running the ragnar

What we saw first thing Friday morning. This gorgeous lake covered in fog at the starting line.

Back in September {yes, I'm going that far back. A little embarrassing.} I ran in the Washington DC Ragnar race. It's a team relay run, 12 people, 200 miles, within a 36 hour time zone. They have these races all across the country, and I was shocked to be asked to join a team of people from my church. But when we first started putting the team together I got excited and super scared. I started running, and trying to train for it. I knew some people on my team were serious athletes - one ran at the college level, a couple others do triathlons and other crazy races all the time, and practically everyone else had been in various running races and my pace was much slower than theirs.

These first couple pictures are professional ones by Ragnar.  If you look closely, you can see my profile behind the girl in the blue shirt. ha!

Training was awesome for me. I loved having a personal goal to reach, one that made me sore and physically tired afterwards yet at the same time gave me more energy. Yes it was inconsistent at best. I would often miss a run here or there, and I was often second guessing myself all along. But I kept going, and thankfully felt positive peer pressure to step up my game. My training hit a peak when I ran in a 10k at the end of August with a pace of an 8:56 mile. I was on cloud nine for improving that much! The race was towards the end of September, so I felt like I could seriously maintain and maybe even slightly improve that time within the last month of training.

That's when frustration and pain took over. During one of my daily 3-mile runs a couple weeks before the race, my right knee starts sending me searing pain signals. I push through as long as I can, but eventually stop and walk home. Completely taken off guard. My knees have always been easily irritated, but I was doing what I needed (I thought) to deal with it and the pain hadn't increased until that day. I rested a couple days, and tried again with the same result, but this time the pain started earlier. Mad and unsure of what this meant, I didn't run for a week. I missed my longest pre-race run, and hadn't accumulated enough mileage under my belt like I wanted to. I tried one more run a few days before the race, and it only confirmed to me that I was in serious danger of failing. I could not run a mile before the pain in my right knee was unbearable. The pain moved around, wasn't in the same place twice it felt like. I figured after reading a few things that it was my IT Band and I was stuck with something that wasn't going away any time soon.

Gorgeous scenery through Maryland.

The week of the race I was an emotional wreck. My knee hurt to use the stairs. My knee hurt simply standing up. My knee hurt by walking on it. And I was supposed to run 15.1 miles in just a couple days. Oh I was scared. I was so mad that all this effort, all these months of training, and it was all ruined in a matter of days. I was convinced that it was my lack of cross-training that initiated the pain, and was mad that it was my own fault. I was terrified of letting my team mates down. Especially after my brother was able to fill the most challenging spot on the team after another guy got injured and I was so looking forward to running with him. I was scared of the pain I was going to endure, and the consequences of what would happen if I had to stop half way through. Seriously - I was a wreck.

A friend of mine and her family along the way. If it weren't for this gal I probably wouldn't have done it! 

But I was committed, and no matter what anyone told me I was stubborn and determined to at least try. Miracle after miracle happened, thanks to my parents help and bag balm of all things. My father has been trying my whole life to convince me of it's wondrous powers, and I have always held my doubts (or jokes). No more. I am converted.

Proof that I got at least one road kill as they call it when you pass someone. Felt good! 

In all seriousness, I did see and feel miracles happening. The pain and knowledge of it was always there. But I was able to run and ultimately finish my race. I wasn't as prepared as I had been before the injury started, and my pace was slower than my best. But I was at least able to maintain my predicted pace and not slow the team down. I felt wave after wave of gratitude for this small blessing that meant so much to me. The timing of all my runs was perfect, mid-day, late evening, early morning; and even the location of these runs felt like tender mercies from God. I was able to finish and feel strong even though I was completely spent and exhausted. I was compensating for my knee which then led to other pain throughout my body.

Medals at the finish line on Saturday 

 But I finished. And my team finished. And I have the best memories of it all.
Oh it was so fun and exhilarating!

The people I ran with in my van were a complete inspiration to me. The greatest support staff in the world, and I learned many lessons from them. My brother was sadly in the other van, but I got to see him at the major exchanges and touch base with him every once in a while. He seriously rocked it, and I was so proud!

Waiting for our last runner so we could all cross the finish line together.

Throughout the entire training and race experience, I learned countless lessons - both physical and spiritual. I would do it all over again in a heart beat, doing everything in my power to eliminate that awful knee pain. It is a goal of mine for Ryan to join me for another Ragnar race someday. Maybe even this year! He still needs a lot of convincing, but I think with the right kind of peer pressure I can get him.

D's whole family came down with him and they played with my parents and my kids while D and I ran. It was so fun to see them at the finish line!

My heart burst with happiness when I saw these kiddos! I felt so strong and capable as a person, and I couldn't wait to wrap them in a hug and cover them with kisses. It felt SO good!
What an awesome experience - one that dozens of people helped with to all make possible. I'll never forget it.