Electric Run

Another 5k...similar to the Color Run we did in August in that it is a themed run, more about atmosphere and fun rather than a new PR. We swapped out Lilian for Brandon this time. And when at the last minute Rebekah had to work and couldn't join us, we gave her registration to my nephew Dalton so he could come with his mom, my sister Katie, who had already planned on running with us.

The race was created by the guy that started Ragnar, so we already knew it would be impressive and well organized. It started at 8:00 at night, just when it was getting dark. The whole course was lit up with various themes of light, glow in the dark, neon and black lighting....along with thumping music to keep you putting foot to pavement. We covered ourselves in as much lit up, glowing paraphernalia as we could find. Thank heavens for the Dollar Store and their large selection of glow sticks, yes? It was rather fascinating to see all the various ways people tried to light themselves up like neon Christmas trees.

We ran. And walked even more. (Julianne preferred to skip and dance her way through the course.) And stopped a lot for photo ops. And wished mightily that the cameras on our phones could truly capture the awesomeness.

For some reason the producers of the reality show "The Bachelor" decided that the Electric Run would be an ideal date for their bachelor of the season, Juan Pablo. He brought his date, Kat and ran the thing with us all. Which meant that the race started a good 40 minutes late as we waited for the Bachelor and his camera crew to show up. The race organizers ran us through a bunch of practice sessions so we could hoot and holler and jump up and down on cue so as to look good for the cameras. And at the finish line party they were handing out even more various lit-up stuff to wave around in the air...also I'm guessing, to be all the more impressive looking of a crowd for the TV viewing audience. We were treated to not only a few words from Juan Pablo himself when he and Kat finally got the stage...but also one of those famous rose ceremonies. Sorry if I'm seeming a bit sarcastic....I've never really been a fan of The Bachelor or it's twin show, The Bachelorette.

Sarcasm aside, I must admit that it was actually somewhat exciting. I'll definitely make sure to watch that particular episode seeing as I ended up being a part of it. And Julianne? She actually IS a fan of The Bachelor and knew exactly who Juan Pablo was. So she was beyond giddy! It was entertaining for me just to watch her excitement. Poor Rebekah....already sad about missing the 5k, she was even more disappointed to miss Juan Pablo and all The Bachelor excitement.

The Happiest 5k on the Planet

My kids don't tend to voluntarily run for fun. But I can usually convince them to do a 5k with me. Especially when it is one that is more about the atmosphere and experience rather than the actual running. And in this case, due to the fact that we took Lilian with us, it was more of a 5k walk than anything. But that's okay. Because anything that involves a whole lot of crazy color is a happy thing in my opinion.

The 5k was held in downtown Salt Lake City. Everyone starts out wearing white. Along the route you run through color stations where volunteers throw what I think is officially colored corn starch on you, at you and all around you....one color per color station. So by the finish line you are a rainbow. And at that time you pull out your own packet of color and a full on color party ensues. Music and dancing and a whole lot of color throwing. It's happy stuff.

Lilian traversed a lot of the 5k route this way.....

              

Finish Line! Where Lilian opened up her packet of dark purple color and promptly dumped the entire contents of said packet on her head.

I scrubbed her hair three times in the shower with two different shampoos. She still ended up with light purple streaks for the next few days.

Race Crew

I saw Ragnar Wasatch Back this year from a different perspective.

Though I had been signed up and set to run for nearly a year, and even had specific routes assigned, I had to pull out about 6 weeks before the event due to an injured hip...an injury that I actually think is due to my 8.2 run up East Canyon last Ragnar. I felt horrible pulling out at such short notice and tried to make it up by offering to be one of our team's 3 required volunteers.

When my long-time teammate and friend, Greg, told me that his son Chance (who ran with us last year) would be taking my place and was extremely excited about the opportunity to run again, I smiled really big. I couldn't think of anyone better to run for me...it went a long ways towards erasing my guilt and sadness. 

I manned water station on leg 35...the second to last leg in the entire 2 day race....coming down from the crest of Guardsman Pass. It was a long leg...8 miles. And it was this particular group of runner's 3rd and final leg. So they were tired and sore...but anticipating the exhilarating finish so close and soon to come.

Another girl was assigned to help with the water station along with me. And I immediately could see the difference between us. She had (wonderfully) volunteered to help out a niece who was running but didn't really know much about the race. I had run it 3 times before, knew all the ins and outs of how the whole thing worked, knew how the runners felt and was much more invested. While my volunteer partner wandered around to see the view, played around on her phone and talked to her aunt who she had brought along with her for company, I became the ultimate energizer bunny cheerleader. I waved at every van that came around that corner and drove past us. I cheered, whooped,hollered and encouraged every runner that came by, whether they stopped for water or not. 

And I was kind of amazed at the amount of Ragnar love I got in return. Volunteers are hugely appreciated by Ragnar runners. I know this. I've been a runner. But I was still a little stunned at how many runners called out their thanks and expressed their feelings for me as a volunteer. I can't count how many vans cheered for me, went out of their way to roll down their windows to wave back.

* I laughed at countless funny things runners would say as they took their quick water break. Lots of muttered comments about downhill runs and losing toenails, the heat, the sore muscles, the blisters.

* One girl came running up and breathlessly told me, "I just got stung by a bee! On my butt!!" When I expressed concern, she lifted up the leg of her shorts and actually showed me. And yep, right there she had a lovely little welt. I asked if she needed anything and she cheerfully replied, "No. It doesn't hurt anymore. It just really surprised me and I totally screamed! But I'm fine now!" And then off she ran as she gave me a jaunty little wave. I could only laugh.

* Another guy, as he guzzled down some water, asked if I had a cell phone. I whipped it out and he asked if I could text his wife. "I was suppose to call her when I started my last leg," he said. He jogged in place as he gave me the number and told me what to say and then he ran off, calling back to me "You're the best!!!" His wife and I texted back and forth a bit....neither one of us having any clue who the other was but not thinking much about the supposed weirdness of the situation because weird doesn't really have any place in Ragnar.

* We were startled to see a van coming barreling around the corner and screech to a halt on the other side of the road. A few people jumped out, talking with what seemed like a bit of panic. A few seconds later a man came running around the corner....but with a severe limp. He looked like he was in a lot of pain. His teammates called out to him to stop and a younger guy came running across the street to yank the orange slap bracelet off his arm. He ran off as the older man crumpled to the ground just to the side of our water table, breathing heavily. It all happened so fast. We ran over, as did two other ladies. Apparently the man had crashed into some big sign up at the top of the hill. He heard a snap in his ankle, he said. I offered to call for help, but he declined. Being within miles of the finish line, he let his teammates help him back to the van, planning to get his ankle checked out at at the bottom of the hill. 

* I saw 3 people I knew go by. Mark from my old Magna neighborhood. Jay, a friend from jr high, high school and college. And funny enough, Sean....also a school friend. But Sean wasn't running. He wasn't part of Ragnar at all. He just happened to be biking up in Park City that weekend. It was fun to see them all.

When my shift ended, they didn't have anyone to take my place. So I offered to stay for an extra hour. Afterwards, I made my way to Park City High.....got myself a late lunch, did some Ragnar swag shopping and more or less just took in the atmosphere and participated in the finish line party. Admittedly, I was a little sad at times to see all those runners and to know what they had accomplished and remember how cool that felt. And part of me wished that I had earned that seriously sweet 10th anniversary Wasatch Back medal. But wow, I tell you what...volunteering was fun! To still be a part of things, even though I couldn't run, and see the awesomeness that is Ragnar from a whole different perspective....I very well may choose to volunteer again next year.

Playing in the bubbles

Remember when I did that 5k Foamfest in early August? This one right here? The obstacle course with the foam and the mud and the water...yeah, that one. I got some pictures back yesterday. I have to admit, I laughed good and hard when I looked through them all. I also found out that two of our team members suffered broken ribs from the big, foamy slip and slide. (!!!) And yes, I had all sorts of bruises, scrapes and bumps in weird places after the race was done...but broken ribs? Oh my....OUCH! All the same, I'm still totally planning to join up with the "TransFOAMers" next year to do it all over again.  

"Foam is the new mud!"

Brandon brought home the flyer in mid-May.  "Mom!  Mrs. G told us in class today that she is doing this race in the summer. She said she thought you might be interested and that she wants you to be on her team."  Volunteering in Brandon's 5th grade class every Tuesday meant that his teacher and I had become good friends.  (Julianne had her for 5th grade as well.)  She'd already been trying for months to convince me to come to bikram yoga (aka: hot yoga) with her.  I'm a fan of yoga....but hot yoga where the temps hover around 105 degrees...on purpose?  I think there is a good chance she would have to catch me as I passed out from the heat.

But this Foam Fest...it piqued my interest.  A 5k filled with obstacles...many of them wrapped around foam, mud and water.  I hadn't ever done an obstacle course before.  So after thinking on it awhile, I signed myself up on Franki's team...the newest member of the "TransFOAMers."

I have to admit, my nerves flared the closer this race got.  Stemming from the fact that I hadn't done much running since Ragnar ended, certainly.  But mostly, fear of the unknown.  Oh, I knew that this race was more about silly fun than anything and that likely I'd have no real problems conquering any obstacle they threw at me.  But I was running on a team where I only knew 2 of my 6 teammates....and more than that, I had no idea where I would fit in ability wise.  Could I keep up with them?  Would I end up running this race on my own?

My fears were for naught.  I fit in just fine.  And as we conquered all the obstacles, we cheered each other on...and laughed.  Frequently and hard.  Among those many obstacles, we climbed up and over 8 foot walls and cargo nets.  We army crawled under electrified wire.  We crawled through mud and slipped and slid our way through numerous obstacles filled with foam.  We ran across the water on thin foam pads.  We clambered over huge tubes in a lake.  When I crossed that finish line I was soaking wet, my shoes were filled with rocks, I had bruises in odd places and my knees were shaking (which they continued to do for the next few hours.)  It had been challenging, to be sure.  But what ridiculous FUN!!  

(More pics to come when Franki sends me the ones from her camera...hopefully soon!)      

I Paid For This Experience?!?

It's amazing to me, that no matter how many times I do this race and no matter how much I feel like I know what I'm doing....every year is different and unique.  And yes, this time I was in van 1, rather than van 2 which meant a whole new (and HARDER) bunch of routes....but still!

The core of our team was made up of Snow College alumni.  Katie (my sister), Byron, Greg and I all ran together last year as part of the "Stone Creek Stoners" team.  This year we became "I Paid For This Experience?!?" and added Kim, Sheila and Bart, also friends from Snow.  And then filled in the gaps with other friends and family....Sam, Chance, Erich, Ben and Nancy.

Being van 1 meant an early morning.  And by early I mean that I set my alarm clock for 2:30 AM so that Katie (who slept at my house) and I could leave by 3:00.  We picked up Kim, Sam, Greg and Chance on our way and made it to Logan by 4:45 so we had time to check in, attend our safety meeting and be at the starting line for our official 5:45 AM start time.  Between the packing and the carb loading and the fact that my body did not want to go to sleep any more early than normal...in addition to a healthy dose of alarm anxiety which led to insomnia...I only got 3 hours of sleep.  Great.  Just great!

I was runner 6 which is the last from our van before passing the baton (or orange slap bracelet as the case may be) to van 2.  My first run was a 6.5 mile route cresting Avon Pass and heading downhill into Liberty.

 It was glorious...at first.  I was speeding down that hill and feeling rather exhilarated.  The temps were cool, the scenery was beautiful.  But the road was packed dirt...with gravel and half buried rocks poking out and lots of ruts.  It took a lot of focus to place each step just right so I wouldn't slip, trip, or roll an ankle....all while running at a fairly quick pace being that it was a steep downhill.  I was handling it all pretty well and feeling really happy with my run when I looked up and saw a tight switchback ahead.  It was while I was trying to figure out the best way to tackle it that I tripped and went down hard.  I layed there on the ground, stunned....but only for a few seconds.  I was more worried about my pride than anything else.  And though my knee was bleeding, my shoulder was raw and both hands were stinging, I brushed myself off and started slowly walking...and then after a minute or two of ascertaining if there were any other injuries to ankles, wrists, etc...running.  I have to admit, it took a little bit of wind out of my sails.  Oh, I was happy to have some war stories to share with bruised and bloody evidence...but I knew I had been lucky.  That fall could've been a lot worse.  So I was all the more focused than I had even been before.  At about 4 miles I was rather relieved to have the road turn to pavement.  However the pavement indicated that I was out of the mountains and down into the valley which brought on the HEAT.  I am not a fan of running in heat.  I was more than happy to pass off the orange bracelet to van 2.  

We jumped ahead to the next major exchange, Snowbasin Ski Resort, where we set up camp on a couple of blankets and prepared to settle in for the 3 R's....rest, relaxation and refueling.  Funny side note...when I was heading through the check out line at the grocery store with all my race food, the checker took one look at all my items and said, "Ragnar?"  And then proceeded to ask me all sorts of questions about why all the Ragnarians coming through her check out line that day were buying loads of garbage.  "I thought runners ate healthy?"  I could understand her confusion seeing as while we were talking she was scanning my oreos, chocolate milk, swedish fish, trail mix, granola bars, string cheese, beef jerky and apples.  Seemingly a weird concoction of snack foods.  It's hard to explain to a non-runner the method behind fueling for a 2-day endurance race rather than just a random morning run.  The balance between carbs, proteins, sugars and salt.  How once you get into a race like this, your body can't really handle a big meal...but how you have to refuel to be able to keep going.  What is going to give you that boost of quick energy you need?  (Along with the snacks I bought at the store I also brought both tuna and peanut butter sandwiches and also hard boiled eggs.)     

(I absolutely LOVE that I get to do this race with my sister Katie!  Talk about your ultimate sisterly bonding adventure!  Plus, holy wow is she a rock star runner!!!)

It was HOT this weekend.  Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate became the word of the day.  Which meant that visits to the Honey Buckets were numerous.  And though Ragnar had arranged for 650 Honey Buckets to be placed along the route at every single exchange....lines were long.  Truth be told, at one point along the course while supporting our runner and leap frogging every mile or so, I realized that it was going to be tough for me to make it even to the next Honey Bucket!  Though it was not an uncommon sight, I'm sure that more than just my van mates were laughing as I took a roll of TP and hiked up the mountain side to find a tree....

I was nervous...like, really nervous, for my 2nd run.  8.2 miles of an uphill climb into East Canyon.  Greg said he'd help me...that he'd take a few miles for me if I needed him to.  I thanked him but told him, scared or not, I was determined to see this route through.  But I warned everyone that it would take me awhile because I had already decided that I would be doing a lot of walking.  I met Kim at the exchange and ran off to lots of supportive cheering.

 I think I prayed for the whole first mile.  The temps were cooler as the sun was going down and that felt really good.  My teammates stopped every mile to give me water and encouragement.  Running past houses, there were kids out with their parents with their hands outstretched for high fives as the runners went by.  Other runners passing by me frequently gave me thumbs up or made comments like "Way to go," "Good job," "You can do it!"  Every single time it happened, it made me smile.  But also made me wonder.  At no other time had I had this happen before.  Oh, runners are always supportive of each other....but this was different.  Was it because we were, all of us, on one of the longest routes in all of the Wasatch Back and bonding in a different sort of way because of it?  Like we were all in some sort of Leg 18 club together?  And then I noticed something else.  My lungs weren't burning.  I felt pretty good, actually.  It didn't even feel like I was climbing a hill.  Oh, my legs were getting tired and my hip was hurting and I could feel blisters forming....but I was smiling and enjoying my run!  And that's when I realized that I was receiving some extra help.  There was no doubt in my mind that my prayers had been answered.  And though I also knew that I would very likely have a hard time walking the next morning...my scary 8.2 mile uphill route through East Canyon ended up being my very best run.

I finished my run at 10:50 and handed off the bracelet to van 2.  And while they chipped away at the miles all throughout the night, we in van 1 headed to a couple of prearranged hotel rooms in Coalville.  Hot showers and 3 hours of sleep in a bed felt awfully nice in comparison to last year where after running through the night we paid $2 to sleep in our sleeping bags on the floor of a local middle school.




























Rejuvenated but limping (me) we were back on the course by 5:00 AM.  My third and last run came around 9:40 and was only 2.5 miles.  This route was the reason I had chosen to be runner 6.  I loved the idea of having an easy last run when I would be tired.  Problem was, I was SO wasted from my earlier routes that my easy run ended up being my hardest!  

I was hugely relieved to be done, and excited to head off to Park City High.  Another perk to being van 1...having time to truly explore and enjoy the finish line party while waiting for van 2 to finish their last routes and join us for the big team run under the famous Ragnar arch.  So we shopped the Ragnar merchandise.  I bought myself a huge cheeseburger and fries from one of the vendors for lunch.  We enjoyed all the free Fat Boys and smoothies we could eat while we listened to the awesome band.  I considered getting a free massage...but the line was big and long.  And though we had the time to wait in that big, long line...realistically I was SO sore that I was worried a massage would hurt!   So we sat at a table all together in the shade.  And we got more and more tired...and more and more sore as we waited for van 2 to make their way up Ragnar Hill (aka Guardsman Pass).  

We were finally joined by the rest of our teammates to make that epic run across the finish line at 4:45 PM.  And by run, I actually mean hobble.  Because pretty much all of us were in some various stage of pain with many of us (me, again) being in a whole new world of HURT!  Still, it was exhilarating as always to run over the finish line together, all 12 of us.

Now as the pain fades the question becomes....do I do it again next year??

2011 Wasatch Back
2010 Wasatch Back