Ragnar, take 2!

Two years ago, I participated in my first Ragnar. I wrote about it HERE.

This past weekend, team French Toast Mafia was back!

A little bit about Ragnar, for those who have asked:

You have a team of 12 (or 6, or even 3 if you’re insane like a few teams are). It is a 200ish mile relay race. Each participant runs 3 legs of varying distance and difficulty level. The team is split into two vans, so one van will relay for five to six hours, then have a five to six hour rest while the next van runs. Then, it repeats.

What this means, is the following:

- You get to know your van mates very, very well.
- The vans smell very, very bad.
- You sleep, a little, in the vans. Which means backs hurt.
- You eat a lot of salty snacks, trying to stay hydrated.
- You learn to not even blink at the sight of a port-a-potty.
- You run during the day.
- You run in the middle of the night.
- You’ll be both happy and sad to see the finish line.

This event is so much fun. The first leg I ran was HOT. And Hilly. And, honestly, it kicked my butt. By my midnight run, however, I was out for vengeance. This leg was longer, and I was sleepy. But I owned it. I kicked this leg’s butt. My third leg? My third leg was pretty short, but most of it was straight uphill. I had no expectations for this leg of the race, especially after having spent too many hours cooped up in a van and with very little sleep. But, relatively speaking, I killed it.

Ragnar was a great time with my friends, both old and new. I missed my sister (who didn’t run this time, like she did last time), and other teammates who weren’t there, but really enjoyed hanging out with new teammates. It was also nice to know what to expect a little bit. Importantly, it reminded me just how much I love running. The “runner’s high” is a real thing, and I need to find a way to get that back more often. (This is in direct contrast to THIS POST, where I admitted that I’m not really a runner anymore).

Now, some pics!

Team French Toast Mafia ready to rock!

Take THAT Hill!
(I actually had a slogan for those hills that is slightly less blog appropriate.)

We are, truly, the most spirited team out there. High fives for everyone!

Nighttime – safety first!

Finish Line!

Thanks to my French Toast Mafia teammates for an amazing time!