Ragnar SoCal Recap - Part The End

Exchange 18 was at the Lawrence Welk Resort somewhere. Honestly, this is where things are a little fuzzy - the exchange had bonfires, food, etc, and looked like a ton of fun, but it was sinking in that we'd been running for a jullion years, and our break was only going to be Van 2's super fast 22 miles.

That's not a ton of time.

We decided to stick our first and second runners, Shannon and Becka, in the back to get some rest while we drove to Exchange 24. Sandy drove, I navigated, and I think everyone else slept peacefully. I think Sandy and I got a few minutes of rest, then it was time to start all over again. Got Shannon up and out of the van to get ready for her leg.

Shannon came back, and we sent Becka off. Pretty sure Shannon said it was The Best Run Ever Ever Ever. or something. Fuzzy brain. I got a text that Ragnar was extending night hours, due to heavy fog, so I would have to keep my vest and headlamp on. Boo.

Theeeeeennnnn, I dragged myself out of the warm van, got in the line for the port-o-potties. I was worried. It was around 6am, and I hadn't eaten anything except In n' Out Friday morning, the protein box from Starbucks Friday evening. I had been working on a bagel for most of Becka's run, but honestly? I thought FOR SURE I was going to puke on the run. It was guaranteed.

Then runners started coming back in saying they got lost, needed maps, signs moved, and I freaked the hell out. I knew Becka would be there soon, but I NEEDED the map, the end. So I left the exchange area to grab it.

Turns out, I didn't need it, but.... better safe than sorry?

Becka made it back before I got back to the exchange - another seamless transition.

So this run? I really, really was worried. Like I said, I felt gross. I knew I was going to puke. There was no question.

But then I ran, and it was foggy, and cool, and glorious, and.... I didn't puke. Hooray!

The first two miles were rolling hills, through Encinitas. The rest was flat through downtown, and along the ocean. If I were less foggy headed at this point, I would have brought my phone, so I could show you the pretty route I snagged.... But it looked like this.

Thanks, Google Maps

I know, right?

Anyway, it was beautiful, perfect conditions, and the best of my 3 runs. Not the fastest, but totally the best. 5.4 miles, 53:27, 0 vomit.

Back at the exchange, apparently I missed a very dramatic proposal - there were rose petals everywhere, and I thought it was weird, but I suppose in the correct context, it makes sense. Julie stole my bib....

 .....and ran. Then handed off to Sandy...

Sandy handed over to Madison, and we headed over to Exchange 30 for our last exchange with Van 2!

The LMFAO team was THE BEST.

 

We killed some time handing out Smarties and Nerds, and finally realized that people thought we were... the Strangers with Candy team. Oops.


Madison KILLED her last leg running the evil Torrey Pines hill, and I think racked up 17 kills?? I can't remember, but that girl is a machine.

Later, Ashley!

Handed off to Van 2, and we were.... done.

We wandered around the exchange a bit, being dumb.

 

Debated about what comes next (answer: Food, Target, Showers, Clean). And then did it.

Spent a bit of time trying to track down Van 2 so we knew when to meet up at the finish line, stopped at Lululemon in La Jolla (sorry, Sandy), and went to claim our beers.

Elisabeth came sprinting in (seriously, sprinting), and we ran through the finish line together, Team #SMCOL.

And I wish I had some more pictures, but I don't (yet, official pictures haven't been released), so here's one of Van 1.

 

This last leg sounds like remarkably less fun than the others, but that's 100% because I have super vague memories of what actually happened.

I do remember that we had fun, the entire time. There was zero conflict. We laughed a LOT. I would not have changed one single person in our van. We got super lucky.

It totally helps that we're all awesome.

 

So... yeah. That's that.

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NOTES

Eat. It's important.

Be prepared for The Addiction. Relaying is FUN. #2 is vaguely in the works.