Wasatch Back

I have NO idea . . . 1. Why I am SO behind on my blog, and 2.  Why I feel like trying to get caught up now!  Either way, here it is!  All the way back to June! 

Rod and I BOTH got asked to do Wasatch Back this year!  It was so much fun having him on the team and having him with me the WHOLE time (as opposed to being the driver, or the fill-in runner for one leg)! 

 It was non-stop adventure from the get-go, but Rod was a trooper and we had a great time!   

Our team did PHENOMENAL (we had some very elite runners on our team - and Rod and I were not them!).  

We came in 52nd out of 1092 teams, 23rd out of 800 in the co-ed division, and ran 192 miles in 28 hours and 30 minutes!  

 Our first adventure of the day - Rod put his duffel bag on a cooler rack next to the muffler of the truck.  

It got just a little hot on the way up to Logan. 

When we got there and started grabbing our things to check in - 

Rod noticed a good size hole in his bag.  It had melted . . . 

along with his brand new underwear and running socks.  

He looked really cute in my pink running socks - but the pink underwear wasn't going to work. 

Too much chaffing.

Luckily, van 2 hadn't left yet.  We had to call one of the gals in that van and have her buy Rod some new underwear and socks.  

Um, awkward.  

I, of course, couldn't stop laughing, and just added to his frustration by trying to "cheer" him up with teasing, not to mention that the poor guy was STARVING! (Sorry babe!)

The start line was pretty anti-climatic.  

Our team got a really late start time because of our fast runners.  We literally started with about five other people.  

The announcers were pretty bored with the whole deal at that point!

These are the runners in Van 1.  Rod, Jessica, Lorena, Nicole, Nyle, and Kenny.  

It's amazing how good of friends you can become with complete strangers in 24 hours! 

Rod's first run of three.  He did so great!  It was SO hot -

 or was that just Rod???

I love that he still looks happy to be there! 

Rod was the only one smart enough to climb in the river this year and soak tired muscles! 

My first leg - towards the end.

This is what running at midnight does to you!  

Makes you CRAZY!

Rod's second leg - and his daughter's cute pink and purple headlamp.

After a long night and ZERO sleep, Rod was still smiling and going strong.  

As for me, there are no pictures because I'm pretty sure that the Honey Bucket and

 I were best friends at this point! 

Besides, it's my blog, so I get to pick what goes on here! :)

Thanks to Team Trail Dusters for another fun and wild year at Wasatch Back! 

(No finish line pictures either . . . we were a little ridiculously tired and went home instead of waiting for another 6 hours for van 2 to finish.  Yes, we're old and lame.) 

RedRock Relay!

I got invited to be on an awesome team for the Moab RedRock Relay this year. It's a 70 mile relay run by a team of 6 in one day. The course goes UP the Colorado River, around the La Sal Mountain Range, and back into Moab - INTENSE!

It was one of the best relays I have ever run . . . even though . . .

The first guy on the left in the back (Griff) had food poisoning that morning, the second guy from the left (Braedon) had never run more than 5 miles in his life, Rod (third from the left) had not been training and was there for moral support - not running, I (blue shirt) tore my calf muscle the week prior to the race, the guy on the far back right (Nile) is 62 and tore his meniscus four years ago and had to have surgery to repair it, and the girl on the front left (Nicole) just found out she is pregnant and was exhausted, and Kenny (front right) likes too much Celine Dion.

Odds were not in our favor for a great race day. However . . .

We rocked the RedRock anyway!

We were the mighty Red Rockodile Hunters!

It was hot - but not too, too hot, and the scenery was like no other.

I was the 4th runner, so my beloved husband taped me up good and sent me off running.
My leg climbed 1000 ft. in 5 1/2 miles. After a mile and a half, my calf gave out . . . and my amazing, non-trained husband stepped up and rescued me and the team. Go ahead. Zoom in on the picture above - my face is screaming defeat as I take that blasted wrist band off!

Superman to the rescue - and he even smiled as he finished the last four miles (straight up hill) of my leg!

Nile, Nicole, Me and Griff

One of the many breath-taking views from our run!

I couldn't stand to sit in that car and watch everyone else run - especially knowing that not one of them was any better off than I was that day . . . so being as smart as I am, I had Rod tape me up once more, put a smile on and ran my second leg of the race. 7 miles of rolling hills and pure beauty all around me. I loved every minute of it . . . and paid for every minute of it later!

Rod was the greatest blessing ever to the entire team. He drove, cheered us all on, picked up our slack, and kept everyone of us hydrated and cool throughout the entire day. How many husbands will do that?!

And as if one giant hill wasn't enough, he ran the first part of Nicole's last leg so that she wouldn't have to go up the steep hill in the heat! Rod, you really are amazing!

In spite of all the craziness leading up to the race, we finished in great time - 9 hours and 26 minutes, which meant we had an average pace of 8.o9 minute miles, which put us in 18th place out of 200 teams! We literally rocked the RedRock!

Griff, Nicole, Me, Nile, Braedon, Kenny . . .

And my most favorite team member! Thank you from the bottom of my heart for being so supportive in all I do . . . and for always being the one to carry me when things get crazy and hard! Love you always and forever!

He DID IT!

Rod ran his FIRST HALF MARATHON!

I am SO proud of him! Running is definitely more my passion than his,
but being the incredible guy that he is, he gave it a shot and trained
right smack in the middle of winter . . . and he DID IT!
We ran the Painters Half Marathon in St. George . . . together, but not really TOGETHER.
According to Rod, I talk too much when I run. He won't run anywhere near me.
What can I say? It's cheaper than therapy . . . and I've met a lot of nice people along the way!

Rod's goal was to run the race in under two hours, and he did!

My goal this time was just to run at all! I went down to St. George feeling injured and
unsure of whether or not I would even attempt the race. The competitive side got the
better of me, and I ended up running after all! I had a great, relaxed run - and had the most fun I've ever had at a race! I finished a little slower than my usual times (1:46:58), but I've never felt so great running, and I still managed to finish with the first 100 women!

While I'm pretty sure this won't be a frequently shared event for Rod and I,
we had a blast! The weather was chilly, but perfect for racing, and the vacation was
just what we needed! (Thanks for watching the girls - again - Mom and Dad!)

Congrats Rod!