Wasatch Ragnar Relay

After flying into Salt Lake City Thursday morning, I went shopping at Target, made carb rolls with dried fruit and repacked my gear (for the gazillionth time). We got up at 4am, picked up additional members and got up to Logan at 7am in time for the mandatory safety meeting and got our runner to the start right at 8:15 as the gun went off.

TEAM KITCHY

Our team ran for a cause, which was 7 year old Ray who was diagnosed with Stage 3 Burkitts B-Cell Lymphoma about a month ago. Ray named our team after his favorite stuffed animal...Kitchy.  A website was set up www.teamkitchy.com was set up to gather donations and we raised over $3000 to help the family offset their medical expenses which are accumulating at an astonishing rate. Along the way we recorded video for Ray to watch and participate in our fun.The father and their three other children met us at the finish line and the father gave each of us a hug and thanked us.  It was worth running for Ray.

RACE HIGHS

• Being able to run strong on my first leg which was uphill on the dirt road.  It wasn't until the last mile that I was able to taste the grit from the dust.
• Kicking it in on leg 3 passing two girls.
• The weather was beautiful.  I never was freezing cold or boiling hot.

RACE LOWS

• Smelly honey buckets.  Actually these aren't too terribly bad and always had toilet paper.
• Upset stomach 

RACE STATS

• We finished the 188 miles (although I thin kit was adjusted to 189.5)  in 29 hours and 23 minutes an average pace of 9:17
• 136th team out of 658
• Leg one was 7.4 miles (Garmin 7.36) at 10:30am uphill on a dirt road.  I passed 27 people and was passed by 4 I ran it in 1:10:19, a 9:33 avg pace. 
• Leg two was 4.2 miles (Garmin 4.22) at 7:03pm.  While I thought the elevation was flat, the leg had a  gradual uphill and seemed to last forever.   I passed 10 people and was passed by 2 (I think one of the girls passing me was the same one who blew by me in the first leg).  I ran it in 34:31, a 8:10 avg pace. 
• Leg three was 3 miles (Garmin 3.33) was classified as easy but wasn't.  It was uphill, with a steep uphill part and then a fast downhill. I passed 7 people and was passed by 1.  I ran it in 27:56 a 8:24 avg pace

FUN MOMENTS

• We used a full sized, extra cab truck and set up lawn chairs in the back.  There was plenty of room for all the gear and after running our leg we would hang out in the back and kick up our feet. 
• A young child, maybe three years old, holding out popsicles for the runners.  It was the sweetest thing. The community along this stretch came out and set up lemonade stands or came out just to cheer on runners
• Watching a colt romp while we waited for our runner to give her water.
• Laughing with the other van members which were Somer, Steve, Curtis, Dan and Dan.  Also referred to as Dan squared.
• Eating trail mix with M&M's.  Steve, despite what the others say, I love the raisins in the trail mix.
• Going to the cabin, getting spaghetti dinner, catching some Z's and having a hot, heavenly shower.
• Joking about turning in other vans violating the safety requirements. Even after the race we joked about only crossing the road with a safety flag.
• Meeting fellow blogger Christine from Sticky Fingerprints

Exchange 5.  Me handing off to Steve

Fellow blogger Christine

At the finish line waiting for van 2 to come in

Medals for Everyone!

Team Kitchy