Ragnar Vans- Ragnar Part 2

S.F. to Napa Wine Country Part 2:

So part of the fun of Ragnar is the themed teams and their vans. Some funny names are:

Kiss My Asphalt
Ran It Through The Grapevine
Van Haulin'
Worst Wine Tour Ever
I Thought They Said Rum
This Isn't a 5K?
Will Run for Wine
Bad Ass Mother Runners
Squeeze Me, Stomp Me, Make Me Wine
Half Corked
My Third Leg is Bigger Than Yours
Wanna Take a Napa
Tater Trots
Sole Sisters
Saving the World One Glass at a Time
VAN-ity Fair
Blue Van Group
and my friends team....
"If I Have to Pull This Van Over, Someone's Getting Spanked!

At stops, teams "tag" other teams...with magnets, like this...

and window paint, and "LIVEWRONG" bracelets and Peeps on antennas....(those melted...Ghak!)

It is like one big rolling party....without the alcohol of course. But who needs alcohol when sleep deprivation and running through the night keep you pretty much toasted.

It was fun...and I returned so well rested that my whole week at school was pleasant and I was back to my old happy, worry-free self.....until this weekend...full of lawn mowing, yard work, dog washing, vacuum repair, vacuuming until the beater bar broke, grading math tests, grading spelling tests, grocery shopping, cooking, washing dishes, getting gas at Costco, doing laundry and all the other things I have to do.

I think a Ragnar in So Cal with my kids is sounding pretty good...April...Huntington Beach to San Diego.

*LIVESTRONG*LOVESTRONGER*LAUGH HARDER*RUN A RELAY* 

RAG NAR! Wine-o-poly was our team name....

12 LADIES- (All of whom could have been my children...youngest 31.)
2 VANS
205 MILES
Golden Gate Park, S.F. to NAPA
                     RAGNAR RELAY
Go ahead....Run like a girl!

I needed a break...I was due for one....and a team needed a runner....so they text me and asked me if I would like to run....the answer to, "Do you know how old I am," didn't seem to scare them off. So I made some sub plans for Friday, left Thursday night with a pillow, a Snugee, two sets of running clothes, running shoes and some socks....oh, and my toothbrush and some Rockstars.

We got to the motel, unpacked and met everyone for dinner at 5 Guys. We were back at the motel and in bed by 11. Our alarms went off at 4:30 and we were packed and in the van on the way to Golden Gate Park by 5. We ran through the safety check, got our safety flags (for crossing the street to help our runner,) got our numbers and sent runner #1 off!!

We dropped off runner #2 at the exchange and then headed across the Golden Gate Bridge...next exchange in Saucalito and then it was my turn to run...

I was pumped and it didn't seem hard as the map had it set as....I don't even remember the hill...the sun was not out but there was 94% humidity. I was pleased with my run...

as shown with the 2 thumbs up in the photo.

Each of our 6 runners in the van ran their leg and then we met up with our other van...they got to sleep in and they met us around lunchtime...we passed off the slap bracelet baton and went to lunch

and then for a nap while the other van ran legs 7-12.

We slept for about 2 hours...light sleep because it is like trying to sleep in an airplane...and then we started over again for legs 13-24.

I was leg 18....it said "Very Hard" but the other said Hard and I owned that leg! I got the bracelet, made the first turn and started up hill.....and thought, the night air feels so good....I can keep this pace up! I was doing 8:50 minute miles...and the hill began...and kept going...and going.....there is no way this chart is correct. I ran uppppp and uppp for 6.2 miles according to my Garmin....there it leveled off some....and then as I rounded a curve it began to go uppppp some more. My time slowed greatly but I made my 8.3 mile leg and just wanted to lay down. Our next two runners had long runs also and by the time we passed off the baton and got to the morning exchange it was 1:30 a.m. We dozed in the huge parking lot at the Fair Grounds in Sonoma...but with other vans coming and going as their teams finished and started again it was very busy....and the lights came on at 4 a.m.!

Our first runner was off at 6:40, so she didn't have to wear a safety vest and lights. My knees hurt from the sloping road the night before. We passed a little deli that had opened and the girls wanted coffee...I got a bagel with cream cheese and a fat slice of tomato on top....I ate half of it and felt so much better. I began to want to do my final leg....I wanted to start right now!

By the time my leg came I was in the chute like a racehorse! I took off and ran up that first bit of hill...my right knee hurt from the slope of the road the night before...but soon the signs had us run on the same side of the street as traffic and now the slope was on the opposite side and my knee was now feeling pretty darn good! I made 7 kills....(which are how many people you pass,) but I still got passed by people.

After our van had finished we headed to the end of the Ragnar Festivities...we got our free pizza but not our free beer....we sat on a blanket at the fair grounds and rested....we had our costumes ready for when our final runner came in....

...then we all crossed the finish line together and took our team photo:

Tomorrow I will post some awesome photos of vans from Ragnar!!

*LIVESTRONG*LOVESTRONGER*LAUGH HARDER*RUN A RELAY*

5K, 10K, OK

Saturday I ran a 5K that started inside Great America, ran around the rides and then into the parking lot and into the brand new Levi's Stadium! I really didn't want to run two runs in one weekend but I couldn't pass up the chance to go inside the new stadium...because the chances of me goign to a game there are slim....who can afford $$$$ tickets!? It was a nice, short, untimed run for charity.

Then Sunday morning, The Biologist and the Nuclear Physicist and I ran a 10K starting outside of AT&T Park, down to Fisherman's Wharf and ending inside the park!! ON THE FIELD!! Like...I now have a baggie of warning track dirt in my classroom :)

I hadn't run since July 2, except for a mile on the treadmill....so putting in 9.3 this weekend was pretty good...and I broke an hour in the 10K which was what I wanted to do....by 2 minutes to be exact!!

*LIVESTRONG*LOVESTRONGER*LAUGH HARDER*RUN TO THE STADIUM FOOLS!*

8 Weeks Post Traumatic Event

8 weeks ago today....The Captain was found in the driveway by the Coach...who, I recently found out was not going to come home right then, but was going to get lunch...and he wanted to get in the left turn lane....but someone cut him off so he just came home...and found The Captain.

Today was The Captain's 2 month check up with the cardiologist. He is doing well but he is so anxious to get back to doing normal things...like lifting more than 5 pounds...and taking less meds and having a cup of coffee with caffeine!

We celebrated after the appointment with dinner at the Spaghetti Factory. I LOVE their balsamic vinegrette dressing!! It was such a nice evening...we came home and walked the dog and it was still so warm and pretty out.

8 weeks we wouldn't have had!

The woman who did the scan of The Captain's heart today said, "You are lucky they found this before it became trouble."

The Captain said, "What do you mean trouble?"

"If this ruptured it would have been bad."

"It did rupture," The Captain said....and her reply..."you were very, very lucky."

Yes....we know :)

*LIVESTRONG*LOVESTRONGER*LAUGH HARDER*THANK YOUR LUCKY STARS*