Ragnar Relay - 200 miles from HB to Coronado Baby :)

In 2009 I had the opportunity to run the Ragnar Relay in UT. I absolutely loved it and once I found out that they also had the Ragnar here in So Cal. I had to run it here as well. I decided to captain it and invite all the people who I am obsessed with. Some of course were unable to, or simply did not want to, however we had an awesome team.

So, the Ragnar Relay is different than the other traditional races like the 5k, 10k, marathon, etc. It is a relay and it is ongoing, so you have run some legs that are in the middle of the night. Your team consist of 12 people and each person runs 3 legs (not at one time). Each team must have 2 vehicles, since it is too hard to fit 12 people in one van, therefore there are 2 vans of 6 people.

Runner 1 takes off and finishes her leg while the van drives to the end of her leg and drops off runner 2. This continues till all 12 runners run their first leg. After that it starts over again with runner 1. You repeat this pattern a total of 3 teams. All the legs vary in distance and conditions (meaning weather, pavement, or trail, or daytime or night time). You don't really sleep so you are all looped up on adrenaline and whatever crazy foods you decide to eat.

In our second van one of our teammates was actually injured, so I had the honors of running her last leg for her :) I ended up really enjoying it and I ran a total of 22 miles. It was so cool because my friend Melinda flew out from UT to run it with us and she also ran 22 miles, if not 23. She is a stud. Matt shockingly volunteered to run the race as well, which still blows my mind, however he did amazing. He actually puked after his first leg that was 5.3 miles in 94 degree weather. Matt ended up running about 15 miles and so did his bro-mance Jason. Allison, my BFF as all shall know her, ran it with me as well. She was running crazy 7 minute miles.

She's insane! Then I wooed my neighbor and good friend Rachel to run it too. She had to run these insane up hills and I am sure her bum still has not let her forget it.

My Dad sponsored our team by volunteering to assist in setting up parts of the race and getting all of us shirts to market his company Professional Choice Insurance. I am actually my Dad's new Social Media manager and I've been writing blogs for his company as well. I've written two recently, so you will have to check them out and let me know what you think. I really enjoy it and have been learning a lot.

We all had an awesome time and I am excited for my next race which I will talk about soon. Enjoy the pics:

Our start time was 8 am on Friday and we finished at about 6 or 630 pm Saturday.

Our BLING!

Our shirt.


Getting some last-minute nutrients for the race.
A cost efficient blue tooth.

Matt puking.

Me waiting for Matt while he was puking.

My Rachel :)
I loved this team of girls. I kind of wanted to ask them out and see if they wanted to be my friend.
Matt running.

My Dad is awesome and volunteered to help out with the race.
Yoga head lamp modeling.
HOT on so many levels!
Coal-mine extraordinaire.
Bob's Big Boy being groped.
Melinda and Rachel.
The girls in van 1.
Ragnar girls gone wild.

Bro-mance :)

My first love :) I heart you.

My toes are still in so much pain.

My team mooned me and made my last leg the most memorable.

Pray if you want to!!!

We can't give up on this issue.
Andy Rooney and Prayer

Andy Rooney says:
I don't believe in Santa Claus, but I'm not going to sue somebody for singing a Ho-Ho-Ho song in December. I don't agree with Darwin , but I didn't go out and hire a lawyer when my high school teacher taught his Theory of Evolution.
Life, liberty or your pursuit of happiness will not be endangered because someone says a 30-second prayer before a football game. So what's the big deal? It's not like somebody is up there reading the entire Book of Acts. They're just talking to a God they believe in and asking him to grant safety to the players on the field and the fans going home from the game.
But it's a Christian prayer, some will argue.
Yes, and this is the United States of America and Canada , countries founded on Christian principles. According to our very own phone book, Christian churches outnumber all others better than 200-to-1. So what would you expect -- somebody chanting Hare Krishna?
If I went to a football game in Jerusalem , I would expect to hear a Jewish prayer.
If I went to a soccer game in Baghdad , I would expect to hear a Muslim prayer.
If I went to a ping pong match in China , I would expect to hear someone pray to Buddha.

And I wouldn't be offended. It wouldn't bother me one bit.
When in Rome .....
But what about the atheists? Is another argument.
What about them? Nobody is asking them to be baptized. We're not going to pass the collection plate. Just humour us for 30 seconds. If that's asking too much, bring a Walkman or a pair of ear plugs. Go to the bathroom. Visit the concession stand. Call your lawyer!
Unfortunately, one or two will make that call. One or two will tell thousands what they can and cannot do. I don't think a short prayer at a football game is going to shake the world's foundations.
Christians are just sick and tired of turning the other cheek while our courts strip us of all our rights. Our parents and grandparents taught us to pray before eating, to pray before we go to sleep. Our Bible tells us to pray without ceasing. Now a handful of people and their lawyers are telling us to cease praying.
God, help us. And if that last sentence offends you, well, just sue me.
The silent majority has been silent too long. It's time we tell that one or two who scream loud enough to be heard that the vast majority doesn't care what they want. It is time that the majority rules! It's time we tell them, "You don't have to pray; you don't have to say the Pledge of Allegiance; you don't have to believe in God or attend services that honour Him. That is your right, and we will honour your right; but by golly, you are no longer going to take our rights away. We are fighting back, and we WILL WIN!"
God bless us one and all...Especially those who denounce Him, God bless America and Canada , despite all our faults, We are still the greatest nations of all. God bless our service men who are fighting to protect our right to pray and worship God.

Let's make 2011 the year the silent majority is heard and we put God back as the foundation of our families and institutions. And our military forces come home from all the wars.
Keep looking up.