Monday, April 22, 2013

#RagnarSoCal with #TeamNuun

When I talked The H into letting me run Goofy Challenge AND Eugene Marathon, I had to trade out some other events - namely, Ragnar SoCal.

The course runs directly outside my office window.....
 photo null_zps6cead9dc.jpg
heeeey, Santa Ana River Trail...
Plus, 1/3 of #VanAwesome from last year is busy growing tiny new humans, so I was resigned to staring longingly outside my office all day, wishing I were wearing a sweaty slap bracelet and not sleeping for 24 hours.

So when Sarah OUaL asked if I was interested in running with #TeamNuun, it took me approximately .47 seconds to tell her ABSOLUTELY I WILL.

(I'm ignoring the parts in the 3 weeks following me joining the team, where I almost dropped out when I realized I was BY FAR the slowest runner, when I wasn't having fun training, and when I thought my right quad might just amputate itself if I didn't cut some shit out).

I lived in denial for a few weeks, and procrastinated so much, that I was packing at 9:30 am on Friday morning, while van 1 was getting their safety briefing and at the start line.

 photo null_zps19e2b138.jpg

This year, I was runner 9, and in van 2 (last year, I was runner 3, in van 1), so it was like a whole new race for me.



Megan, our fearless Nuun leader and van 2 driver, got us to exchange 6 in record time, and we breezed through the paperwork, waivers, safety briefing (one for each van!), packet pick up. While our first runner got ready to pound out 8 miles in the hot, hot inland sun, we met up with van 1 for the first time, and got a present from Sheila!

 photo null_zpscabeab16.jpg

The other van 2 runners had already decorated the van for our adventure.
 photo null_zpsdfc4e129.jpg
 photo null_zps238aa004.jpg
 photo null_zps2334ea66.jpg
 photo null_zps91433d4e.jpg

Runner 7 off, and van 2 on duty.

 photo null_zpsc8ac8573.jpg

Man. Like last year, it was HOT HOT HOT HOT HOT. I think the heat index was 101? So not ideal, but... it's Ragnar, and it all moves so fast, so you barely even get to register the heat (ha).

Leg 9, my first.....

 photo null_zps7cdedd44.jpg
This was an ugly, ugly slog up that hill, and down a long stretch of unshaded road. I have never been so psyched to see red lights during a run, ever.

After our van finished our 6 legs, we headed for a quick dinner at Applebees, and then on to the next major exchange, #18 at the Lawrence Welk Resort.
 photo null_zps349f1700.jpg
 photo null_zpsceb435e8.jpg

We had a couple hours of downtime here while Van 1 worked their legs, before we headed out again (I think around 1am?).

My second leg, leg 21, was an easy 4 miler, mostly downhill. It was cold and glorious and everything should be run downhill in the cool dark air. (seriously, I want to find that exact race course).



 photo null_zps114e006d.jpg
Safety first! Not even Ragnar Ambassador's can forego safety gear.
 photo null_zpsa0b97306.jpg
San Marcos at 3am. In case you ever wondered what it looked like.

Van 2 finished up around 5:30am, and we headed out to find some breakfast.

 photo null_zpsda0de076.jpg

After breakfast and a delicious coffee break, we headed out to exchange 30, right in Torrey Pines. I was SUPER excited to hit this exchange, because I've never been to Torrey Pines.

And then we ended up here.

 photo null_zps00ee6943.jpg
Vandemonium

Off the freeway in a broken van. Womp, womp.

Luckily, a friend of our first runner lives locally, and was able to pick her up and take her to the exchange so we could keep running. Van 1 rescued us shortly after, and the van rental company sent down a new van to get us through the remaining legs.

My last leg, leg 33, was an easy down/flat for 4 miles, then a killer death hill at the end.


 photo null_zpsccd3c829.jpg
Our last runner handoff......
 photo null_zpsd3d979eb.jpg
And we headed down to the finish area to meet Van 1 and run Megan in as a team.


 photo null_zpsc82ed69f.jpg
 
 
I had a blast, Ragnar is just the funnest event in all the land. Everyone is fun, and friendly, and I can't wait to do it again. The entire course was well organized, and well marked. Ragnar does a stellar job at the logistics, which seems overwhelming to me in an event THIS enormous.

A HUGE thank you to Nuun for letting me on the team, and for their great support this weekend keeping us all hydrated in that hot SoCal sun!


11 comments:

  1. Fun!, I am doing a Ragnar in Spetember, this makes me all excited for it.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Totally running next year. (For the record, I am NOT part of the 1/3 growing another human).

    That heat is horrible.

    ReplyDelete
  3. I would so love to do this someday. I can't believe you just did it at the last minute! I probably would have said yes too..hard to pass up.

    That heat sounds awful. I'm ready for some warmer weather, but not ready for hot weather yet!

    ReplyDelete
  4. I didn't realize we were at 24 at the same time until I saw Van 1 parked at exchange 25 when we were leaving. I was so out of it at 24 (from 1 groggy hour of sleep and jacked up stomach), I didn't notice you guys, but our van 2 handed off at 5:40am-ish. We were probably milling around there at the same time.

    I'm pretty impressed that the van company got you a replacement so quickly.

    ReplyDelete
  5. So much fun!! I love seeing everyones pictures!! Makes me jealous! ;)
    A Relay is on my bucket list of course!!
    Glad you got to join in on the fun! :)

    ReplyDelete
  6. Sounds much better than the second hand text info I was getting from B.

    Did you type anything after the picture of your awesome ambassador boobs? You lost me there...

    ReplyDelete
  7. I'm with Kim. Kind of got lost after that pic.

    ReplyDelete
  8. im still bitter and jealous you guys got to go out to dinner AND breakfast. :) i kid. glad you were on the team, friend!

    ReplyDelete
  9. So much fun in such a short amount of time (except for the not sleeping part)!

    ReplyDelete
  10. Running with Nuun sounds so awesome - I love Ragnar's too!

    ReplyDelete
  11. I'm doing my first ragnar with nuun in september (and my comeback race) and can't wait! you got to hang with megan-i love her :) so lucky to have a local friend pick up the runner and carry on with the race. glad you had fun!

    ReplyDelete

Comments rock.

LinkWithin

Related Posts with Thumbnails