Rachel told me about the RRR last spring. I told her I was in for sure and I would make it work. I didn't realize at the time how tricky that might be but I was determined to meet up with my sweet friends and make it work. I ended up doing two relays in two weeks and putting off Jabin's baptism, along with getting a terrible viral cold right up until the day I left but I got to Cedar at the same time as my friends and as soon as I saw them it was all worth it! These girls are so sweet and just great beautiful friends. We got registered and had a good spaghetti dinner with the most wonderful Great Harvest Bread cookie and then headed up to Rachel's cabin at Brian Head. Some of us got a little car sick driving up. What a beautiful cabin! It has Rachel's good taste and decorating touch which makes it amazing!! I got to bunk up with my beautiful friend Melody. I had a hard time getting to sleep and we needed to get up early to start the relay at the Brian Head ski resort.
We were a team of 11 with one short, it should have been 12, but Rachel, Emily, and Rene stepped up and took the extra legs. Rachel and Terraza rode up the ski lift and ran down the steep rocky mountain. I was the next runner and my leg was called the Diablo, which means devil, because it was straight up which happens to be my specialty. The only problem is the terrible pain I have had in my leg. I went to the physical therapist and several doctor visits and I guess it is tendinitis after having it diagnosed as IT Band and a torn ligament I'll take tendinitis. It is sooooo painful. I was so frustrated to run in pain but I did it. Everyone had hard legs and I thought our team did really well. We really had strong runners even with all of our injuries.
My Vegas Girls! Bekah, Mel, and Rachel-I love and miss these girls!!
I like that this picture is blurry because that is probably how I felt at the time.
My second leg was at night and it was called the "Off Roadie." It was dusty so I looked a little Like Michael Jackson but I was prepared. It hurt pretty bad the whole time and I was so glad to see the bright light that meant that my 5 1/2 miles on a dark dirt road were over and it was the exchange.186 Miles from Brian Head to Zions
My last leg was 6 1/2 miles up hill and it was over 100 degrees. I had taken a pain pill before this leg and when I started to run I couldn't believe it finally wasn't hurting as bad. I was so excited I tried not to care about the heat because all I wanted was my leg to quit hurting so I didn't feel like I could ask for anything else but I did thank my heavenly father for sending a slight breeze once in a while. I think I drank about 4 water bottles and I never drink while I run because I get a side ache. My girls were so good to follow close and replenish my water. They did have to go to the next exchange and so I asked some other support team and they were so nice to give me some water. Everyone was soooo nice on this relay which made it so much fun. When you pass someone you call it road kill and you mark it on your van. I got quite a few road kills which is pretty fun. If you pass a guy they say they got Chic'd.
My last leg was 6 1/2 miles up hill and it was over 100 degrees. I had taken a pain pill before this leg and when I started to run I couldn't believe it finally wasn't hurting as bad. I was so excited I tried not to care about the heat because all I wanted was my leg to quit hurting so I didn't feel like I could ask for anything else but I did thank my heavenly father for sending a slight breeze once in a while. I think I drank about 4 water bottles and I never drink while I run because I get a side ache. My girls were so good to follow close and replenish my water. They did have to go to the next exchange and so I asked some other support team and they were so nice to give me some water. Everyone was soooo nice on this relay which made it so much fun. When you pass someone you call it road kill and you mark it on your van. I got quite a few road kills which is pretty fun. If you pass a guy they say they got Chic'd. I had the second to last leg and Rachel had the last leg. Bekah and I really wanted to run with her, just across the finsih line, because we were running buddies in Vegas. We ended up running with Rachel earlier then we thought because we wanted to keep her hydrated in the heat but it was so great and a really neat experience to run with those girls. I have told them that I feel like I have been on a Happy High since the weekend and I think it was from being with them and accomplishing something so incredibly painful and physically hard! It is a great feeling and we will definitely do it again.
These relays are 24 hours so you are lucky to get maybe 2 hours sleep total. Everyone had to get back to Vegas so I headed home. I was so tired I have no idea how I made it home. I stopped in Beaver to sleep for a little while and then kept driving. I came home and almost decided not to walk in the house but I just went right into bed in my running clothes that I had ran that really hot run in that day and crashed. It was so funny because Haddy's primary teacher left a comment on my facebook that said Haddy told her I was so tired that I fell asleep in my jogging clothes. I sure did!
Our leg marks. We finished together and will be friends forever!
