Believe to Achieve

When Rachelle and I finished our leg up the hill in the night to pass off to the next van THEY
 were nowhere to be found.  A cell phone call resulted in alarming (now quite funny) news.  They were at the WRONG exchange.  In fact they had dropped off the next guy (he just joined the team two weeks ago and never ran a Ragnar) at LEG 16 instead of 18.  He was by himself waiting and waiting...wondering where we were when we said we were just a few minutes to the exchange.  Van 2 had to drive back and pick him up and drive him TWO exchanges down the course.  We added almost an hour to our team's time.  I am sure that stress caused Van 2 to gain some strength in their early hour runs.  I know it would have mine!!  I felt bad for them.   For us it was bitter sweet.  We had gained 45 minutes but lost them in an instant.  But it wasn't really a race so it didn't matter.  I had to be to work at noon so I was sligthly stressed but work said it was okay I came in at 1pm.   However we MADE more time  up in our last legs and gain 30 minutes from the time we lost!!  I left for my last leg at 11am instead of the predicted 10:32 am.  Our team would have come in at 27:30 hours but things happen.  I wouldn't my change my team. They were all a blast to hang with!! Van 2 I met briefly and everyone of them had their own special running story.  And I love that!!  We came in 32 in our category and 69th out of all the teams!!    We are FREAKS on a Leash!!  Oh yah!! We lived up to our name. That's all that counts!!   

Drove to exchange 24 to TRY to get some sleep.  Didn't happen.  Rachelle and I were in the back seat of a minivan.  I think we both tried at least 10 positions to sleep in. All of them VERY uncomfortable.  I finally forfeited my spot and got out of the van without a wink of sleep and walked around aimlessly.  Rachelle was greatful.  I just decided sleep WASN'T going to happen.  You would have to drug me to sleep at Ragnar.  Even then that might backfire to the HORROR of the team!! 

Leg 29, 3.0 miles (course tooled long, as I knew it was based on effort).   20:23.  RACING flats SAucony A15s.  I think that's their name.  Not a good idea I realized as ROAD construction made it hard to fly in these shoes.  I was force to run on the side walk with bits of tarry gravel all over the place passing up and over many curbsides at intersections with MORE gravel to traverse.  The last mile was the best with a covered bridge to cross the Provo River (I just learned that it was indeed the Provo River!!) and a treeline path to the finish, passing off to Rachelle.  AP 6:47.  Passed 20 teams!!   Cooled down with Rachelle, although I was thinking more like lying down-- 1 mile.  Off to work.  Arrived at work at 1:09pm.  Worked until 6:45pm.  Left work.  Ate two bites of dinner and made the ascent to my bedroom and crashed at 7:25pm.  Woke at 530am.  10 hours of SLEEP.  OH YAH!!