REDROCK RELAY

I have always loved running but in the last 5 years I have been running at least 3 times a week about 5-6 miles a day mostly at the crack of dawn. Really loving the time to vent, catch up and get a good workout in with just the girls. In June Shan and I decided to step it up and start running up and back to the falls, about 7-8 miles. Which was a good thing because about month ago we got an invite to run the Redrock Relay on the "competitive team." 186 miles starting at the top of Brianhead 11000 feet and ending in Zion. Totally freaked out we said yes. We have never timed ourselves and had no idea how we were going to do. It was so much harder than I thought it was going to be but we did SO much better than we thought we were going to do. It was such an amazing experience and I have to have it all documented so here goes the giant post...

Our team had 12 runners with Shan, Nate and I being the only ones who have never done a race of any kind. We were split up into 2 vans of 6 runners. I had no idea being stuck in a mini with 6 stinky, sweaty, freezing, tired and hungry people for 2 days could be so much fun! Such a mix of people but a great mix of personalities. So thankful that Shan and I got to do this together, I never would have made it without her. Shan, Nate and I went down Thursday night to get a good night sleep and be ready to roll on Friday morning.

My first leg was 5.8 miles starting about 2:40 in the afternoon. I really had no idea what to expect on this first leg and was so nervous about the elevation change. It really makes it so much harder to breath. As I started up the giant hill my ipod was not working. I kept saying, please god make my ipod work, I cannot not do this without it." It finally worked and I was off to the leg where the hills were never ending. Jonathan told us to keep track of Roadkill and people that pass me. I was thinking how silly but it is so not. It gives you so much more motivation so see someone in front of you and think I got to get her. It is so much fun to have your team routing you on and also me being runner 6 coming into the major exchanges everyone from the other vans were there and they were cheering for you too. I had 8 roadkill and my projected time was 59 minutes and 39 seconds. My actual time was 49 minutes!

After our van was done with leg 1 we got in a quick freezing swim, shower and some Applebees.

My second leg was 5.5 miles starting about midnight. We had gotten to the exchange and all I could think is be ready with everything because of the ipod issue before. Even though we have hours in between runs it does not feel like it. You are helping everyone else get ready. As I am sitting in the back of the van cause it is freezing outside waiting for Shan to finish her leg I say when do we expect Shan to finish? About 10 minutes or so they say. Then there is a bang on the door van and it is Shan. We all freak out cause I am not at the exchange line cause she kicked ass on her run (her hard run) killing her projected time. I push Nate out the van, really pushing, and yell MOOOVEEEE I sware in slow motion. I am off. I loved this night run. I checked around a few times to see if I was going the right way cause it was pitch black and no one was there to be seen. It was a gradual downhill and I hauled! I had 6 roadkill and projected time was 49 min 30 sec. I did it in 41 minutes!

After leg 2 we went to the church for a nap, I guess, of about 2 hours and then we were running again.

Leg 3 was 2.1 miles at about 9 am for me. I knew I had to kill it being the last run in our van and also it was such a short leg. I had a giant hill in the beginning but the rest wasn't to bad. I was going so fast that towards the end I kept saying to myself, don't throw up! I really think on a relay that you push yourself as hard as you can and then you have to push even a bit more. You don't get to walk or give up. You have 11 other runners that are counting on you to kick ass. That is exactly what our team did. I had 3 roadkill with a projected time of 18 min and 54 sec. Actual time was 16 min and 9 sec.

Our team ended up coming in 8Th overall out of 187 teams and 3rd in the corporate division. Joanthan, our captain, was hoping for 20-30th place. Everyone on our team was seriously amazing and contributed so much. I have no idea how we did so well but it feels so crazy! I am fully addicted to these relays even though you want to die while doing it I am ready for next year!