Week 4 Update - 2,982 Miles

This week we blazed through Vegas, and soon won't be able to see the lights of the strip behind us anymore. This coming week should bring us to about 10% complete for our challenge. Thinking about it in those terms make it seem like we've already gone quite a ways toward our goal. Hopefully tomorrow we will have a post up about the half marathon that Ami and Linsey ran together in Utah this past Saturday, and helped us get past Vegas. Only 2751.5 more miles to go!  

Red Rock Relay Zion - 2014

**Warning: This is an incredibly long post with lots of pictures.** 

Back in June, while we were preparing for the Ragnar Relay - Wasatch Back, my new friend and teammate, Chris (who was introduced to me by Kristen), asked if I would be interested in running the Red Rock Relay with his team in September. The conversation went something like this:

Chris: Hey, you wanna run Red Rock with me in September?

Me: Yes!!! 

Chris: Cool, we're doing it as an Ultra team.

Me: Hold up... Now I have some questions. Like is your team trying to win this thing?

Chris: Nope, just want to have fun.

Me: Will anybody be mad at me or judge me if I am running 12 minute miles by the end of my ridiculous number of miles?

Chris: Nope. 

Me: Let me think about it for a day. 

In all honesty, I didn't really need to think about it even for a day. I knew I was going to do it. Because I'm a glutton for punishment. And I love challenges, especially when it involves running and other people as crazy about running as I am.

Fast forward a couple of months to when I find out that our team name is "Derek Zoolander Van for Kids Who Can't Run Good", and I knew I was on the right team. So much planning went into the theme and costumes for this race, and it made it that much more awesome. 

Then a potential disaster struck. The week prior to the relay, there was some severe weather in southern Utah, and part of I-15 south of St. George was completely washed out and traffic was being diverted to Cedar City on back highways. But nothing changed with the relay... we were all good to go. Then Wednesday night, about 36 hours before the first teams were supposed to start, UDOT revoked the permits for the last 2/3 of the course. Red Rock made some very tough decisions very quickly, and decided to still put on the event, and just change the format a little bit. 12 person teams became two teams of 6, and would each run two legs instead of 3, essentially making the Zion race imitate their Park City, Moab, and Dixie races. But what was our team of only 6 to begin with supposed to do? We improvised. We each picked legs out of legs 1-12 that would get us the mileage that we each wanted, and was terrain we felt comfortable tackling.  As a side note, we ended up only having 5 runners at the time of the event - one member decided not to run the relay due to the revised format.

Thursday around noon, we all gathered at Chris' house in Orem to pack the van and drive to Cedar City where we would pick up our final team member, Jerrod. We had dinner in Cedar, then drove up to the Cedar Breaks Lodge at Brian Head for check in, leg reassignments, van decorating, and a little bit of sleeping. 

Here is part of the team working on restructuring the order we were going to run in. This is only part of the craziness that happens the night before a relay. Good times!

And here is Jenna, Steve, Jerrod, and me just minutes before we headed to the start line on Friday morning (7am-ish), rocking our Zoolander headbands and a little Blue Steel.

Chris and I left the start area together for about a 1/2 mile trail run that took us over to one of the chair lifts at the resort. 

Jenna, Steve, and Jerrod jumped on the lift with us, and our entire team ran the rest of Leg 1 together. It was a beautiful trail run, most of which was downhill back to the next exchange. Steve ran up into the trees and snapped this photo - which I am sure I will always look at with fond remembrance of this relay. ;) 

Chris and I stayed on course for Leg 2, which SUCKED! It was basically straight uphill for almost 2.5 miles. Oh yeah... and the summit of that hill was over 10,000 feet elevation. Thanks to Chris and Steve for encouraging me up that hill, and Steve for this photo. I was running, but I was in a little pain cave all my own at that point. 

I happened to get this awesome shot of Jerrod and Steve chest bumping somewhere around this point of the race too.

I took a break after Leg 2, while Chris and Jerrod continued on Leg 3. And what a welcome break it was. I stretched, changed, and got ready to go back out. I decided that I wanted to run leg 4 since it had so much downhill in it. So back out I went for another 7.1 miles. Steve got this great shot of Jenna and I as we started out on Leg 4. It's a good thing we took it early in the event, because by the time I ran my last legs, I don't know if I could have caught myself on the landing. Ha! 

The signs on the course were awesome, and this one in particular made me laugh. This leg of the course was a little over 7 miles... and at one mile to go, this is what I read. Almost panicked for a second, but chuckled and stopped for a photo instead.

By the time I had finished this leg, I was pretty spent. My total mileage already completed was around 12.5 miles, and I had run legs 1, 2, and 4. Time for some rest and dry clothes! Steve and Jerrod took over for some heavy mileage during the middle of the relay, and did a great job! Here's Jerrod in his sexy reflective vest. 

I don't even know how many miles Steve ended up running during the relay, I just know he's a Bad-A, because he had just run a 100 mile ultra marathon a few weeks before Red Rock. So this was kind of easy for him. Haha! He was awesome to have on the team. He helped motivate and entertain me when I didn't know if I had any more miles in my legs. And did I mention that he can jump?! 

At this point, we were in the home stretch of the race (since it was no longer an overnight event). Chris and Jenna went out for Leg 11, and killed it. This is one of my favorite pictures from this part of the race. No idea what's going on here... but it perfectly depicts where I was mentally by this point.

I was hellbent on getting at least 20 miles during the relay (my original mileage was supposed to be about 26 miles), so I jumped ahead of Chris and Jenna by a mile or so, and ran the last 3 miles of Leg 11, and then kept running with Steve all the way through Leg 12 and the finish line. My final run ended up being about 8 miles, and was not my fastest 8 miles on record, but I finished it. And that was my goal. 

Just before sunset, the Zoolander Van for Kids Who Can't Run Good crossed the finish line. 

I had such an amazing time at this event, and will definitely go back to run this course again - hopefully in its entirety! This was a new relay experience for me, and was very different from the relays I had previously run. There is something fun and exciting about running with people you haven't run with before, and making brand new friends during a relay. I have no doubt that these people will be a significant part of my life going forward. My interest in trail running was piqued during this relay, and my passion for running and relays specifically was reinvigorated. I am looking forward to running events with a slightly new perspective, and have a new appreciation for encouraging other runners to achieve their goals - whether it's simply starting to run for the first time, or qualifying for Boston. Thank you to this group for inspiring me anew!

And a special thank you goes out to Whitney, who drove the 5 of us from Salt Lake to Cedar, all the way through the relay, to Zion the day after the relay, and back to Salt Lake. It was so nice as a runner to not have to worry about who was driving next, or who would be awake enough to drive. I think we might have even convinced her that running is fun. :) Who knows, maybe she'll be making an appearance in my post about Wasatch Back 2015 as a runner! 

Thank you, Whitney!!!

And thank you to my whole team. I love every one of you, and hope we get to do this again real soon. 

Week 3 Update - 2,982 Miles

After 3 weeks of mileage, we are now 168 miles into our journey. This brings us very near to the California / Nevada border. Hopefully we can make it to Vegas by next Monday! 

Packing for a Relay

Sounds intimidating, right? It definitely can be. But there is an art to it, and a few helpful tips that I will share to make it easier.

If you've never done a relay before, that aspect can be challenging in and of itself. Then you have to figure out what to take with you, and what you are going to need when you are running 3 times in 24 hours, sleeping in the car or on a gymnasium floor, and eating out of a cooler tied to the back of a van.

I just completed my 9th relay this past weekend, and thought that packing might be a good topic to share. This relay was different from all the others that I have done, though. My first 8 relays were Ragnar Relays, and this one is a Red Rock Relay. All of my Ragnars have been completed as part of a "regular", or 12 person team. For this Red Rock Relay in Zion, we will be participating as an Ultra team, meaning we only have 6 runners and will cover the same distance as the 12 person teams. More on that in another post after the relay, though. Back to packing!

I start making a list of the things I want to be sure to pack about a week to two weeks in advance. Having a complete list before I start shoving gear in my bag helps me make sure I don't forget anything, and also that I don't over pack. I put everything on this list. EVERYTHING. Even my running shoes.

A few things that may not be so obvious when you think about running, but may want to include in your bag:

• Baby Wipes (amazing what these can do in the absence of running water)
• Body Glide 
• Ear plugs
• Roll on Icy-Hot (this way you get the benefits of the Icy Hot, but don't have to worry about washing your hands immediately after application)
• Single Use Cold compresses - the kind you break to activate
• Cash - much of the food that is available at relays is through fundraisers, and it's best to have cash

One final tip that makes a huge difference is to put your running clothing and whatever you will need for each specific leg into a gallon size Ziploc bag and label it for each run. That way, if you are short on time, tired, or it's dark, you will be able to quickly grab exactly what you need without any trouble. 

After you are finished with a run, these bags also come in handy when you can drop your sweaty and stinky clothes right back into the bag, seal it up, and not subject your teammates to your festering running gear for the remainder of the relay. I also stick a couple of dryer sheets in my bag just to help keep any odors at bay.

Check back soon for a post about the relay I ran this past weekend! It was pretty epic!

Week 2 Update - 2,982 Miles

This week the four of us logged another 66.25 miles, bringing our total distance covered to about 119 miles. And officially taking us into the middle of nowhere, CA. We should be to Vegas in two weeks!

Week 1 Update - 2,982 Miles

After our first week, we completed 53.5 miles of our journey! That puts us almost to Barstow. Bring on Week 2! 

Why Stop Now? A Pregnant Runner's Journey

As you all know, running is my life. If you read this you've grasped that about me. As I sit here writing this, I am on the beach and watching my husband fish - one last trip as a two person family before Sweet P arrives. The point of this little narration is to give you an insight into my journey of running pregnant. I still cannot believe our little miracle will be arriving in 6 weeks.

I'm a pretty petite person; this is not me bragging just a statement of fact.  I hardly reach 5' 1" and stay pretty thin.  Probably because my lifestyle keeps me moving. I say this to tell you that giving my body to this sweet little babe has been hard for me to grasp. Not that every ounce isn't worth it because I wouldn't have it any other way, but to feel the weight literally slowing you down is an intriguing change to go through. I want you to know that these feelings are normal. It's true, most pregnant women feel a bit upset about the weight gain. Eating healthy and regular exercise is still going to be beneficial once your holding the baby in your arms.

Now...On to my point. I have continued to running from day one of finding out I was pregnant. My doctors have encouraged it. Though my husband says he thinks I should stop, he never really means it. In my first and second trimester I was running up to half marathon distances on the weekends. In fact I completed a Ragnar Trail race, and three offical half marathons. The first trimester pace began to slow, but nothing to be terribly upset over. As I began to show more and as summer came on fully the change in my pace really began to happen. My body also really started to feel the weight in my knees and my lower back. As a child I was diagnosed with asthma, so this began to be a concern I had to actually monitor closely. Entering into my third trimester the true change occurred; finding that I couldn't continually run and transitioning to a run/walk. We would run for three minutes and walk for one. It realistically is what kept me running. As I finish up this post, there are 5 weeks, 5 days left until my due date and my running has ceased entirely. Walking is now the name of my game. There was too much pain on my spine, which I can only assume is from the weight and the curving. Due to time constraints I have spilt my walks up throughout the day.  As my good friend told me "miles are miles." Most mornings I wake up and head to the gym EARLY, and do 2.5 miles, along with a light weight routine. Every day at work I take a 20 minute break and go for 1.5 mile walk and a few days a week when I take my nephew to his cross country practice, my sister (a new runner) and I will walk 2 miles. This division of my walks helps with keeping me from getting stiff and sore from sitting at my desk, in the car to and from work, on the couch at night and sleeping.

The intended purpose of this post is is to encourage pregnant runners, as long as you're not experiencing pain or problems and your doctors say it is OK to continue, is to keep going. Slow down when necessary and walk when needed.  Know that slowing down is not anything to worry about. Stay active. The benefits of a fit pregnancy will prove itself when all is said and done. The main benefit is you will stay healthy and so will the precious cargo you are carrying.

And finally ... Introducing Kristen

I have a confession.  Here, come closer and I'll tell you what it is.  Ready?

I am not a runner.

Now before you start to get all motivational on me and object with the, "If you run, then you are a runner" speech, let me clarify something.  

I'm ok with not being a runner.

I mean, running is ok - and don't get me wrong... I can certainly get pumped and engage in busting embarrassing- but- I- don't- care- dance moves when a good beat comes through my ear buds over the Pandora Katy Perry station.  But you guys, I am an exerciser.  Really what that means, is that in all my life of getting exercise through organized sports teams (mainly volleyball and softball), life these days has really put a limit on what is available to me for exercise.  I mean, is it just me, or are organized sports for adults harder to come by than it was in high school and college?  And sure, there's the membership fee you can pay to join a gym (which I've done), but in reality, when it comes to responsibly budgeting a family of four on one income, sometimes I'd rather buy a cute  babyGap outfit and find an alternative to exercise than paying the monthly membership to the gym (so sue me!).

Enter Linsey in 2010.  It was her and her Ragnar idea that sparked my interest running in the first place (because remember?  I had always chosen the most minimal run intensive team sports of volleyball and softball in the past).  I needed a goal to bounce back after having my first baby, and since Ragnar was 5 months away at that time, it became the perfect opportunity to train for and motivate myself.  No expensive gyms or organized sports teams needed.  Just a pair of running shoes and the right sports bra for this nursing mom (more on that later!)  Sure, I run the easiest legs of the relay, and yes - I'm appreciative that as team captain, Linsey graciously hasn't kicked me off the team yet for my under achieving goals of to simply being able to run (as opposed to walk) my 3 or 4 mile legs.  But running gives me the exercise that empowers me to be a better wife, mom, friend, and all around person.  And along the way, I've picked up some fun friends- as well as brought some old ones along.  

Let's Talk About Toenails

I was going to start this post with a picture of a gnarly toenail or something, but when I googled to find an image, I about lost my lunch. So we'll just go with this.

I have now considered myself to be a runner for about 5 years. In that time, I have never lost a toenail, knock on wood. I attribute that to the fact that my best friend and fellow Sweat Sister, Ami, took me to a local running store for my first pair of legitimate running shoes, and right from the get-go, I was wearing shoes that fit me properly. As a side note, if you haven't done that before, I highly recommend it. I'm sure I'll come back to shoes in a later post as well. 

Fast forward to this past Sunday when I was running down Big Cottonwood Canyon and I had a weird pain in a couple of my toes on my left foot starting around mile 6. I chalked it up to running on the sloping shoulder of the canyon road, and tried to relax and run closer to the white line when I could. I finished out the full 10 miles, and went home to stretch and shower. As I was getting in the shower, I peeled off my sock and saw blood. Crap. Not a lot, but enough to make me wonder what had happened. Apparently, I have been neglecting toenail maintenance in the last week or so, because I had one toenail that was just a smidgen too long and a little pointy on the corner, and had been piercing a small hole in the toe next to it during my entire run. Swell. To update you on the status of my injured toe, it's already healed and no longer causing me pain, but I immediately sat down and lopped off all my toenails right then and there. 

I have always kept my toenails pretty short for several reasons, but this just adds one more to the list. Not only do I not want them bashing into the front of my running shoes, or to be the weird lady with the freakishly long toenails, but I don't need them to slice open their neighboring piggies either. So the moral of this story is to keep your toenails a reasonable length, and make sure you don't have any sharp corners on them either. Happy running!