Wasatch Back 2009

A little over a week ago, Collin and I participated in the Ragnar Wasatch Back. This was a unreal experience...so much fun! What made it so much fun was NOT the running (that too was pretty fun) but we had an AWESOME team. We had a blast! The Wasatch Back is a relay race from Logan to Park City, it is about 189 miles. You have a team with 12 people and the team is split up into 2 vans, we were van #2. Van #1 started in Logan and their first leg ended in Eden and that is where we picked up. Eden is beautiful...the whole race is beautiful. I wasn't aware of how beautiful Utah really is...breathtaking! I was runner 7 in our van so I started off the race for van #2.

Back at the beginning of May, I got a IT band injury that would not heal. I rested it and did everything I was suppose to and it did not heal. I thought for sure I wasn't going to be able to run this. I was really upset because we had been planning this since October! Anyway it came closer and there was still no way that I could do it on my leg, and that was when Lo-and-behold Ja-Ja Myers pulled through and switched me legs (not actual legs, but running legs). It was great that my team didn't care that I was slow as molasses if my IT band pain kicked in...which it would. :(

My first leg went great, I made it with just a little pain. Collin's first leg was awesome too. He had to run straight up a mountain up to Snow Basin. He rocked it! He also had a injury, which now we have found out that he was pretty much running on a stress fracture...ooops! Everyone did awesome on their first legs, we whipped right through them.

After our first legs it was van 1's turn to conquer their 2nd legs. They did great! While they were running we went and found some grub, grub at the good ole' Chuck-a-Rama...yes the Chuck-a-rama. We then headed back to the route and just hung out and Pineview Reservoir where the next exchange was taking place. We tried to get a little shut eye, but their was this crazy smell that kept us all awake...;) About 11:30 p.m. we stared our 2nd legs. We went until about 5:30 in the morning.

After our 2nd legs we made our way to Heber where Rachel's parents were letting is get some shut-eye at their house. We took showers and were able to sleep for a couple of hours...it was awesome! We started back up again about 10:30ish. By this time my IT band was killing me! I couldn't even bend my knee without a shooting pain, I really felt like my knee was experiencing labor...really! It hurt so bad, so of coarse I made a fool of myself and cried for half of my leg and I was limping along. It hurt and I was so frustrated that I just couldn't run, I have been running forever and now this, very discouraging. Anyway, I was able to finish with a limping walk, and a supporting team. Some of my family was even there to cheer me on. Everyone else continued to do great. Collin was doing awesome even with all of his pain.

Justin Myers, Trisha Paddock, Rachel Olson, Gareth Nash, Collin Richards, Natalie Richards, Ryan Paddock, Allison Strang, Chad Strang, Leslie Myers, Keysha Peck, Chad Peck.

Saturday was a crazy, rainy day. The temperature was perfect to run in though. I think we were all ready to get done and get out of the car. I saw how amazing Keysha was running the "RAGNAR" hill...she is one tough cookie! Everyone was super tough and did a great job. Thanks Ja-ja for switching me legs so I didn't miss out on all the crazy fun. Thanks Allison for putting this all together and being a awesome captain. I wish that we were able to see Van 1 more often, we had such a fun group!

Until next year...Monarch Maniacs!