For the past 2 years, running a trail ragnar race has been on my radar. I was really excited to see that there was a race reasonably close to Amarillo in Angel Fire, but once I tried recruiting for my team everyone was out due to it falling on the weekend before school began.
And to be real honest with myself, I too knew it was a terrible weekend to leave town when Ben gets stressed out before the 1st day.
So I kinda forgot about it....
... until I walked into Get Fit to look for a new pair of shoes and ran into Jim Black Childers.
He asked if I had gotten together a team of my own and I remember saying along the lines of being "so bummed that it didn't work out for me..."
That's when he jumped in and said that he was on a team and they were scrambling to find their 8th person because someone had backed out last-minute. He gave me Amanda's phone number and asked if I would join their team. I was cautiously excited but knew I needed to talk to Ben if I really wanted to go (which *really* did).
I also knew that I was in pretty good shape as Laura and I had been running all summer.
Aaaaannnddd... it wasn't something to stress about because the team was pretty laid-back and I was assured that I would "fit in perfect" with everyone else.
Long story short, I talked to Ben and after just one slow sigh and eye-roll, he said I could go.
(He gets me... and my inner-crazy.)
Yeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!
Basically each runner does a section of the course (green, red, or yellow) and then hands off to the next runner until all runners have completed all 3 courses (all 24 legs are complete).
Over the course of about 18 hours, each of us completed 14.7 miles of beautiful, hilly terrain.
So I went to Kaden's open house at Paramount Terrace Elementary on Friday night,
immediately jumped into the packed Prius,
and did a SOLO road trip to New Mexico.
All summer I was in somewhat of a funk and Julie's mom asked me what my ideal vacation would be. My response was, "alone time... in the mountains... with a good book... I don't want to take care of anyone... I just want everyone to leave me the **** alone for a few days."
No lie, that was my actual response & you can fill in the asterisks.
Ben didn't know this, but letting me leave was THE BEST gift I could have received at that moment.
He granted my wish: alone time, a new audio-book, cool mountain air, and running through the woods (alone).
sunset outside Clayton, New Mexico
I couldn't quite get my mind around the 1,000 ft. climb until I looked up the mountain from our campsite.
Let the games begin.
Emily starting her 1st loop that I would.
Meanwhile... there were fun things to do and ways to win new Solomon trail shoes...
... such as last man (or woman) standing.
with first loop completed.
panoramic view
the hand-off tent
roasting marshmallows for s'mores
sometime just after 10:30 PM I started my first 6.2 mile loop.
There was a full moon this weekend which ALMOST provided enough light
and then I began my 2nd 4.7 mile loop around dawn
So beautiful that I couldn't resist taking pictures along the way.
and ___ danced so hard that she won herself a brand new pair of Solomon's.
RAD-est medal EVER!!
even the back was awesome
