Another Ragnar in the books! We accomplished 210 miles in 34 hours and change in the wide open desert! This was almost the same team as Vegas Ragnar but Kara had to work so Kat took her place.
We were taking on the challenge of doing it ultra style. 6 women —> double the legs! When I first suggested this relay months and months ago I noticed the 13.5 mile leg. Well if we were doing double legs that meant that person would have to run 13.5 + the next leg (which I think was 6-7 miles). No one wanted to do 20 miles in one leg so I suggested we do a 4 legs instead of 3 or 6 legs. I came up with a plan that we would run 2 long legs and then 2 shorter legs. We all ran between 33-38 miles.
We arrived in Phoenix: Retrieved our van, had dinner, headed to the pre-party at Roadrunner to get checked in and decorate the van.
The start line in Wickenburg, AZ:
We quickly got running. Anne was off:
When you are runner 5 on an ultra it is a looooonnng wait until you get to run. I of course was super nervous because it was hot or at least much warmer then I would have liked it to have been!
We were doing great. Anne, Laura, Steph, and Kat had battled their first legs like rock stars. Enjoying the cactus and desert!
It was finally time for me to run.
Leg 9: 4:30pm: 13.5 miles: 2:23: Average mile 10:28. Here is the profile:
As you can see it is ALL uphill. Since it was my first leg, I was still fresh. It was more of an incline then an uphill. I think the gain was only 400 ft. But still. It was warm at the beginning. But I was going to stay positive and happy. Just a little half marathon. NBD!!! I also was starving all of a sudden at mile 2. Shit! Only 2 gus on me. Shit! (it ended up being fine)
The miles clicked by pretty fast. There were 4 aid stations because this was a NO support leg. There was a girl in a purple tank top that I thought I could MAYBE catch up too. Sometimes I thought I was getting closer to her and sometimes I thought I was getting further away. I finally caught up to her at the mile 9 aid station. I thought maybe we could talk. She didn’t seem to want to. I literally ran her pace but about 5 feet behind her. At the mile 11 aid station we ran side-by-side for a good mile. In the meantime we passed a guy that was run/walking.
At about mile 12 we caught up to another girl. She said we were looking good. At that point it was almost dark. I lost both the new girl and purple tank girl. I had a mile and a half to keep it together. I passed 4 GUYS walking between mile 12.5 and 13. I was feeling really good but ready to be done!!!
I got a medal. Everyone got a medal who did this leg. It is the longest leg in Ragnar history! FUN!
Erica ran the anchor position and we started all over again. I felt like once I ran once it went FAST. We tried to get Subway but it was already closed. We were all really sad. I think I took 2 naps! It was already time for me to run again.
Legs 20/21: 4:48am; 10.2 miles; 1:46; Avg mile 10:23; Rolling hills through some farmland.
This leg started a bit rough. Laura and I got out of the van to use the portie potty before I was up. We thought we had lots of time but we couldn’t find the portie potty. They had dropped them off in the wrong spot(wrong parking lot across the school campus). By the time we figured out where they were we had wasted at least 20 minutes. I had decided that I wanted to wear a long sleeve(I had a short sleeve on underneath my jacket). I went back to the van and Kat was already at the exchange. My watch wasn’t on. I finally started to run. I realize my shirt was on backwards. I loose my pony tail holder right off the bat. I couldn’t get my iPod on. I think I hope this run gets better! I also think it is nice and cool how could it be bad!
Well it was good but my knee started to hurt. My foot was hurting. I just kept pushing through! I passed a couple of girls which is always fun! I finished and the sun was going to come up in minute!
This happened while Erica was running:
We all survived our 2nd legs! Anne was off again just like that! But now the legs were shorter. (except Kat who had a 9 mile no-support leg). The suns out guns out!!!
Sometime in the early morning:
Leg 28: 11:51am: 4.3 miles; 44:16: average mile 10:19: rolling hills
It was HOT! I was going to stay positive. I felt pretty good but the sun was out and intense. This was a very mentally tough leg. I was fighting. It was hot. I passed 3 girls. Right before I passed each one I thought I am going to chat with them for a minute. Just as I was going for the pass each one of them started to walk. I thought dang it! I also didn’t want to walk just so I could talk to them. Even though I thought about it! 🙂
I was glad that it was a relatively short leg. I had a cold Mt. Dew waiting for me in the cooler! I also had lunch and 3 smallish cookies. Well the cookies didn’t sit well in my stomach. As the hours went by until my next leg I got more and more nervous.
I did get in a nap. Not sure how my sunglasses got that way!
Leg 35: 4:48pm; 1:01; 5.75 miles: Average mile 10:44; mostly flat; few little rollers
Pretty uneventful. I just wanted to keep running even if it was really slow!! My knee was bothering me and I think that slowed me. The temperature had definitely dropped. It felt pretty good. I was pumped that it wasn’t super hot!!
It was hard to believe we were at the finish line!!
Finish line festival:
Erica, mom-to-be, rock-star runner, finishing what we started only 34 hours before:
Ultra NOTs!! FINISHED!! BOOYAH!!
Paleta’s Betty’s popsicles!! Delicous!! Do we look tired or WHAT?
Super fun time in the desert!!
Rock Stars indeed!
Awesome!! I am always in awe of people who can run together on a team for so long without annoying each other 😉 I don’t think my personality would lend well to this environment…maybe with the right people it would, but I don’t do well on little/no sleep.
You all rocked it!! Kudos 🙂
Really you don’t think you could do a relay!!?? Can you sleep in the car? It is all about taking short naps!! 🙂 The more relays I do the “easier” it gets!!
I don’t sleep in the car 😉 I have actually driven 27 hours to Florida with my parents without sleeping. Oh…we also left at 2 pm after I had taught all day too. I’ve never been one to sleep in the car.
That is tough!! One of our girls doesn’t sleep either and she seems like nothing even phases her! She was the one who ran 38 too! Totally consistent!! 🙂
She’s awesome!! 😊
Right!! I couldn’t do it on zero sleep!! But I am lucky and can sleep anywhere!!
You rock, Leslie! 13.5 miles is a loooong leg for a ragnar! I want to do one of these one day. 🙂
For an ultra team it is a regular leg but yes for a regular team 13.5 is crazy distance! They are so fun! They have one in Napa and they actually just changed the timing so it should be cooler! 🙂
Once I’ve popped out a baby… the three of use should make a team for Napa! Of course I need to MAKE a baby first, but I like looking ahead 😉
😀 I love this idea!
So awesome, Leslie! You ladies are bad ass for doing the ultra! Congrats!
Love Ragnar! My friends and I are doing Ragnar Trail New England and contemplating an ultra female team for ADK or TN… loved reading about how you chose to break up the segments – great idea! Congrats on the finish!
Thanks!! I really want to do the new Cascade trail relay. You should definitely do a ultra team. Less logistics!! You just have to find 5 friends that are as crazy as you!!! I liked doing 4 legs with 2 longer and 2 shorter!! I think it just depends on who is on your team and how the legs are broken up(by Ragnar). Let me know if you think you want to do 4 legs and I can send you our spreadsheet to show you how we did it!
I love that you got a medal for that long leg. VERY COOL! You deserved it! I have never done a relay, but I think that with the right team, it would really be a blast. You have some fun pics…especially, the one with the girls and the cactus, the sunrise behind the cactus and you “glowing” with your medal. Good times!
You definitely need to do a relay!! So much fun!! It all depends on the team too! The team dynamic is key!! 🙂
Way to go Leslie and team! Sounds like a tough, but fun race!! Crazy that you did one leg that was a half marathon +!!! Now I want to do a Ragnar haha.
Yes!! You should come do a Ragnar with me! They are super fun!!!!
Another Ragnar in the books! Its crazy how during the day it was so hot and then at night you all have jackets on! That’s awesome you ran the longest leg in Ragnar history! Now I’m double jealous! And I love your team shirts! Congrats on another great race 🙂
Yes!! It was in the low 50s at night but high 70s/low 80s during the day! Our shirts turned out super cute and they are some sort of new fabric that are super soft!! 🙂
I have never done a Ragnar race. It sounds so much fun!! I just need to find friends to join me!
So much fun!! 🙂
That looks like SO MUCH FUN! I always love seeing your RAGNAR pics!
You have to do one someday!!! 🙂
So impressive!! With the heat and everything, you and your team rocked it! I have always wanted to do a relay,but how the heck do you sleep? And then how to you run all of those miles on little to no sleep? There are a few Ragnars in Mass and NH, I should look into it!
We cat nap along the way. No serious sleeping but it helps just to close our eyes during downtime!! It is hard but super fun!!! 🙂
I love Ragnar races!! So much fun 🙂 I can’t believe you guys did an ultra, I give you major kuddos. You really like AZ, huh?!?! 🙂 Also, you must be a pro relay-er if you can sleep in the van! You should put Reach the Beach in NH on your list if you have never done it 🙂
Yes! Love AZ!! haha!! I am dying to do Reach The Beach!! Also Timberman 70.3!!
RTB is awesome! The foliage is just unbelievable 🙂 and the course is great too! Timberman is one of my favorite races of all time! i’m doing it for the third time this summer!
So Jealous!!!! 😉
Somehow you make running an ultra Ragnar look really, really fun! Glad you guys had a blast and that you survived all your legs! You’re seriously a rock star. I did one Ragnar and it was the trail one that allowed us to have a comfy tent to nap in….I’m not sure I’m cut out for a regular Ragnar! I love sleep too much! 🙂
Believe me…I love sleep too!! I think that if you can find the right 5 to do an ultra with you would love it too!!! 🙂