Ragnar Relay Series is a group who travels all over doing relay races across cities and states. Each race has different mileage, and the Chattanooga to Nashville run is just over 195 miles. There are teams of 12, and each runner is given a predestined distance. One may only run 5 miles, but it could be determined 'hard' with a lot of hills. Another runner may have 8 or 10 miles, and it could be a pretty flat run.
I did this race in 2010, took a postpartum break in 2011 and fully committed in 2012. Honestly, my memory of the 2010 race wasn't great, and I was a nervous wreck for this year. Nerves and insecurity are two great motivators for me to get out there and TRAIN. So my dear friend, Sarah, and me worked our tails off- running in the dark, at night, early morning, afternoons, rain, cold, heat. We did it, and we were ready!
I hadn't 'trained' to leave my babies behind, though, and this was the FIRST time I'd left Mac and Paisley- at 15 months.
Can you guess which of these is not like the other?? I came into the play area and found her like this.
Back to Ragnar...
The sun was rising, and it was time to start.
(There are about 200 teams, and start times are staggered based on when each time estimated they'll finish)
Here's my dad and me before he started us off!
Our team! Minus a few who stayed home to sleep. Lazy. ;-)
From left: Jordan, Jeremy, Mike, Sarah, Jeff, Me, Dad, Becca (holding Logan) and Brandon.
Leg one runners at the start! Dad is in the neon yellow jacket on the far left.
He's OFF!
See you in about 8 miles!
Dad finished and handed off to Jeff. I was next! Pardon my goofy expression.
Next was Sarah. Because I love pictures and this was Sarah's first race, I have many photos of her.
While encouraging her, Jeremy asked Sarah if she wanted a hamburger from Hardees here. Seriously.
Look at the beauty we run thru!
After your run, you finish in the 'hand off station'. The next runner is standing there to get your slap bracelet and take off. Here, Sarah has finished, and Mike is starting his turn.
Good luck, Mike!
Waiting for Mike's arrival.
Here he comes!!
Now Jeremy is off!
At the end of our van's run (there are two vans, six runners in each), the second van started their six legs. We went to
Adrianne and Chris' house to shower, rest, eat and visit. The Cowans have been on our Ragnar team in the past, and hopefully they'll return next year :o)
Thanks, friends, for letting us rest and prep for the rest of the race in your home.
At about midnight, our van was finishing our second legs. After handing off the 'baton', we went to a hotel and napped for a couple of hours. Then we got the (dreaded) phone call that we needed to leave and start our last legs.
The sun had set, and so was our exhaustion... Here we are after my last leg (WHEW), and Sarah is about to start her's... It is about 6 in the morning.
Sarah ran thru the country side of Nashville as the sun rose. Beautiful. Hilly.
It wasn't a crazy hour of the day, and I got to facetime with the kiddos. Mac was the only one who stayed in the screen long enough for me to get a picture.
My first meal since Thursday's dinner before the race. We ate at New York Cafe and Deli. It looks cholesterol and fat filled, and I'm confident it was. It was fried eggs on a bagel topped with bacon and hollandaise sauce plus side of fried hash browns. I could hardly eat a quarter of this. It was a LOT of food I never eat and very rich. It was one of those times you order whatever you want and don't care- and that's exactly what I did.
After our legs, we went back to Jordan's brother's house and showered and napped.
Here's our team- finally finished!!
It was Jeremy's birthday so we celebrated over lunch at
Toot's before heading home.
Fun times, y'all!
as always,
ashley
