Ragnar Hawaii: Part 1

Part 1 is going to be pre race and leg 1. The Montana Running Ranchers/Team Beef Montana was very excited to take our message to Hawaii!

Ragnar Hawaii might be my favorite relay yet. and also the hardest.   Most of my team flew over to Hawaii on the same plane from Denver. I was able to get a seat next to my friend Billie Jo and other than the man on the other side of me who suffered from severe halitosis it was a good flight. I managed to sleep a little and read a book.

the view from our balcony at first light.

We got into Hilo, got our vans and checked into our hotel in pretty good time. We had a nice view of the ocean from our balcony. Our team wasn't set to start the relay until 11:30 so we were able to have a relaxing morning.

We went to Walmart and decorated the vans and shopped for water and food to get us through the race. Evie and Billie Jo (top) and Sarah and I (picture below) have now run 5 relays together. I love these girls.  One girl was new to the team and the other Christy was coming back for her second year. Also amazing women. Our girls van rocked.

Huge thanks to all of our sponsors for helping us get to Hawaii and run while promoting the beef industry. We are all very passionate about what we do.
I was in van 1 and runner number 5.  It felt like 11:30 took forever to come around, but before we knew it, we were off! We started with two other teams and found out later that only two other teams started after us at noon. We were in the back of the pack with 7 hours of teams in front of us!

It's quiet at the back. Not a lot of vans at the exchanges, not many runners to drive by.

My first leg was also the "Ragnar Leg"

There is always that one leg that is longer, steeper, more challenging and more talked about than any other on the course - The Ragnar Leg. This tradition began with a brutal elevation challenge that ascended Guardsman’s Pass at the first Wasatch Back in 2004. Since then, it has become a tradition that Ragnarians are eager to embrace.

Things that come with a Ragnar leg include:

• A unique medal for each runner who conquers the Ragnar Leg - Powered by Reebok. Each location will have a unique design that features a strong sense of place and a sense of victory.
• Course signage to pump you up along the most challenging leg on the course
• A special Reebok arch and exchange area to help celebrate your accomplishment*

I don't usually take pictures while running, but it was so beautiful I had to take at least one!

I had 11.8 miles of hilliness. It was beautiful. and challenging. and hot. and thankfully there was some shade along the way. Once I got to mile 8 I knew it was in the bag. I was passed 3 times. I did pass someone back. Other than that I saw no other runners.  I carried water with me and my awesome van mates stopped and gave me water along the way as well..

It was a uphill to the exchange and I was so happy to be done!

We got into the 6th exchange to hand off to van 2 and found out we were the last ones in. They were packing things up. They did however let us pick the song for our runner to run into the exchange to, We chose Fight Song, It turned out to be a perfect choice for Billie Jo, as her daughter loves the song and it really motivated her. 

With that van 2 was off and running and we were off to the next major exchange to rest up.

and I had my Big Kahuna medal

Knowing we were at the back, but catching up was very motivating! We knew by our second leg we would be passing other teams.

Weekly Wrap

Sunday 5 mile run, left the house just before sunrise, it was a perfect running kind of morning.

Monday: Cold windy, rainy. I wimped on the run. I was okay with this. I did yoga for 45 minutes and a 15 minute strength workout

Tuesday: Workday

Wednesday: 7.25 miles with lots of hills.  Awesome morning for a run

Thursday: 5k after work. My legs felt surprisingly speedy after the hills the day before. I love fall running weather.

Friday: Nothing

Saturday: 15 minutes of yoga and a 7 mile run in the morning before flag football.

Then we preg tested the heifers. The kids love working cows like this especially when its nice out, they get to hang out with cousins and drink pop.

and this week's poses from the Instagram yoga challenge. Lots of different pets made appearances!

total miles: 23.4  
strength workouts:1
yoga: 2 
not my best week, but it is sort of a taper week with Ragnar coming up. 
once again linking up with Holly and Tricia for the Weekly Wrap

 feel free to check it out and join in! 
The purpose of this link is to connect with and support other active women.  You can summarize your whole week or just a small portion of it.  It's up to you!  Race recaps are also encouraged!   {See complete rules} 

Practically Famous

 If you follow me much at all especially on Instagram you know I am an INKnBURN ambassador and I love their clothes. I was super excited when I went to their website earlier this week and saw me on the header.  See me planking?! (in my serpent capris)

but wait..the header is a slideshow and there I am again! Showing off how inflexible I am, once again in my serpent capris.

 I suspect my girl will be super excited when she gets up this morning to see she made it into the slideshow as well, in the top center picture. She loves her INKnBURN too.

Some time ago I was interviewed for Montana Parent magazine. I thought it was coming out in the October issue, turns out it was in the September one and I completely missed it. Now I have to try and find some issues for my kids.

If you want to read it, go HERE  They were pretty excited about it. The cows in the pictures are all not mine. They are my Dad's and brothers. If they were mine they would have green ear tags. I guess they were being shy that day.

Monday I have an interview on the radio for the Montana Running Ranchers /Team Beef Montana and our upcoming trip to Hawaii for the Ragnar.     I'm practically famous.  I'm just hoping I don't get nervous on air and completely blow it.

Three Things Thursday: One week until Ragnar Hawaii

1. I leave for Ragnar Hawaii in a week. I will fly to Denver by myself and meet up with some of my team there for the flight to Hawaii. I am so excited. and it's always so hard to leave my family to go so far and be gone. I will miss Avery's cheerleading performance and a flag football game for Cade.

2. I actually might hate Hawaii by the time I get done running

I am the 5th runner. We start at 11:30 in the morning, which means I will be running this in the afternoon heat.

This in the dark.  Seriously my easiest leg will be the only "cool" weather leg

 

and this in the heat again.  

I am seriously praying for rain and shade, lots of shade. I ran in the low 40s yesterday. It felt divine.

How amazing is this new INKnBURN kit?

 I am not heat acclimated at all. Mentally, I just know it will be tough.  I plan to hydrate hydrate hydrate. Wear a ton on sunscreen and beg my teammates for ice.

Yes I have been weather stalking.

3. Did I mention I ran in the low 40s yesterday? It was divine.  After 4+ inches of rain on Sunday and Monday and Tuesday I needed to get out and run. I did half on the road and half on trails. Color me a happy girl.

Running Bucket list

Not to sound terribly unambitious but having this for a Tuesday on the run topic made me realize something.  My running bucket list looks like this

It's about empty! I had three things on it this year.. one was to run a marathon before I turned 40.  Done, done and done, and another was to run Ragnar Hawaii.  I leave in 9 days for that. YAY


The only thing left is to run a marathon with my little sister. 


We will have to start planning that! She runs her first marathon at the MCM at the end of this month.  I am so excited for her.  I am guessing a marathon will happen for us in 2017 or 2018.




In the works for next year so far are a couple of half marathons and at least one marathon. I think I am over my "one and done" phase for the marathon. I don't seem to be thinking 2 and done, I am thinking..more.  


My next half will be The Run to the Pub in Bozeman in March. This one is always so much fun and I had to DNS it last year due to back issues.


I am going to work on my running bucket list.. it needs filled back up!


Linking up for                    

This week's writing prompt: Bucket List Races If you don't have anything to share about Bucket List Races, feel free to post any running related blog post.  Link-up with Patty, Erika, and Marcia!

Weekly Wrap: Happy Birthday Cola!

Sunday: 6.2 miles  This run felt so good! Loving fall weather!

Monday: 40 minutes of yoga in the morning
7 mile run

Tuesday: 12 minute bodyweight workout

Wednesday: Long run. first double digit since the marathon and probably the only before Ragnar Hawaii.

and then we moved cows home from summer pasture for pre conditioning, shipping and preg testing.

Thursday: 12 minute HIIT in the morning before work
Friday: nothing
Saturday: nothing by the time I went to Cade's football game, help sort cows, got Avery from cheer leading camp, helped pre condition calves, sort more cows, preg check some of our cows eat dinner...I was tired and ready for a nap!  Not to mention it was also time to watch more football.

  and Thursday was also Cola's birthday!

September finished up with 144.2 miles.. pretty good!
and I finished up my September yoga challenge

once again linking up with Holly and Tricia for the Weekly Wrap

 feel free to check it out and join in! 
The purpose of this link is to connect with and support other active women.  You can summarize your whole week or just a small portion of it.  It's up to you!  Race recaps are also encouraged!   {See complete rules}