Wasatch Back

It's done. I finished.

June 18 and 19 I participated on a 12 woman team that completed the Wasatch Back Ragnar Relay. For those of you who aren't familiar with it, it's a 188.2 mile race from Logan to Park City in Utah. There are Ragnar Relays in places besides Utah, but the one here is called the Wasatch Back. Each team member has 3 legs of the race. There are 6 people in each car and the first car does their first leg and then they rest while the second car does their first leg. Then we do that two more times.

I was runner 3 in car one and my legs totaled 18.4 miles. It's interesting that I had that leg because it's the 2nd longest route and I'm the slowest runner on the team but for various reasons that's how it ended up. I don't mind running for a long time, as long as I don't have to do it quickly. I did improve my time this year by one minute a mile.

It was hot, parts of the route were dusty, there were a lot of hills and a lot of people. So why do we do it? I think a lot of people do it because they love to run. I don't really. But I do love the challenge. Training for the race gives me a goal to work towards. I also love to work toward that goal with a group of friends. It's almost worth it just to see all the goofy other teams. People go all out. Two men ran their entire first route in full out prom gear; suit, tie, belt, boutonniere, the works. Another guy ran the last leg in a full length white wedding dress. There's always a team that thinks of a way to incorporate the little plastic bums they attach to their backside. Our team was called the Wonder Women and we had a slogan on our shirts that said "I WONDER what this WOMAN was thinking."

Our team finished the race in 33 hours and 33 minutes. Someone was running the whole time. We placed 58 out of 99 in the Women's Open division. Our team member who ran the Ragnar Hill (killer hill, 4 miles straight up) took 6th place in the Women's Open division.

It was a lot of fun. I may lose a couple of townails. Would I do it again?

Hmmm, I think I would.