Ragnar Weekend 2016

Most people don't know the breakdown of a Ragnar Relay,  I will try and explain it really quick. This may get long...first off every team has 12 people on it.  The members are numbered 1-12 and we go in numerical order passing a baton, ounce number 12 gets done he passes the baton to number 1 and it starts over. The team is split up into 2 groups runners 1-6 and runners 7-12. Each group of 6 is in one van. Half of the team can eat/sleep while the other half is driving next to their team as they run. Everyone runs 3 legs, all different lengths due to where they can fit in exchange places, where you give the baton to the next runner. All these exchange places had to be big enough for parking/10+ bathrooms/room for water stations. It goes 2 days and 1 night non-stop!!!

Ragnar tattoo

My husband was leg 10 & I was leg 11. 

Kades legs were -3.1 miles easy

                           -6.2 miles hard

                         -5 miles hard

1st leg

2nd leg, night run

3rd leg

right after we finished our LAST leg.

Kade did amazing!!! He PRed on his 10k, which was in the dark & perfect 50 degrees. I was so worried about him because he didn't get very many long runs in before the race. His longest run was 8 miles and they suggested long runs up to the total amount of miles, so your body is use to high mileage. The course discription said his last 2 legs were down hill, but that 10k in the middle ended up having a lot of hills. But he rocked it and his adrenaline helped his pace significantly. He got 2 blisters and I figure it was because he didn't have 2 pairs of shoes to traid off during legs, like I did. He only hobbled for 2 days after the race was over, which ppl at work gave him a hard time about, haha. He is already talking about next years Ragnar, his runners high, how he is itching to run, and how I might have created a monster. I'm thrilled of course because my fear was that he would hurt a lot, and he would vow to never run again. I vow to never run again in the middle of any race I do...it hurts...sometimes a lot. 

My legs were -4.4 miles moderate

                      -10 miles very hard

                      -2.2 miles easy

showing off our tattoos!

I was happy that I got the easiest leg for my last, I knew I would be stiff and tired after my 10 miler. My first leg was so hot that it was probably my most difficult leg, plus HILLS, I got sick from the heat and I ate dinner that night but was unable to stomach much for the next 24 hours.  

handing off the baton on my 1st leg

 I probably slept the least out of our van next to the driver. Most people were able to sleep while the van was moving and following our team, I wasn't. I only slept twice out on the grass in the sleeping bag. Once while it was 90 degrees and sunny. I now know why my husband had so much fun, it was a mix between camping and sports, haha. I feel like after this I could go camping and survive sleeping on the ground, if you are tired it is doable. My 10 mile leg was the one I was the most nervous for. But there were hardly any hills and it was mostly on gravel. I assume the gravel gave it a harder rating, but I run on the gravel all the time over here, so it was great. It was a trail run and it was around the beautiful Echo Lake. 

Half of it was in the dark and I got to watch the sun rise around the lake. Talk about beautiful - one run that will be forever hard to beat. 

My last leg was fast and furious...my fastest mile yet 10:30

Yay, I'm DONE!

By the end I was so tired. I was so ready to go home. I missed my babies soooo much, and I'm still not sure I will do it again next year. But give me a few months and I will forget the bad. Our van was amazing, I laughted so hard and had so much fun visiting and sweating with my team. It is definitely a great experience, and adventure, and something we will have to save some $$$ up for if we plan on it again.

our medals are a puzzle!

All running into the finish together!

Yes, we did it!

Some random things - the most difficult thing about a Ragnar next to no sleep and multiple races is the waiting. You feel like you are constantly waiting for 2 days and a night. If we do it again at least I will be prepared for the endless waiting.  -I have never had to use a porterpotty so much in my life, you get to where you are scanning for them at EVERY exchange. -people weren't as smelly as I feared - and you don't need as much food as you think, but double the water. Now, some more random pictures.

shopping

riding in the big van.

showing off our team shirts, that was our name, when in doubt run it out.

our van!

showing off that medal

we did it, together.

The whole dozen, that we didn't see much of, and I don't even know all their names.

strangers, turned friends.

This weekend taught me that I am way more mentally tough than I give myself credit for! I can now call myself a ragnarian & check that off my bucket list. 

jump for joy, we are DONE!

Valentines Weekend 2016 -Part 3- The Race

Saturday morning came in a flash! I didn't even remember falling asleep or when. We headed down to breakfast at the hotel, I was so shaky I'm surprised that I forced anything down. But the waffles tasted extra amazing even though I was feeling queasy. After breakfast I went to get my clothes on, I was a total mess and kept asking Kade "why did I sign up, why did I think this was ever a good idea?" All of a sudden it was time to go and I was hoping we would 1. Find the place and 2. Be on time.

We found the park no problem and we somehow navigated to the perfect parking place without trouble. I hadn't heard from my cheering crowd yet (my family) and I'd hoped they wouldn't get lost. They drove all that way and I really wanted them to see the start. I didn't know much about the park and I figured the first and the last was all they would see of the race. I made my way to the starting line, and found it, no one was lining up there yet. It was about 20 minutes till go time so I used the bathroom, I texted my cheering crowed, and worried. About 5 mins before everyone made it (yay), I saw that people were lining up at the start. We got a few before pictures, and then I made my way to line up. 

It wasn't a large race maybe 100 something people but I tried to go clear to the back of the pack. I knew that I would be at the back end due to my pace. They gave us course instructions and then it was go time. 

Now, everyone's number one tip is to not start out too fast, but it is hard not to. I kept looking at my watch and although it felt like I was running really slow I was  holding a very fast pace for me. I kept trying to slow down. I finally found my pace and the people that I would be passing/being passed by all race. There were two girls in particular that were friends who would walk, I would pass them, they would run and pass me again.

Around 1.5 miles in I couldn't believe how great I was feeling but because I had been so nervous I really had to pee!   I picked this race because I knew there were 6 places I could use the restroom...me and my mommy bladder ;) anyway I talked to someone on the course and they let me know I had already passed a bathroom but there was one at mile three. So I kept up my hustle, I got to mile three in 33 minutes which for me is pretty quick considering I had 10 more miles to go. Looking back through my splits you can't tell I went to the bathroom the first time because I must have tried to makeup for time lost. 

The course was very nice, so much to look at. I had a conversation or two with random runners. And at mile 4 I finally turned on my headphones, because I wasn't really close to anyone. To me that is amazing that I kept myself occupied for 4 miles without any kind of distraction. At mile five I got an amazing surprise, my cheering crowd was at the water station! I didn't think I would get to see them during the race so I had to keep the tears back. I get SUPER emotional when I run, such raw feeling everywhere. The course was out and back so I knew I would get to see them again in 3 miles.  This was the longest part of the race...I kept waiting to see the station so I could turn around...I felt like it wouldn't ever come! 

While I was waiting for half point there was an older man I started a conversation with. It was his 63rd half marathon if I remember right. We talked and he just made that mile bearable! I was so excited to see half way point, and I knew I would see my cheering section soon. I felt like it was all down hill from there, just 10k to go. 

I gave everyone high-fives at mile 8 when I saw them! I was PUMPED, but within a quarter mile I started the doubt game in my head. I still had 5 miles to go....5 miles. Oh no, I have 5 MILES. I had tears running down my face. I remember man walk his dog passed me and said, this is such a hard course, keep going. I did the only thing I could think of, I texted Trecia. 

After a few texts and trying to positive talk my way out things were feeling better. I knew mile 10 had a bathroom and I just needed to make it there!  I started to feel good again and I did end up using mile 10's bathroom. At 10.5ish I was crossing a bridge and my family was hanging out on it, Richard jumped in and I raced him across the bridge.

 And then I realized he was planning on running the last 2.5 with me. This made my day!!!! I have done 11 miles as my longest training run and I knew the last few miles would be really difficult. He made my load lighter by just being there so I knew I wasn't alone. We talked and I checked my watch and I was shocked at how my pace was getting quicker. I went from 11-10 minute splits. My last mile was a sub 10! We talked and before I knew it I was sprinting across the finish line! 

My official time: 2:41:15 12:17minutes/mile

My watch time: 2:33:53 11:43minutes/mile (I paused my watch during potty breaks)

I did it! Thank you EVERYONE, for the calls and the texts, for driving down to watch, for watching kids, and running by my side. I feel so blessed and I am excited to smash my time during my next half. I think I'm hooked y'all! 

House Tour - The Office-

I am by no means a clean/organized person, I have had this pointed out by a lot of people.  But, I want to post pictures of my house and I wont do that unless a room is decent.  And there is no way with 3 littles that I will ever have every room cleaned at once.  Instead of never, ever, ever, posting walk-through pictures of my house, I will just do it a room at a time.  And the room that happens to be semi-organized would be my office.  It isn't all cute and decorated yet, in fact non of my rooms are "decorated"  I plan on doing some things to all of the rooms still, but this is probably how it will be and stay for the next yearish.

To me it is kind of funny that this is the first room I show you, because it is kind of the room where everything goes that doesn't have a place.  It is also MY space.  I feel bad that it happend that way, but it turns out I have a lot of stuff.  Kades hobbies end up being outside stuff, like tools, cars, machines, and whatnot.  Between, school books, crafts, sewing, photography, and exercise equipment this room turned out to be mostly all of my stuff.

Here is the progression

Moving night, everything stuffed in the corner.

Mess getting messier before it gets better.

Lex showing you how to use a treadmill, bahahaha. 

Duck face

HERE IS THE NOW

If you walk in the front door, this is the view.  Living room to your left, dining room & office in front of you, a hallway to your right.  

Lex, sitting on the desk, being a trouble maker. 

The room where I spend a lot of time finding myself.  

Do you see my barbell in the left corner?  That was my Christmas present....I'm working on my muscles.   The closest gym is like 25+ miles, so I am working on buying a personal one.   I never would have thought that exercise equipment would get me so excited.  

 A picture from a typical day, Lex interrupting a workout.  Because, the yoga mat is great for legos. 

Addy will do a workout along with me, following along, or sitting and watching me.  She sometimes will color or do homework when I am in the office.

Drake is not normally one to workout with me, he gets bored easily, and rather be alone.  If he wants screen time, he reminds me, "mom you need to go workout."