Hooligans Still on the Run

For the second year, Mike and I participated in the Ragnar Relay or also known as the Wasatch Back. Last year our name was Hooligans on the Run. This year we were called Hooligans Still on the Run. I don't know why we said yes again. It is really fun to hang out with our friends, but I haven't really experienced the joy of running yet. I am waiting for it to get fun.

A few months ago, I felt like I was in pretty good shape for this relay. I picked the same easy leg 7 as last year because who am I kidding I wasn't in that great of running shape. I just can't do long distances. Anyway back in May Tanner and I were playing and he landed on my knee wrong. I played soccer on it and the swelling began. I went to physical therapy which helped get the swelling down, but I needed to rest it. Thus going into this relay, I hadn't been training at all recently.

Mike and I were in Van 2 again this year. Shad and Natalie were with us last year and Bryan and MaryAnne joined us. Amy was our van driver.

The first van headed to Logan on Friday and started at noon. We arrived in Eden around 4pm to complete some safety training and be ready for Van 1 to arrive.

Runner 6 from Van 1 is almost here so I am ready to go! Not sure why Mike has his shirt off, but it was really hot!

It's around 6pm and I am waiting in the runner's shoot for my team member to arrive.

My first leg was labeled 4 miles easy. I think I averaged around a 9:30 minute mile. My knee hurt a little, but I did a lot better than I thought I would. In this picture I am about to hand off to MaryAnne who is our runner 8.

Mike chose to be runner 11 this year. His first leg was a very hard 3.7 miles that took him up and then down the old Snowbasin Road. The sun was setting so everyone had to wear their night gear.

Mike is looking good.

The girl Mike is holding is a young thing in high school wearing a skirt. For the last mile or so she and Mike battled it out. They kept passing each other. Mike totally denies he was trying to beat her. The last half mile was a steep downhill and Mike eventually let her pass because they were both flying so fast he didn't want one of them to trip. At the end the girl just about did and this is a picture of Mike catching her.

Each team has to provide 3 volunteers for the race. Cami was nice enough to be one of ours. I picked when and where she would be and it worked out perfectly because she was able to see us as Mike came through her station.

There's me starting my 2nd run at 1 am. Oh, that's not me. That's Amy our van driver! I knew I wouldn't be able to complete all three of my legs. So, we recruited Amy to drive our van and run my 2nd leg. This leg was 3.8 miles and labeled moderate. I remembered it from last year with hill after hill and I had no problem giving this run to Amy.

This is the finish line and the volunteers did awesome. They had music playing and the shoot was lit up like a runway. Amy did great.

Honey Buckets were everywhere and I hated using them! Disgusting.

Mike is stretching for his 2nd leg which was a moderate 5.4 miles in the early morning.

Mike thought it would be cool to put my leg socks on his arms.

Shad was runner 10 and is just handing off to Mike.

Mike said this leg turned out to be pretty hard because it was really windy.

Being in Van 2 sucks because you run in the middle of the night and pretty much get no sleep. I am stretching and looking very tired for my last leg which is labeled a 4.2 mile easy.

Amy is dressed ready to go just in case I can't finish my leg.

Dana was runner 6 from Van 1 and just handed off to me. This route was a little different than last year. It started off by running through a lot of neighborhoods which was kinda boring and I kept thinking I was getting lost.

Shad and I were partners which meant during my legs he would provide me with water and anything I needed and vice versa. It was sooo hot!

I just passed off to MaryAnne. This leg was really hard for me. It was windy which made it difficult for me to get my breathing down. And who am I kidding, I was really out of shape and my knee really hurt. There were a lot of moments I thought I was going to have Amy finish it, but I hung in there.

Natalie ran the first part of the infamous Ragnar leg and Shad finished it. Mike is starting his leg labeled 5.4 Very Hard miles. It was hot!

This leg was so crowded. Mike was quite a bit a head of us before we were able to catch up to him.

Earlier something happened on the course that Mike was running and they had to add some distance and reroute it. We were following Mike on the road and then all of a sudden he was directed to go into the woods. His last half was a trail run which Mike absolutely loves.

Here's Mike's dad Greg. Mike's brother Matt was on another team and Greg volunteered for his team. He happened to be volunteering right as Mike finished his final leg.

Mike was on his own for half of his run. No water or other van support, but he did great. I know he loved being on the trails. He said he wish he would have known so he could have brought his trail shoes.

The finish line was at the Canyon's Resort this year. Here we are riding on the tram while our last team member Bryan finishes up his leg.

Best buddies. Cute huh?

Our Van 1 team members were waiting for us close to the finish and we all ran in together once we saw Bryan coming.

The Hooligan men.

The Hooligan women

Total time to finish the 2010 Ragnar Relay was 29:53:53. And we signed up to participate for a 3rd time which I am thinking will be our final Ragnar Relay.

Update: I was 7 weeks pregnant as I ran this which might also explain how exhausted I was.