Great River Ragnar Relay

Great River Ragnar Relay 2010
Wow now that was an experience!  Last weekend Mark and I participated in the Ragnar Relay with our team "Java Junkies"   If you want to read more about what the relay is, here's the Webpage, I won't write it all out for you other than it's a 12 person relay team, split into two vans of 6 people running from Winona, MN to Minneapolis, MN.   Our van consisted of the two of us, my friend Mandy, Mark's friend Steve, Mark's brother Michael and his wife Cari.

The Girls

The Boys

While it was a bit like herding cats for me to get the team going when we got to the start area, our van 2 saw our first runner Brady take off and then we had about a 5-6 hour wait until we started.   Luckily we found this cute restaurant with awesome food and awesome service in Alma, WI called "Kate and Gracie's".  I highly recommend you give this one a try.  It's in an old building right on the main drag through town (don't blink, you'll miss it) but the service was fantastic and the food was great.   Not just a little greasy spoon bar type place like you normally find in these area.

I was the first runner in our van and started out around 5pm or so on Friday.  Unfortunately the sun showed up right about that time and it go thick and hot!  My run was 6.2 miles with about mile 2-3 being straight up!  Good lord I was nearly crawling to crest this damn thing!  I was so happy to see my van at the top and get some food/drink.  

The next mile was all a decent slope downhill in the shade.  WEEE!!!! I was flying down that part!  It felt great!  Last mile and a half or so flattened out and was in the wide open sun so I was toast by time I got done and sweating enough for the whole team.   I think that's my first time finishing a run and slamming and entire bottle of water in about 10 seconds.

6.2 Miles 4:50pm Friday - Very Hard - 1:03:06 HR - 184)

My second leg was at 3:40am.   Mark and I got about 3 hours of sleep on a blanket in the grass before I had to get ready to run again.   Running at night was weird!  Especially considering some spots of my 3.2 miles was dense fog!  Made for an interesting halo around me from my headlamp :-P   This run was relatively flat but the thick air made breathing a litte moe labored but all and all this was the best leg since it was the flattest and coolest!

3.2 Miles 3:40am Saturday - Easy - 27:06 (HR - 178)

My third and final leg was about noon on Saturday and luckily for me the clouds were still holding back the hot sun.  It was great that we got to spend a few hours at the exchange area which was at a Lifetime Fitness so Mark and I went in, got soak in the hot tub, showered and rolled out our legs before my last run.  I wanted to push a little on this one since it was my last leg but lack of sleep was definitely playing a part in how well I was running.  Plus we were in the heart of Woodbury and I actually had to stop for 4 different stop lights during my course.   The hardest part of this leg was around the halfway point when I was running up this gradual hill through a boring business park/industrial type area and instead of just going straight up the road, we were moved onto the winding path which made the stretch longer to get to the top of the hill.

3.7 miles 12:00pm Saturday - Moderate - 30:36 (HR-174)

I feel like I did ok overall.  Always wish I was faster but oh well.   We had a great time and I give a lot of credit to Steve and Cari, our final two runners for making it through some seriously hot sun and hilly terrain to finish up the race :)  

Back to front, left to right:
Cari, Michael, Dawn, Dan, Melissa, Rich, Mandy
Mark, Myself, Steve (missing is Lance and Brady)

A good number of our team are already talking about plans to race next year in the Madison to Chicago Ragnar on June 3-4th.   We would also make it a birthday trip for me since I turn 30 on June 7th (bleh!!)

Healthy eating?
Yeah that has gone out the window lately.  I've felt kinda sluggish lately because I've been consciously eating a lot of crap.  Crappy foods just taste better but I hate feeling weighed down and fat.   So yeah, still trying to kick my own arse into a different rhythm.  

Going to the State Fair this Saturday probably isn't going to help on that front but I am excited to go every year.   We will be going over to Leinie's Lodge to see Tonic-Sol-Fa perform.  They are one of my favorite groups and very entertaining.  Then we have to get through packet pick-up for the Duathlon on Sunday and then go to our first pre-season home game for the Vikings in the evening.  Yes folks, it's time for football again!! :)

The Mpls Duathlon
is on Sunday and as of right now that will be our last multi-sport race of the season.   We haven't been on our bikes nearly enough but I'll survive.   We've had the greatest of intentions to get out more for BRicks but seems like the evenings get filled up so quickly and we've been too comfy to get out of bed in the early AM.  I love working out in the cool mornings but it's also the best time to have the windows open curled up in bed!

Wedding planning? 
Well we are working on reserving our rooms at the hotel and hope to gather the money to book our flights soon as well.   Keep in mind we need to fly and hotel ourselves and our film guys so it's a little more expensive but definitely worth it to have them there to capture our wedding.  Actually through blogging and the wedding contest, I have met a few different couples that I am looking forward to meeting out in Vegas.  Our blogger friends, Team Baby Dinosaur will be out there running the half marathon and also a trail running couple that voted for us and I've been emailing with is doing their first road marathon. It's fun that the social media can introduce us to new people and we will get a chance to meet on our wedding day :) My next project is working on finding a place to get our visors embroidered and get the vail figured out.  

Anyone have any cute ideas for attaching a veil to my SweatVac visor?  I'll be wearing it for the whole marathon.

Geocachers
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