You might recall me writing about Bondi Band having a wee contest to run #ragnarLV this year. I applied here. Then blogged about it here and here. ANd I also blogged about what to pack for a Raganar here.
It is safe to say this was the race I trained for all year. After all it as so MUCH running. Adirondacks was ONLY 28 miles in 30 hours. This was gonna be over 34 miles. (After all was said and done, my mileage count was 36 miles - what's a few extra?)
I have never run that many miles in a two day period. I have come close with my training, but think I am ready to tackle it and remain strong on all the legs. And not die. BONUS! And, it appears only have one leg with an appreciable incline. WHEW!!!
#BONDiGirls were
Amy (my Tough Chik sister) who can also be found on Twitter and IG
Cherie who blogs at Overactive Blogger and can also be found on Twitter and IG
Camille who blogs at Running with Scissors and can also be found on Twitter and IG
Angela who blogs at Cowgirl Runs and can also be found on Twitter and IG
Katie who can also be found on Twitter and IG and at Chase This Skirt!
It was hard. It hurt. It was FABulous.
In Vegas, I started the party. We were to be up and out of the parking lot by 430 am...but one room didnt set an alam. So we were close to 30 mins late leaving. I am rarely typeA. This caused me to stress out. So here's is the number one hint for a relay race. Where you stay in a hotel. With more than one person. SET TWO ALARMS!
I am not much of an eater at 4 am..so I had some Energybits, a VegaOne smoothie and a banana. I had had hydration and nutrition with me. But I also thought that I will be done pretty much a halfmara by 8 am and would chow down then. The van was loaded with yummy food. We got to the start about 10 minutes before I was to start running. Thank GOD the race was delayed a bit and I could use the loo and try to get calm. Just get down the mountain... my legs ended up being just OVER 12 miles (a 3800+ foot elevation drop coming down Mt Charleston running through Humboldt Toiyabe National Forest. I ran this puppy in 55 minutes. HA! Never will I prob never run a HALFMARA in that sort of time. I flew down that mountain. And had to keep telling myself to slow down. Only took a quick potty break at first exchange (did not eat early enough the night before - but I knew that!) and got water. It may have been cool at the start (0C / 33F) but it warmed up FAST!
The first 3 miles was crowded and a gal fell into me. I broke her fall and went down. And got right back up and finished my legs.
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| Owie shot after leg 1,2 finished...I iced and disinfected it. Medics looked at it at leg 6, 12... still took 6 weeks to heal! I still have a scar. Yup. BadASS! |
When I finished it was sunny and getting warm. Within a few hours would be blazing hot.
My next set of legs add up to 13.5 miles - starting at Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area Passing through bonnie Springs Ranch. These 4 legs are not in town or anything. So I am expecting some fantastic scenery. Umm it blacker than the ace of spades and I could see JACK. it was also colder than I thought. I was not at all near warm enough...and reception was terrible so I couldn't phone and ask for assistance. So I kept trucking. It was hard running all that way in darkness and facing traffic on the highway - sometimes a bit blinding! Since vehicles couldn't stop on those legs it was hard going alone. But still dug deep and got 'er done. Oh and you know how I said I thought I only had one leg with an incline? HA!! This was full on incline the WHOLE 13+ miles. Good thing it was damn dark out.
I was super excited when I saw the "ONE MORE MILE" sign but was thinking wow...I must be motoring. Alas...about 12 more minutes later I see another "ONE MORE MILE" sign. I believe I swore a blue streak out loud! A runner behind me and a runner ahead heard. We all laughed. I mean...you cant tease us - we are sleep deprived and somewhat crazy at this point! I finished and was sooo cold - the wind had picked up and it was past 10pm. I was STARVING yet had no energy to eat. Thank god the gals had some eggs and salty chips handy. And some Almond Milk! I ate that. rested. Ate again. Napped. Cheered. Ate again. Napped. Cheered. You get the cyclical picture.
My last two legs started fairly early in the morning. I am kinda sore..but not bad, considering the kind of mileage I had already put in. Cammie hleps stretch me out...We all roll a bit...and have some laughs.
I am to finish with my last two legs (10 miles) in and around Henderson and the River Mountain Loop Trail! I am feeling good and thinking this is some serious badassery! I have been training with a whole lotta miles and back to back to back runs. I hope I am ready for this...eek.
I get out there and that morning run - is glorious. Its pretty simple - 3 miles and bit... but then I have to pee soooo bad...I figure no one will see. It's a big old field on desert nothing. And then 5 guys pass me. They actually stopped to High5 me as I was getting back on the path! MORTIFIED! Then my team tells me they also saw me drop trou. AW FFS! hahahaha. Awesome! I actually nail that run in about 35 minutes. Pretty sweet given my state of lack of sleep and running close to 26 miles the day previous.
My garmin dies just as I pull into my last exchange. I get more water. It is blazing hot now. I can;'t believe how hot it got in 40 minutes. I take a bottle of water, and my water belt is full. I am about to run several miles on a pathway where no one can come help...so I need to ensure I have water.
And we carry one onwards to the finish....where I join the gals to run across the finish line!
It was AMAZEballs. It really was.
And so was that beer at the end.
They also hooked us up with goodies from
Thanks again to our fab sponsors for the wonderful product and the amazing good times!
Have you run a ragnar?
Which is your fav?
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