Ragnar!

Wow! Ragnar was such a crazy and amazing experience! I loved being with my sisters and meeting two new friends! Sherry, Stephanie and Jenn were so much fun to hang out with and the two other girls Amanda and Lesa were so much fun and didn't mind our craziness and poop talk too much! We got all packed up and headed to Sherry's house at ten Thursday night. I left Sean with the kids (which was a disaster....lets just leave it at that.) We slept in Sherry's basement and tried to sleep but we were too excited! We got up at 5:30 and headed to Logan by 6. We were almost to the stadium, when we got pulled over by a cop for not "moving over for an emergency vehicle." That made Sherry super happy! ;) We got all signed up and headed to the starting line.

Amanda went first! We drove to the next stop where she finished her 8 miles and I started mine! I was so nervous and was shaking! I couldn't have had more adrenaline pumping through my veins! There she was...this is it...here I go! I tried to set a good 9.5 min/mile pace. The trail I was on was so beautiful, I got lost in the scenery. The van stopped a few times to cheer me on, which was so much fun! There was a 5 mile road that the van wasn't allowed to go on, so it was just me, the road and the other runners. A bunch of girls and guys past me...uuggghh! So I made it a goal to keep them all at least in sight. By the end of 6 miles I was right back up with most of them because they has all slowed down, but I had kept a constant speed. Then came the hill!!! I had trained for this! I could do it! I ran up the hill and didn't stop! I passed all those girls as they walked slowly up the incline. KILL, KILL, KILL! I made it up the hill and burst into tears! I was overcome with emotion! I felt great and knew I could finish! All those months of training had paid off. I came to the last mile marker and was overcome with emotion again...I COULD DO IT! I tried my very best and ran as fast as I could! I passed those last two girls that had passed me so long ago. I sprinted to the finish, there was Jennifer ready to run! I slapped the braclette on her wrist and gave her a hug and I ran a few steps with her. I did it!! WHOOT WHOOT! miles:8 time: 1 hour 21 mins, pace: 9.70min/mile

It was fun to be in the van and cheer on the others! Stephanie had a horribly difficult leg were she had to run up a hill for 8 miles in dust and heat! She did a killer job and I had so much appriciation for her! Then Sherry ran down that hill in a crazy fast time. She is amazing. After we had all run our leg, and were waiting for Sherry to come in, we found Dad waiting at the exchange and cheered him on as he switched with Sherry. It was so fun to she him so excited! He said he was a 10 min/mile pace but he ran his heart out and did it at a 8.5 pace!

We took a break on a grass field and tried to sleep, then it all started again! Amanda ran a huge uphill/downhill for 7 miles, then it was my turn for a short 3 miles. I tried to run as fast as I could! It was a pretty gentle uphill climb the whole time. I ran full out the first mile at a 8.5 pace. Then I knew I needed to slow down a bit because the hill was steeper then I thought. I slowed to a 9, and then the last mile 9.20. I finished in 27.40 at a 8.9min/mile average pace! I was so proud that I tried my hardest and ran past everyone I saw...expect two speedy men that passed me.

Everyone ran again great! Jen was super fast running around 8 min.miles. Steph was next and ran a shorter leg and she said it was so easy after that hill she ran. Then Sherry took off to do her huge 7 mile hill climb. Our next exchange with the guys was 10 in the dark. I stayed with Dad as we waited for Sherry to come in. He was so awesome, running with his white socks over his pants and his earphones listening to General Conference talks! He took off and we got in the van and drove an hour to the place where we would sleep for a few hours. It took forever because the directions were wrong so we got really lost! When we got to the field where we were going to sleep, it was FREEZING! Like 33 degrees! I couldn't stop shaking! Everyone was sleeping soundly in their sleeping bags, but I was so cold and uncomfortable I didn't sleep at all. Finally 3:30 came and we got ready to meet the guys again. We dropped Amanda out of the van and drove to the next point where I would run. I didn't want to sit in the van because my body was so cold. I stood at the exchange for almost 40 minutes jumping to warm up my muscles. Finally, after what felt like an eternity Amanda came into focus! I cheered for her as she finished her leg and took off! This was it, my last 3.3 miles of the Ragnar. I wanted to go faster than ever! I worked on passing everyone I saw, but keeping a 9 min mile pace. I passed so many people and then a young girl passed me. She seemed to be going just a little faster than me so I made it my goal to stay right behind her the whole time. Then by the second mile I felt warmed up and passed her, but she had the same plan and stayed on my heels the whole time. So finally we started running next to each other for the last mile. I kept cheering people on that we past and tried to get them to keep running. At the mile marker I tried to run faster and the girl stayed with me. Finally we could see the finish! I pushed myself as hard as I could go! The girl didn't keep up with me, but I just wanted it to be over with so I didn't slow for her. There was Jenn, and I was done! I was breathing so hard I couldn't catch my breath! Then the girl found me and we talked about how much fun it was to run with each other! I showed her our pace on my iphone and amazingly we had stayed on the same exact pace the entire race! We had been perfect pacers for each other. Even though it felt like I had sprinted at the end, I had kept the same pace. I was done! distance 3.3miles, 31.25mins, 9:18 pace. I did it! And my knees and feet didn't even hurt! I didn't even have blisters! What a great blessing!

Next Jenn ran up a long hill and ran like the wind. Her legs are muscular and long! Sherry did her last two miles and then we were done! We found the high school and took a nap on the grass and ate tons of food! Next, we raced to the Park City High School which was the finish line. Our last runner would come in and then we would run around the track together to the finish line. As we were driving we told Andrea it was time for them to come! Mom and Andrea drove as fast as they could to make it! (We were 1 hr and 45 mins faster than we projected we would be!) She showed up just in time! We all put on our Ragnar t shirts that they gave us and held hands as we walked with her to the finish line. We were all overcome with emotion that Andrea was there, walking with us! She had trained so hard to do the Ragnar and she was able to finish with us! They put a metal around each of our necks, including Andrea and we all cried a little out of joy.


I hope we can do it all again, but with Andrea running with us next year!