“12 Friends, 2 Vans,
2 Days, 1 Night,
200 Mile Relay,
Unforgettable Stories”
That is what Ragnar is all about. And as much as I heard and talked to others about Ragnar, nothing prepared me for the wonderful experience of being a part of a Ragnar Relay Race Team!
To be truthful, I was very hesitant to throw my running shoes into this ring. The thought of being in a van with 5 other people for over 36 hours who I know but wouldn’t call my very best and oldest friends, running 3 legs over that time, showering in gyms with hot, cold, or both hot and cold water, nourishment consisting of what basically could be stored in a cooler shared by 5 others, getting very little sleep and what sleep you can get on a gym floor, and the worry of can I run fast enough to not slow down the team was not something I was sure I would want to do, could do or even like to do.
But now that I have done Ragnar, I wouldn’t trade the memories or the experience for the world.
Van 1
We had the best team. Team Pipulsion was captained by Susan Howard Wade. Susan was the one who organized our team, decided on what number runner we would be based on our preferences, and established the overall mood for our team.
Corey Hooper
I was in Van 1 with the best co-captain, Corey Hooper. She set the tone of our van from the very beginning.
Roger running to the top of a hill as we waited with his water bottle.
We were a team in all ways. We filled water bottles, gave out ice cold sponges, held our runner’s water bottle, run after our runners with water bottles, made sure our runner had whatever food they needed on their run, and most important, cheered our runner along as much as we were able to do so on the roads.
But it didn’t stop there. We made sure that runner was taken care of even to the point of having what they needed as they handed off the baton to our next runner.
Aleca in much needed care after her first leg. It was hot and her foot was hurting her.
And as we drove from one exchange to another, we laughed, shared our lives, and always made sure our runner was supported. The tiredness, the poor nourishment, the aches and pains all become distant feelings over those 36+ hours.
My very best memory and one I shall always cherish is when I was running my last leg. It was a short one, only 3 miles with a couple of big hills first thing the second morning. It was cold, foggy, and my bones ached. I didn’t need the van’s support during this final leg. I needed to just be within myself. Since they would be driving right to the exchange point, I asked if they saw a Starbucks along the way, could they stop and pick me up a latte? Much to my surprise, as I was about 2 miles into my run, I hear this honk and my name being shouted out. There was Aleca Murphy with her head and hand out the window with my latte in hand. What a great motivator to forgot about the heaviness in my legs, run a bit faster and a super way to end my last leg. Thanks, Van 1! You all are truly awesome!!!!
Our bling!
Of course, we must not forgot about the bling.
Susan, our captain, heading out our medals.
And yes, I would do another Ragnar in a heartbeat!