We got to run another Ragnar Race this year (aka race of insanity). This year's 180 mile course would run from Plymouth and all the way up beautiful Cape Cod to Provincetown. Let me quickly summarize by saying this was my favorite Ragnar yet! My little brother came in from New York to join us and that made it even more special! How fun to run a exhilarating race with some of my favorite people!
Our team, Dr. Teeth and THE ELECTRIC MAYHEM, consisted of 11 (yep down a runner this year. Hey better than the three we were down last year!) mix and matched people who ended up all being super awesome!
Justin, I and my bro Nick of course were all in van 1, and I must say we started the race off right with some sweet car decorations!
It's not quite like the original Electric Mayhem bus but the inside did have a freaking awesome ambiance, especially at night with all our Christmas lights lit up!
Justin got us all started off at the starting line . . . .
..and we were off!
One day I want to be that girl next to him - running as an Ultra Team. I just need a few hard core running friends! Who out there will take on the challenge with me? I just need 4 more! :)
He rocked his first leg, only taking a wrong turn once :) hahaha. He handed off to me, and my first leg went well, if not a little fast. It helped me finally get into the spirit of the whole race experience, as I wasn't really feelin' it up to that point. How do you like my super psychedelic tank I got in honor of our team? :)
Since our van was down a runner, Justin and I planned on making up the empty legs, so I got to run again just two people later. That was such a cool leg as I got to run through Plymouth, right past the Mayflower and Plymouth Rock!
Plymouth Rock is in that stone pavilion! So cool!
I got to hand off to my bro, on his first Ragnar EVER (first of many right Nick?)
And look who followed us along for of our van's first set of legs and cheered us on the entire way!
My kids are either totally going to want to be runners cause they don't know any different or they are going to hate running more than anything from all the races we take them to! Here's hoping for the first.
At the first major exchange we enjoyed the setting sun, while the poor runners on our team in the other van were running up sand hills and along the beach!
We tried to rest up before our van was up again, but the time went way too fast! Or should I say our team was way too fast! :)
Night runs are definitely my favorite legs of the entire race. Justin and I both got to run almost our entire legs along a huge canal, under the stars, with virtually no traffic to be bothered or distracted by. This was my longest leg of the race, at 11 at night, in the chilly air. I was sporting a neon shirt, sweet "g-string" reflective vest, headlamp, back flasher, Retro head wrap, flashing blue bracelet, and a hot pint sequined mini skirt! hahaha! I had a hard time taking myself seriously dressed like that! It was invigorating and challenging, especially since I was keeping a VERY fast pace, and was only slowed by the .4 miles in the sand at the very end of the leg! Phew!
Justin took the extra leg this round and Nick borrowed my blue balls ;) for his run!
We got to the next major exchange after 1am and tried to sleep. I think most people got a little bit of sleep. I got maybe 15 min. Curses to being a high maintenance sleeper!
These next legs were still in the dark and then early dawn, with a chill and fog in the air, but wow were they amazing! All of our legs were run on a running path that must go at least 20 miles along Cape Cod. Tree lined routes, traffic free, lakes, bridges, tunnels, lush New England beauty! It took my breath away!
Justin was supposed to take the extra leg this round as well, but when my original leg ended up being shortened, and then shortened again last minute, I took the last extra leg on. Looking back now I wish Justin and I had just ran it together, with one of us as a "pacer" - though he says he wouldn't have been able to keep up! :)
It was a thrill to be done and we headed to Provincetown, to wait for the second van to finish their legs. We enjoyed a delicious and much deserved breakfast, took in the morning sun on the beach, and strolled around the quaint little Provincetown.
Our team ran about 180 miles in 22 hours, and we were totally surprised to find out that we came in FIRST PLACE for our division! We had no idea that we were even in the "running" for that! Wow! How cool!
I think we all had an amazing experience. The Ragnar is so cool. If you haven't done one you really ought to try on. It's just such a unique race experience and so much fun to do with family and friends!
I felt really good about all my legs. Miraculously over my five legs (totaling over 24 miles) I consistently kept an incredibly fast pace on basically no sleep! As I ran my last leg I was amazed at the abilities of the human body - specifically mine at that point (not in a narcissistic or egotistictic in any way). I just couldn't believe what I was capable of doing. I thought about how cool it is to see how far we can push ourselves, to test our limits, and challenge ourselves. There is so much gratification in surpassing what you believe your limits to be. The human body and mind are truly incredible!
Way to go Electric Mayhem! I say we do it again!







