Serious bling thanks to 3 Ragnars this year.

Overall, I loved this race. The course was great, (the organization astounds me), the friends were stellar, and I definitely will plan on running this race again. Maybe next year? After all, I have to take revenge on that last leg!