RAGNAR, I love you. And well, I should.

In the last few days I have said (Out loud) I love you pillow! I Love ya girl. Toothbrush, I love you. Love you Felicia. I love my Garmin. I love you Scott. I love the Honey Bucket man. But why would I love Ragnar? In order to fully understand my love for Ragnar you must first understand what or who Ragnar is. Ragnar is both a what and a who. And no, I am not trying to write a Seuss-inspired blog here. Ragnar was a person, a really tough Viking Warrior to be precise. But since 2003 he has also become the inspiration and thus the name for a relay race that all started here in Utah. Another little fact that even most die-hard Ragnar racers don’t know, Ragnar was married to Lathgertha, a great warrior in her own right. I know this because I am a history buff member of the 12-woman team “Lathgertha’s Warriors” who ran day and night for a total of 189.7 Miles this past weekend. Among the few people who had the energy or inclination to break their focus long enough to ask “What is a Lathgertha?” not one could pronounce it. Even the semi-famous Sione from season 7 of The Biggest Loser, who called the start of the race Friday, had no idea what he was saying. But I still flexed my muscles and cheered when he made the attempt. I hold no grudge. 100’s of team names, some of which I could not understand, or wished I hadn’t, were proudly plastered across support vehicles throughout the greater Wasatch area. It’s all in the name of fun & an unhealthy dose of competition. And it was unquestionably amazing. Amazing to see the virtually limitless capability of the human body when the human spirit decides it can be done. To witness and experience first-hand the power of being cheered and encouraged when you think you can dig no deeper. To have your perspective altered to the point that sleeping on the cement floor of an old high school, with a thousand other runners, is a welcome respite and a 4.7 mile run is a "relief" after finishing 16.2 the night before. It is amazing to become great friends with complete strangers over night. To run in the darkness along the backside of the Wasatch Mountains and see all of the stars and a sliver of moon as you run an 8 ½ mile, 2,400 foot descent. To pass your baton to your sister in-law and then watch her do her part for the team, running her personal best on a 5K leg.

I got to do, and see, and feel all of that. I paid the price of admission into that group of people just crazy enough to say, “Why not?” And I found out, as I often do that the pay-off is beyond physical. Well beyond. It was a spiritual, painful, exhilarating journey. I had an asthma attack on my “easy leg” that put me in a medical tent. Still most of my tears weren’t from the pain of oxygen deprivation or frustration. They were undeniably tears of elation and gratitude. I finished the race. I made it 21 miles in less than 24 hours with no sleep, no shower, no massage, no comfortable place to stretch-out and not enough food because I just couldn’t eat.

I found out a lot about other people and even more about myself. I ran my best time on my hardest stretch and my worst time on my easiest. Sounds like life doesn't it? I didn't go to win, but I left feeling like I had won, mostly a glimpse inside of myself. I had some pretty amazing conversations when I was "all alone" on "unsupported" legs of the race. And I was also privileged to share this with my sister in-law Felicia, whose grace,talents and humility have always been inspirational. This race created a bond between us that is now stronger, more tangible. Earned.
There are so many reasons I love Ragnar, but simply put, I love Ragnar because Ragnar loved me.

The Canyons in Park City
Four members of Van #1 wait for the 6 runners from Van 2.When are last runner arrived we all ran the the last 100 meters together, crossing the finish line as a team. Pure awesomeness!

Highlights from on and off the trail:

Icon Health & Fitness in Logan. UT. 10:00 a.m. Starting Line: Terri calls and sings a Ragnar version of “I Would walk 500 hundred miles (I’m Gonna Be). My race started 15 minutes later.

Exchange 18, East Canyon State Park, 1:15 a.m. on June the 19th. Felicia shared her conversion story with a car full of new-found friends and one grateful and humbled sister in-law. The insights were worth staying up for.

Coleville High School, 3:00 a.m. June 19th Reading a card from a dear friend who knows what I was going through (she's ran the race) Filled with words of encouragement that were much needed for what was to come.

Coleville High School, 3:30 a.m. June 19th‘Sleeping’ next to said sister in-law which earned her the title of Orange Gumby and me a few extra laughs at the end-beginning of a new day. Thanks Felish. (Hope it’s okay to call you that because I sure did. Alot).

Exchange 3. Between Hyrum and Paradise Seeing Emily for the 2^nd time in two weeks as she arrived to cheer Felicia and I on.

Leg 26 Between Kamas & Francis. My little brother John shows up in his Volunteer t-shirt with Doug. He was there for Felicia, but it made me feel good just to see him after the worst run of my entire life.

Leg & Exchange 13, Old Trappers Road, 8:25 p.m. June the 18th. Crossing the road to start what would be my most challenging run (until the next day), to find my daughter there playing in the dirt. I didn’t know this surprise was coming and it was perfectly timed. I was cheered and cheered and video-taped and encouraged by my two favorite animated Asians and the one man in the world who has the power to convince me of anything. This leg of the race was pure magic.Scott you have no idea what you did for me there. Well,... maybe you do.

Exchange 5, Avon Pass, Sometime in the heat of the day, June 18^th. I am driving the back roads of “who knows where” to find our runner- Tracy, whom we had shamefully neglected a little too long for the sake of lunch. We became more and more concerned for her hydration as we counted the cattle guards between her and the end of the race. When we finally met up with her we exited the driver’s side of the vehicle, against the rules, to give her water and someone said “We shouldn’t be doing this.” Which she interpreted as you might imagine. We had a good laugh on that one.
June 19th. Leg 27- Hard. I watch in awe as Lisa runs up a hill for 7.9 miles. She took this leg of the race for Jerianne whose hip was hurting so bad she never would have made it, even with all of her training. Lisa makes it look easy. She has lost 140 pounds in recent months. She runs the canyons and summits around her house. I wanna grow up to be Lisa.

Between Avon Pass and Huntsville. Sometime between 11:30 and 1:30 p.m. I’m still driving and I comment how weird it is that the Logo I painted on our back window is somehow not backwards when I view it in the rear view mirror. Huh? I then support my statement by saying “When I put my hand up in the mirror it isn’t on the other side of my body.” As soon as these words left my tired mouth I wanted to suck them back in.

Snow Basin Road 8:48 p.m. June 18th A strong and very fast young man passes me on the hill. I yell out "I guess this means you aren't going to be my running buddy!?" He responds, "Nope, Yer a girl." True True and I am old enough to have been his mother so I'll watch him run it alone, this time. :-)


Freeway between Heber & Park City June 19th I am driving again. My phone rings and I spend the next fifteen minutes trying to express my range of emotions to Jennifer.She is elated and proud and sharing my tears with me. Thank you Jen.