All I really need to know I learned at Ragnar

Robert Fulghum makes a strong case that all we really need to know we learned in kindergarten.  I spent last weekend on the Cape participating in my second Ragnar Relay and have come to the conclusion that this event also imparts many valuable lessons for life's journeys. So, with apologies to Mr. Fulghum, here are some of his ideas adapted for Ragnar:

Share everything, including the 192 miles you have to run to reach the finish line.

making the exchange

Play fair.  Set your goals and do your part, whether it is a "wicked hahd" 13 miler or an easy three mile jaunt down main street.

If you run 13 you get an extra medal.

Don't hit people, especially since Mike didn't get insurance on the rental vans.

Clean up your own mess when sharing your space with 6 other people.  We promised to be better about organizing our space last year.  Otherwise your van captain will NOT be happy with you.

We're so happy to return to our organized van!

Flush, or when that's not an option, be prepared and take your own supply of TP and hand sanitizer to the porta-johns.

The final exchange brings us one step closer to real bathrooms.

Be aware of wonder, which is easy to do when you have the cutest baby ever as an honorary team member.

Warm cookies and cold milk are good for you and so is warm pizza, cold beer and tons of Swedish Fish.

Take a nap every afternoon, or whenever the opportunity presents itself (such as 2:00 am curled up on the seat of your van).

No sleep for us.

Don't take things that aren't yours, especially Mike's parking spot...unless you want to be called a simpleton.

We earned these medals!

Live a balanced life--run some and laugh some and sing and talk and dance every day some. And when you are too tired to run, consider a pedicab.

When you go out into the world, watch out for traffic, hold hands and stick together.

It's been a week since Ragnar weekend. We've returned the vans and returned to reality. Even though physically our team is now spread across four different states, we're still a team. Even though we're apart, we can still stick together. 

"Have fun!" in Moab

When people found out Paul and I were running in a half marathon in Moab, UT, there were two types of responses: "Why Utah?" or "Have fun!"

 

Most of the "Why Utah?" responses came from Paul's friends.  That's probably because he is the sane, rational partner in our relationship and flying half way across the country just to run 13.1 miles doesn't strike some people as a logical idea. 

 

Most of the "Have fun!" responses were from my friends.  They already heard me dreaming about "The Other Half" after reading a Runner's World magazine article where the race was listed as one of the 10 best half marathons in the country.  They already know that I have this crazy idea that I want to visit all 50 states before I turn 50. 

 

My 30th state

Luckily, I'm married to Paul--a man who loves me and tolerates my crazy ideas.  Since the summer we've been training, adding mileage and making plans.  Then, I have to admit, the week before the trip, I began to seriously question the whole idea.  What was I thinking, trying to leave town for 4 days in the middle of first quarter?  Would my dad survive a weekend with two moody teenagers?  I spent the week running around writing detailed sub plans for work, preparing the house for our absence and packing.  Maybe that's why everyone kept telling me to "Have fun!"  They were probably concerned that I'd worry too much and forget to relax for the trip.

Then I got to Utah.

 

 

 and I began to relax.

I began to breathe.

 And I knew we made the right decision to come.

 We spent our first day at Arches National Park.

Because doesn't everyone hike 5 miles the day before their half marathon?

 

Sunday was the race.  We rode a bus down into the canyon.

 This is the view from the starting line. 

 And 13.1 miles later, here we are at the finish.

 We couldn't have asked for more perfect weather, scenery or company.  It was an amazing adventure.  And, yes, we did "Have fun!"

 

The Ragnar Report: Grin, Grit and Race

Getting ready...
how are we supposed to fit all this stuff in the vans??

 

How can I sum up Ragnar in a blog post? I can't.

Packed and Ready for our drive to Hull!



Jenna does her best to keep the van organized! 

It's not that what happens at Ragnar stays at Ragnar, (although there's some truth to that so I won't divulge which teammate is addicted to Real Housewives)  it is that 12 friends in 2 vans for 2 days and 1 night running a 200 mile relay leaves me with too many memories to count.

 Team "Your Pace or Mine" is off and running!

Leg 1, CHECK!

On Friday morning, we assemble in Hull to begin our 192 mile adventure along Cape Cod to Provincetown.  Our relay team begins at 11:30 am.  After cheering at the start, we hop in the van and drive to the first exchange where it will be my turn to run.  I have an easy first leg--basically 3 miles down Main Street--but I am still nervous about getting lost! 

At each exchange, we hand off the orange slap bracelet to the next runner.



Michelle and Mike rockin' the exchange.

Van 2 ready to dominate!

After the first six legs, we meet up with Van 2 to do a little celebrating and send them on their way.  Since Mike lives on the Cape, we drove back to his house during our break where we were spoiled with luxurious hot showers and dinner.  Mike's mom even did a load of laundry, for which we are eternally grateful!

 

It was dark when we began our second leg.  With no sleep, we strapped on our headlamps and reflective vests and set off into the night.  I ran 5 miles through Sandwich this time.  Sandwiches not included.

Who needs sleep when you can do this?

Fink and Mike light up our lives!

After our second leg, we had a few hours of down time to try to nap in the vans.  I think we got about 2 hours of sleep, total.  It was quite comfortable, as you can see.



  With Saturday morning's sunrise, we were right back at it for our third and final leg. I ran my final 5 miles around 7:00 a.m.  

Runner 12 marking off a leg-Hail Mary!

 

Finally, around 4:30 p.m.  our team crossed the finish line together.

Wearing our medals with pride at the finish line. 



 



 Now it is time to celebrate.  We have a few beers, some clam chowder and take in the sights of P-town. 

 

What these pictures don't show is how incredible each and every member of my team is.  A few days ago, I began an adventure with 10 strangers. The one person I did know I hadn't seen in 24 years.  (Last time I saw Michelle, some of my teammates hadn't even been born yet!)  I can say now that my heart is full of love for each and every one of these amazing people.   No longer strangers, they are my friends.  

We're already talking about 2015.  Next year, we're going to keep the back of the van organized, I promise.

 

Lessons from the Half Marathon

1.  Don’t eat taco chicken before your long run—the first of many lessons I learned in the past few months as I trained to run a half marathon.

     2.    Peer pressure can be a good thing—because I never, ever, in a million years ever thought I would run 13.1 miles again….until some friends talked me into the “opportunity.”

     3.    Razors are a runner’s friend.  Armpit stubble and long runs don’t go together. 

     4. Run with an amazing person, such as my friend Debbie.  The right running partner will motivate you, inspire you and make the time fly by with witty stories.   Don’t run with Debbie though, because then she might be too tired to run with me.  Selfishly, I don’t want to share her so go find your own running partner.

     5. When sending encouraging text messages to other runners, always proofread.  Otherwise, your phone might autocorrect, “I’m giving you a big whooo rah!” to “I’m giving you a big wet rash.”  Then, no one will want to room with you in the hotel.

    6. When training for a half marathon, try to avoid the never-ending winter of the Polar Vortex, if at all possible.  It snowed on my first day of training in December.  It snowed, rained, sleeted, froze…you name it…literally every week of training all the way through March including the day of the race. 
 

     7. Ignore the myth that running helps you lose weight.  If you are unable to avoid the Polar Vortex, you need some extra layers anyway.  Use this as an excuse to carbo-load like crazy.  Start early, eat often.  But, as previously mentioned, just not taco chicken.
 

8. Make the race far enough away that you need a hotel room.  People keep asking, “How was the race?”  Hmmm, I ran for 2 ½ hours.  It was freezing cold and windy.  Torrential downpours brought flood warnings and my phone is still sitting in a bag of rice trying to dry out from the whole ordeal.  It was fabulous!  I didn’t cook, clean, grocery shop, pay bills, mediate teenage bickering, run errands or grade papers.  I was with good friends.  We talked.  We laughed.  We dined in real restaurants.  Which brings me to my last lesson… 

 

    9. Set a goal—13.1 miles in Philadelphia, check.  What’s next, friends?  Moab in October or New Orleans in November?  Key West in January or Nashville in April?   I’m ready to train for our next adventure.  I’ve already started carbo-loading!