Party, Roga, Relay?

I was supposed to be in San Diego today and tomorrow but a VERY last minute meeting cancellation left me standing on the BART platform this morning and instead of boarding, I turned around and headed back home.  Side note: House of Cards (spoiler alert) has forever ruined subway platforms for me.  I've had nightmares and I now stand right in the middle and constantly look over my shoulder for Frank Underwood looking figures.

I'll be heading down to SoCal wine country in April now instead but I was especially sad this trip got cancelled since I'll be missing out on this evenings festivities at the Lorna Jane North County store.  This is the second LJ store opening I've missed due to work travel plans.  Rumor has it they offer some great swag, discounts and do a fun group workout.  Doesn't it suck when your real life gets in the way of your internet life? Sadly I won't be there but if anyone else is in the Escondido area, you should check out the preview party tonight or enjoy the 20% off they are offering all weekend.  Post workout I would recommend hitting up Stone Brewing Co., you will not be sorry.

To make myself feel better I am going to try and get to Roga (not the shorts) tomorrow morning.  5AM wake up calls can be a little rough, especially after today's to catch my non-flight,  but I am sure I'll be happy I did it. I think I can, I think I can...

I am coming to the realization that I may be enjoying my NVM recovery a little too much.  I did get in a longer run this past weekend but the altitude in Tahoe was killing me.  I didn't put in a lot of effort and it turned into a nice long run/walk.  I have a 15 on tap for Sunday that is going to be rough, followed by RNR Half next weekend.  I've REALLY enjoyed the break the last few weeks but it's time to put down the wine glass and pick up the Garmin.  Big Sur isn't going to run itself.

Confirmed Races for 2014:

1. Kaiser Half Marathon - 2/2
2. Napa Valley Marathon - 3/2
3. Rock N' Roll SF Half Marathon - 4/6
4. Big Sur Marathon - 4/27
5. Zooma Napa Valley Half Marathon - 6/28
6. Eugene Half Marathon - 7/27
7. Hood To Coast - 8/22-8/23 (the dreaded leg 5)
8. New York Marathon - 11/2 

Now that I am looking at my race calendar for the year, it's kind of light.  I did 12 races last year, including three relays.  I would really like to run one more relay this year, maybe even another Ultra.  If anyone is planning on doing Reach The Beach or The Bourban Chase and you need another average runner with above average sarcasm, who will inhale more than her fair share of beer and peanut butter pretzels; I am your girl.

Ragnar Vegas ULTRA

I posted a pledge to run a marathon and then fell off the face of the earth.  Sounds about right.  In the last three weeks I have been traveling, working, running and traveling more.  As a quick catch up, I spent a week in Kauai with MFR, my parents and our close family friends.  We hiked, kayaked, golfed, even ran a bit, ate, drank and did a damn fine job of relaxing.  Pretty much the whole week looked like this:

 

Last Thursday I arrived home from Kauai around noon and had just enough time to unpack, repack and shower before heading back to the airport to fly to Vegas and meet the girls for Ragnar Vegas Ultra.  This was not ideal as far as timing goes and I don't recommend this approach but since I can't say no to races or vacations then sacrafices must be made: sleep, laundry, sitting still etc....

I arrived in Vegas Thursday night to find the girls all ready to go.  They picked me up at the airport and the van had been decorated, the food had been purchased and everything was packed.  Basically I got all the glory and none of the work. Just how I like it.  As Leslie said, we're not sure who's idea an Ultra Relay was but at one point we all agreed to it and all of sudden it was here. I should mention that my teammates were all women from Portland who knew each other from PDX Tri Club, TNT etc...  Besides Leslie, I didn't really know anyone too well but they did not dissapoint.  I am counting down the days until I get to race with these ladies again.

Friday morning we were up before 6am and on the road, headed to  Lee Canyon Ski Resort.  It was very bizarre going from high 70's to freezing with snow on the ground in under an hour.  At 8am it was go time and Erica took off.

Team Draggin Aces - Checking In

I missed the butt-grabbing and get your hair out of the way memo on this one

I missed the camera is over here memo on this one.  You guys are welcome for the countless pics I ruined this weekend.

As Erica and Anne ran down the mountain, I started to prepare for my first run.  As you can guess I have been terrified for this event for many months.  I haven't been running the proper mileage for an Ultra (whatever that may be).  To date I wouldn't say I've ever had a great relay experience as far as the actual running goes.  I clearly love everything relay but something always goes wrong (stomach issues, altitude etc...) and I never really feel great about my actual running performance.  And that's with 12 runners.  Regardless I have always wanted to run an Ultra (6 runners) so why not now?  When legs were assigned, I picked Runner 3 since it looked easier then most and had nice even legs: 10, 9, 10.  Considering I don't usually run 30 miles in a week, I knew doing it in one day would be a challenge but I figured I could get through it.  

Two weeks ago we received an e-mail from Ragnar stating that the course had been changed and so had some of the legs and distances.  Runner 3 was now running: 13, 13, 10 and my middle leg had gone from a rating of easy to very hard.  FML!  Two half marathons and a 10 miler in 24 hours?  I knew I'd have to dig deep to get through this.

Legs 5 & 6: 13.68 Miles

Around noon on Friday I started my first half marathon of the day.  It was out on Hwy. 95, the sun was beating down and it felt like a hair dryer was blowing directly on my face.  I knew it was going to be rough so I just tried to stay positive and not think about the many miles left to go.  Instead I concentrated on taking it easy and not burning out on the first leg.  I will say that it does feel pretty badass running through an exchange and saying "Ultra - Running Through."  I did not get sick of that all weekend and people give you major respect when they see you're running the Ultra.  After some very long hold ups at stop lights, I finally got to my handoff exchange with Garmin showing 13.68 for a total.  I was sweaty, hot and happy to be done. Nuun had a tent at this exchange which was awesome because I got to see HTC Coordinator extraordinaire Megan!  Nuun also hooked us up with bottles, stickers, van swag and of course Nuun.  All things that were pretty clutch at helping us survive this race.

Spotted during Laura's run - hello friend.

Legs 17 & 18: 13.32 Miles

The weird thing with Ultra is how fast the whole thing goes.  With only 6 runners and one van, you never stop moving.  I felt like I had just started to relax when it was time for me to run again.  Around 7:30pm, Anne came into the exchange and off I went.  The sun was down and the temp had dropped to high 50's.  I really debated wearing long sleeves because I run hot but eventually decided to.  Thank god I made the right choice.  After 3 miles around town, I started the 10 mile climb out to Red Rock Canyon.  

Middle of nowhere

There was no van support on this leg and it was VERY dark.  The temperature kept dropping until my hands lost feeling.  In the end, the dark and cold is what got me through.  I couldn't see the hill I was running up and if it had been during the day and hot, I would have died.  I saw about 10 other runners but had mulitple mile stretches where I couldn't see anyone.  The mirage of the exchange (van lights) seemed to never get closer so I just put my head down and thought how lucky I was to be out here on a beautiful night.  Finally, after almost breaking my ankle on a cattle grate I handed off to Leslie.  

I immediately tried to shove all the food in my mouth and get some sleep.  The first task I was very successful at, the second not so much.  We took turns driving, navigating and trying to stay awake.  At 5am the sun was coming up and it was time for my final leg.

Legs 29 & 30: 10.18 Miles

After some serious bitching about not wanting to run again and having too many miles (sorry ladies), I put my big girl pants on and got out of the van.  Anne came into the exchange, handed me the bracelet and I took off a bike path into the sunrise.  The first mile or two were ugly.  I kept stopping to walk and I couldn't catch my breath.  I was focusing on how much I had already run and was worried I just wouldn't be able to do it.  I realized this negative focus would make for a very long 10 miles.  I needed a plan.  I made a deal with myself that I would run for 2 min and walk for 1.  Running at all was tough at this point but I just kept saying, "you can do anything for 2 min."  It worked.  On all the flats and uphills I kept up this routine and on the downhills I would just let go and let gravity do it's thing.  My average ended up similar to my other legs and I even finished with a smile on my face.  I think I was also smiling because it was starting to really heat up and I was so thankful my run was over before the hair dryer came back on - sorry Leslie, Steph & Laura:(

So there you have it.  My first Ragnar and first Ultra done!  Considering I never ran more than 26.2, I was proud that I knocked out 37 miles in less than 24 hours.  I never thought I'd be able to run an Ultra but I did and even had fun.  Great way to finish out my 2013 race schedule.  

Kara, Leslie, Laura, Steph, Erica, Anne

Final stats: We finished in 30:13 and came in 2nd in the women's ultra division!

I am not as sore as I would have thought though stairs are a challenge.  I spent yesterday watching football and hanging out with my adorable nephew before flying home at the crack-o-dawn this morning.  I am looking forward to a few days recovery and relaxation before Napa Valley training officially begins next week.

October Stats:

Running: 68 Miles
Cycling: 44 Miles
Spinning: 18 Miles
Yoga: 1 Hour

Weights/Core: 45 min

Walking: 9 Miles

Total: 139 Miles

Hood To Coast Recap 2: The part where we ran

It's time to get to the good stuff.  The part we all signed up for and counted down to.  Jeantel drove us from Seattle to Mt. Hood and the anticipation was palpable.  We had a moment in the van that instantly bonded us. All of a sudden, not only was I was excited to run HTC,  but I was excited to run with this specific group of women. It was so awesome experiencing Oregon and Mt. Hood with four women who had never seen it before.  Hearing them all so excited and overwhelmed by the beauty of our surroundings gave me a renewed appreciation for it.   I was in a unique position this being my 6th HTC.  I tried not to be too much of a oh-I've-done-this-a-million-times know-it-all (as my husband so fondly refers to me sometimes).  You start to take things for granted when you see them all the time but Timberline did not disappoint; when we arrived it was sunny and beautiful.  

As Sarah stated it was so awesome to be there as team, with matching outfits and everyone giving us the "who are they" looks.  We felt legit and were proud to be representing Nuun!

After "tatting up" we were ready to rip down the mountain.  Megan & Mallory killed it and soon enough it was my turn to run.  I was anxious and excited to let the mountain do its downhill thing and nervous about what it would do to my legs for my next two runs.  Little did I know, my legs were not going to be the issue.

Tattoo Train

Team Watermelon - Van 1 - Checking in!

Leg #3 - The one where I ran the fastest I've ever ran
3.93 Miles (6:42, 7:16, 7:36, 7:41 - avg. 7:19's)

Mallory came screaming in and I was off.  I ALWAYS start too fast and this was no exception.  I was so excited and I just wanted to run, so I did.  I started running faster than I've ever ran.  I felt great; then I looked at my Garmin.  I need to just stop doing that.  I saw mile 1 and saw 6: something.  Holy sh** was all I could think.  I've never ran a sub 8min mile in my life, and I just ran a sub 7?  A huge smile spread across my face and then the  freakout began.  I am never going to be able to walk after this nonetheless run twice more.  I tried to reign it in but I couldn't slow down that much. The steepness was doing its thing and my turnover just kept going.  I'll admit I was breathing hard and I was pushing but it felt good so I let it happen.  I came into transition and handed off to Hannah.  I immediately looked at my watch and thought, Oh my god..7 freaking 20's!  I was on top of the world.  I want to run fast all the time. 
  

I am shocked you can even capture this type of speed on camera:)

After the rest of the van ticked off their legs we met up with Team Lemonade Van 1 for dinner at Hopworks.  I had a salad, 12 oz. of beer and some soft pretzel.  I avoided the cheese sauce and anything I was worried about in the salad because I had to run again in a few hours.  And so I did.  

Leg #15
7.25 Miles - The one where I almost didn't make it
At this point it was 1am and I was a little tired but otherwise felt good.  I took off and the first 3 miles clicked by.  Of course my Garmin died after my first run so I have no idea how fast I was going but I would guess 8:30's or so.  It was right around mile 4 (I think) when it happened.  I won't go into the gory details but let's just say a cold sweat broke out and out some serious clenching ensued.  It was bad.  I debated my options (Mallory summarizes them well here) and I couldn't thing of a better option then to keep moving forward. It was night, it was scary and I was on Highway 30.  I slowed WAY DOWN.  The less jostling the better.  I don't know how slow those last few miles were but they felt like forever. I couldn't stop thinking how annoying this was since my legs felt good and I love night running.  I wanted to run fast but the outcome was definitely not worth it.  I barely made it to transition and went straight to the porta.

The calm before the storm.

I got back to the van to find that others were having similar issues.  Misery loves company and although I wouldn't have wished this feeling on anyone, it definitely eased my embarrassment knowing I wasn't the only one.  The next few hours consisted of about 10 more of those porta  trips, vomiting in a Safeway bathroom, vomiting behind the portas in Scappoose because the line was too long and trying not to vomit in the van.  It was super fun:)  

I don't know what happened.  There are theories about food poisoning (since there were so many of us) but who knows.  We arrived in Mist and without a word I grabbed a sleeping bag and instantly laid in the wet grass while everyone else slept in the van.  I needed air, sleep and get over the nausea.  I snuggled myself between two groups on tarps and just took a lot of deep breaths.  Two hours later I woke up and the nausea was gone.  But now what?  I had to run in two hours and I was terrified to eat and also very dehydrated.  I gave my teammates fair warning that they may be waiting for me for awhile depending how it went.  

Leg # 27
5.79 Miles - The one where I mentally (not physically) bounced back
One more trip to the porta and Mallory came running in. It was now or never. I took off too fast (per usual) but felt okay for the first mile.  My van passed and that gave me a little push.  My stomach "technically" held up for the entire leg (thank god b/c at this point it was daylight) but after that first mile I felt weak and lethargic.  I won't lie, it wasn't pretty.  It was slow, there were some roadside-dry-heaving-instances and I had to walk a little which was very defeating.    I just kept telling myself that it was only 6 miles and I didn't want to end on a bad note.  Regardless of how I was feeling, this was Hood to Coast and even with these issues I was having a great time.  In the end I came into transition, handed off to Hannah and knew I had done my best given the circumstances.  

Final transition - Can you tell I am 10lbs lighter than a few hours ago?

I had gone from the best run of my life to one of my most miserable ones.  That's Hood To Coast for you and I would (will) do it again in a heartbeat.  Afterward we headed to the beach and celebrated! 

Beach beers are the best beers

Team Watermelon!

Van 1 - From the Mountain to the Beach

This team and experience was more than I ever imagined and I was so lucky to be part of it. Even with the stomach issues, because of Nuun and all these ladies, # 6 was the best yet!  The perfect way to reach my halfway mark in my Hood To Coast goal. 6 down - 6 to go!

Hood To Coast Part 1 - That Time Before We Ran 200 Miles

I knew it was going to be fun, HTC always is, and I knew I'd meet some great people.  What I didn't anticipate was the aftermath (now commonly referred to as the HTC Hangover) which left me feeling blessed for the experience, devastated that it's over and hungry for more.  I can only equate this feeling to a few instances in my life: post Ironman, post wedding and post traveling abroad in college.

I am walking around in a daze, thinking only of this past weekend and how incredible it was.  I can't understand how everyone else in my life (husband, co-workers, friends) are just going along with their daily routines as if it never happened.  I want to yell at each of them, "Hello, how can you be talking about spreadsheets? I just had this once-in-a-lifetime experience.  Don't you want to sit down while I tell you about it in detail for hours?"

I know this feeling will fade over time, it always does, but I hope the memories and friendships I made will continue on.  Before I delve into why this weekend was so inspiring and incredible, I have to say thank you to the entire Nuun team.  Although, I was already deep into a love affair with Nuun, I think it's safe to say that I am at the borderline of obsession.  I will never be able to fully express my gratitude for this opportunity but bear with me while I try.

Mason - You have not only built an amazing product but also a company that others should be modeled after.  Giving us the experience of a lifetime, instead of just throwing logos and catchphrases at us is so unique and refreshing.  I hope to continue evangelizing the awesomeness that is Nuun for years to come.  Your passion and understanding of the athlete community is unparalleled.  When you make it down to the Bay Area - wine (and beer) is on me (don't worry Devon you're invited too:)). Also, thank you for finally cluing me into what IRL means, I've been dying to know.

Megan - You are a saint.  Thank you for organizing us for six plus months and doing it all with a smile on your face.  How you kept track of 36 women and 6 drivers in multiple cities for five days, all while running 17 miles, I will never know.  Not to mention you were one hell of a teammate.  Jeantel - driver extraordinaire, you are the man!  Thank you for getting us safely and swiftly to each exchange, for cheering enthusiastically for each of us and for saying no to Megan's request to drive at 4am while she was sleep talking:)

Watermelon Van 1ers - Mallory, Sarah, Catey, Megan & Hannah - You made this journey an absolute blast.  It's rare to find an instant connection to people so quickly nonetheless five people.  Each of you inspired me in ways you'll never know.  I came out of this weekend with a reignited passion for running, blogging and a drive to push myself to new level mentally and physically and that is because of each of you. WWKD for life.

The other 30 women - Each of you inspired me as well and renewed my love for running and this community.  I am so thankful for each friendship that was cultivated this weekend and I hope to see each of you in the near future.  If I had the time I would write a post about why each of you are my heroes.  Reunion race soon, right?

Getting to the actual event, I flew into Seattle late Wednesday afternoon and met up with Tere & Lisa at the airport.  We went straight from there to bowling/beer drinking with the rest of crew.  It was surreal to meet everyone in person and try to piece together what you remembered about them from blogs, fb etc... but we were all in the same boat and you could feel the anticipation for the weekend.  After the get-to-know you bowling we checked into the hotel and half the group headed to dinner.

Thursday consisted of a 4 mile shakeout run around Green Lake before we stopped at The Nest to meet the Oiselle crew.  This was basically adult Disneyland for me.  I had to restrain myself from fondling every piece of fabric and squealing at every picture.  Mother-bird Sally talked to the group and then we made ourselves right at home.

Just a quick 4 before we conquer 200.

Just trying to be one of the team - totally normal and not creepy at all

After some quick showers and lunch we toured the city in true touristy fashion with a ride on the Duck Boats.  Such a fun way to see the city!

Space Needle & Capn Phlip

Duck Tour

Then we were off to the Nuun headquarters for dinner and van decorating.  We were all given our bag of swag and let me tell you it did not disappoint.  Nuun and all their partners (more on that later) treat you right!

Swag Bag!

The Mothership - Nuun Headquarters

Watermelon Van 1 - Ready for Action.

Catey, Kara, Jeatel, Mallory, Hannah Sarah, Megan

After a lot of laughter and giddiness for what was to come, we all went back to the hotel (okay after a beer or two) and called it a night.  I have to stop myself or else we'll have to call this Hood To Coast the novel.  Before we get to the part where the actual running begins, I will reiterate that out of all the HTC's I've done and possibly all the endurance events, this was my favorite.  Hands down one of the best weekends of my life and I feel so honored to have been a part of it.  To be continued....

Hood To Coast #6 Precursor

It's finally here.  It's Hood to Coast week and I couldn't be more excited.  I've been waiting for this all year, ever since I made it my New Years resolution to get on team Nuun.  In 24 hours I'll be boarding a plane to Seattle to hang out with some awesome women and completely nerd out on all things Nuun, HTC, running, blogging etc...  I got an e-mail this morning saying I was upgraded to first class on my flight tomorrow; a clear indicator that this weekend is going to be as awesome as I am anticipating.

There are other things going on race schedule and training wise that I will update you on at some point but for now all I can think about is Hood To Coast.  The downside is I haven't started packing and I still have a cough from the never ending cold.  The upside is none of that matters because my favorite weekend of the year is upon us.

I am slightly terrified of packing this evening.   I thought I was being all smart by flying into Seattle and out of Portland to save money and see some friends.  Then we got an e-mail saying that those of us who made this choice will have to bring all our luggage in the vans and need to fit it in one smallish backpack.  Hmmmm....5 days, 4 runs (we have a warmup run), 3 cities with different weather patterns and one backpack.  If I can do this, I might think about running for President.

This is what it looked like when I was doing 48 hours of HTC - not 5 days

While I am off gallivanting and running around the NW (for the 4th weekend in a row) you can keep up with our team on twitter: @2tix2karadise #nuunhtc 

Also  you can be part of the team right now when you order any of the namesake 4-packs.  They are discounted and you get a free HTC bottle. This is the first year they've ever made these, we're kind of a big deal!

I am on Team Watermelon and I am currently coveting both the Cherry Limeade & Lemonade flavors.  I promise you won't be disappointed.

I am runner No. 3 on Team Watermelon and I have to say I am a little intimidated by the super fast ladies on my team but I hope that I'll inherit some of their speed mojo. 

Leg #3
3.93 Miles
Easy - Approx time 3 PM

Leg #15
7.25 Miles
Hard - Approx. time 1 AM

Leg # 27
5.79 Miles
Moderate - Approx time 10 AM Sat.

I am definitely the most affraid for the third run, leg #27.  Addrenaline and gravitiy will get me through my first leg.  Even though my second leg is my longest, I always run the best on my night legs.  The real test will be Saturday morning.  6 miles wouldn't seem too bad normally but I know how my legs felt with the dinky 2 miles I did for CLR on my third leg.  Also that straight downhill will definitely take it's toll on my muscles and there is more pressure to run fast with these speedsters.  I'll just need to make sure I am hydrating well and stretching like a mad woman to get through the final run. I am trying not to stress too much and just enjoy the weekend.  Looking forward to Hood To Coast #6 and adding to this collection.  See you in Seaside!

Cascade Lakes Relay

Oh man where do I begin?  Cascade Lakes Relay (CLR) was everything I hoped for.  It was challenging, exhausting, ridiculous, exhilarating and hilarious.  Let's start with my team.  As previously stated I signed up for CLR with the same Hood to Coast team that I've run with the past 3 years.  I've co-captained every year with my good friend Dan who I've known since college. He was in MFR's fraternity and dating one of my roommates at the time.  We then worked at the same company for two years and have since, traveled, attended countless duck games and planned 4 years of relay races together, just to name a few.  We share a love of all things endurance, duck, beer, football and relay related. 

Captain Dan and I at HTC before HTC was cool we even had our own team

Four years ago when we first put a team together it was a hodgepodge of co-workers (who worked at our old company) and college friends.  Since then people have come and gone and come back again and the team has taken in new additions of triathlete friends, friends spouses, friends of friends etc...  Somehow, we've managed to hold together a pretty core group and they keep coming back every year.  At least 7 of the teammates this year were on the original team.  This makes each year a blast.  We all know each other way too well and feel very comfortable being our inappropriate selves and making fun of each other for the entire 3+ days we're together.  Plus, there is always a lot of replayed stories and jokes, "remember last year when _____ threw up mid run after eating 5 Uncrustables?"

Needless to say organizing this motley crew can be a challenge.  Every year, I think Dan and I both question if it's really worth it and the team probably thinks the exact same thing when they receive our 1000th e-mail in two weeks.  But without fail, after the race is over, we all start talking about next year. This was no exception - If you're going to torture yourself for 30+ hours, do it with your best friends.

I am getting way ahead of myself.  Let's go back.... I flew into Bend, OR (ahhhhhh, my happy place) on Thursday afternoon and immediately started the dance of pick up vans, grocery shopping, check into the rental house etc....  Most of the team came in that night and we enjoyed an awesome dinner made by one of our gourmet chef teammates. For real, if you're thinking about putting together a team, I highly recommend recruiting someone who loves to cook for 12+ people.

4am on Friday morning came very early for those of us in van 1.  We packed up the van, had two sips of coffee, some breakfast and were out the door; leaving our bullhorn (non-stop entertainment) on the counter:(.  We drove the two hours from Bend to Diamond Lake and watched as the temperature dropped to 38 degrees.  This year they started the race right next to the lake and it was beautiful.  At 8am Jeff was off running.

Van 1 - Diamond Lake

Some of the Van 1 boys

After Jeff took off the race progressed as 200+ miles relays do and around 1pm it was my turn to run. 

Leg 5: 8.74 Hard

It was relatively flat but I was still nervous for the altitude and the heat.  It was 80+ degrees at this point.  Those factors definitely played a negative role in my run but the real issue was what I was running on.  Per usual I didn't really look at my leg that closely nor did I notice it said something about "red cinder." You heard it hear first, red cinder sucks!  The ground was super uneven so everyone was running all over the road to try and find some flat ground. It was also the worlds longest straightaway with no change in scenery for almost 9 miles.  You'd be running on what you thought was finally some even terrain and then all of sudden it would turn to quicksand.  It was a major mindf***.  We also had the added bonus of the vans going by and kicking up dust the entire time so my lungs were on fire and my asthma was bad.

My legs felt okay and my pace wasn't terrible (though it wasn't great) but I just couldn't ever get into rhythm.  The entire 9 miles felt like that first 200ft. of a race where you're trying to figure out your pace and weave in and out of people.  The van stopped for me twice to give me water and could see I was hurting.  Everyone was trying to say nice things, like "this sucks but you're looking great."  Unfortunately I had already gone to the dark place and mentally was responding, "I look f'ing horrible and I just want this to be over."  I finally clicked off mile 8 and ran as fast as I could, which felt like running in place, to the exchange and handed off to Leslie.  Immediately afterward I chugged a gallon of water because I felt like I had a ball of dust just chilling in my throat.  I averaged 9:50's which was nowhere near what I had planned.  I was fairly defeated but I knew my hardest leg was over so I just concentrated on that.

Trying not to get hit by another van while crossing to get water

Thank god that is over

Central Oregon

After Leslie came in for our final leg of round one we headed to Silver Lake to get a little rest and food.  Pointer, if you are in Van 1 - definitely hit up the "sleeping area" in Silver Lake.  They had food, live music a massage tent etc... It was awesome.  Leslie and I convinced the firefighters to let us change behind the trucks in the fire station.  Then we all laid out in the grass, had pulled pork sandwiches, huckleberry smoothies (possibly the best smoothie I've ever had), stretched, rolled and listened to the music.

MFR doing what he does best

MFR getting "assed"

Around 7:30pm it was time for us to get going again and after a quick run in with the children-of-the-corn at the local gas station we headed to the next major exchange and waited for Van 2 to come in.  At this point the mosquitoes were in full effect so to make due I stalked the 10 Barrel van and got a few beers.  We also met the founders and I full on embarrassed myself by swooning over them like they were celebrities.  Which in my mind they are.  Jeff took off and once again the legs started ticking off one by one.  Sometime during this van ride we all decided we should look at the legs we were about to run in pitch black.  It appeared everyone was running on pavement or light gravel.  The light gravel was no picnic and the vans were churning up a lot of dust from the gravel so that at some points it looked like it was snowing.  I figured, at least it's got to be more even than that first leg.  Someone turns the page, "oh Kara yours actually say red cinder."  You've got to be kidding me!

Ron Burgandy loves scotch and hates red cinder

Leg 17: 7.18 Hard
So at 2am I jumped out of the van and ran another 7 miles on that damn red cinder.  It actually wasn't as bad as the first leg because the vans before had flattened some of the road.  It was still tough though and I was all over the road and had to concentrate very hard on having my headlamp positioned right so I didn't hit a quicksand spot and break an ankle.  I felt like I was running at a pretty decent clip and was shocked to find 9:30's flashing on my Garmin.  I thought at least 9:00's.  Apparently sucking in the dust and barely breathing made me feel like I was running way faster then I actually was.  Oh well, I came into the exchange feeling much better and handed off to Leslie.  One not cool thing was that there were cattle grates you had to run over and they did have some plywood down but it was hard to see and way off to the left so you'd come flying up and then come to a complete stop to try and tip toe over the grate.  I had a few close calls.  One really cool thing is these night legs were patrolled by volunteers on horseback.  The volunteers and horses were decked in neon necklaces.  It was pretty awesome running towards them and thinking, "is that a spaceship, nope it's a giant horse wearing rave necklaces in the middle of nowhere."

We handed off to Van 2 and headed to La Pine for some much needed sleep.  La Pine was not as nice as the first stopover but they did have cots, showers and a pancake breakfast so it worked out great.  I think everyone got around 2 hours of sleep and then we were back on the road for Round 3.

Around 7:30am Van 1 started running again.  Everyone took on their last legs (the real test of the relay) like champs.  Around 11:30 it was time for me to get running again.

The boys ran so fast they lost their shirts

Leg 3 - 2.09 Easy
Finally an easy, short leg!  I was so excited.  One minor detail, this was the costume leg.  Yep there is a costume contest - mid relay.  I told you CLR was awesome.  Naturally I ran in a beer costume.  It was extremely hot and did not breath at all but it was well worth two miles of discomfort.  Plus, it was only two miles.  I didn't even wear my watch because it was so short but I am assuming I ran around 9's.

Leslie and her favorite drink

Is it hot in here or is just me?

Is this cannibalism?

Clearly I am super pumped to run again

Okay fine - wait do I look like a running turd from the back?

Hmm...didn't really think through the headpiece/wind thing

I passed this guy who couldn't breathe - I wonder why

The entire News 4 team (these guys ran in these clothes the entire race and carried microphones) and a giant panda

Leslie came in around noon and then Dan crossed the finish line around 5pm.  We all celebrated with some amazing local brews and partied the night away.  And by "partied" I mean we all had two drinks, got in the hot tub and passed out by 9pm (or was it 8?).  Another successful year in the books.  Now the real question, which race do we gun for next year?

Team Put A Bird On It