A week from Ragnar

In one week I will be in Huntington Beach, CA with 11 strangers turned friends awaiting a 5am start time to run to San Diego, CA.

                             

                                               

     

That is 195 miles over the course of roughly 36 hours between 12 runners. The base concept is that the 12 runners split into 2 vans which will then leap frog each other throughout the course. Each runner will run 3 legs of the journey and there will be some eating and sleeping thrown in for good measure. 

RUN,

DRIVE,

SLEEP?

REPEAT

I was lucky enough to join a team which was organized by a Blogger I read. Katie at Runs For Cookies and John from Runner12 ran Ragnar Florida Keys in 2013 as part of the From Fat To Finish Line team. They decided to take a group of newbies to Ragnar and put together a team for SoCal. I had been telling Chad that I wanted to run one of the relays and when I saw Katie mention the team on her blog I jumped at the chance and emailed her. 

Yes I emailed a stranger who's blog I read to see if I could join her team. Not something in my comfort zone! After we started corresponding by email I actually tried to back out when I found out the team had to have a <11:00/mile pace to complete the run within the time frame given. This was in September 2013 and that was faster then my average pace. Luckily I was encourage to join the team anyway by Katie who told me the team average had to be <11:00/mile pace. I am so happy she didn't let me back out when I wanted to because I could have missed out on this opportunity!

I am Runner 5 for this relay meaning I am responsible for legs 5, 17, and 29. The legs are also rated as easy, moderate, hard and very hard depending on distance and elevation profiles among other factors. Leg 5 is a hard 6.4 miles. Leg 17 is a moderate 6.3 miles. Finally leg 29 is an easy 3.7 miles. I doubt any miles will feel "easy" during the last leg! 

So the team I am running with is Strangers to Sole Mates. 

                                                   

                                                       Artwork by Dean (aka Runner 7)

Over the past 7 months we have really gotten to know each other via out Facebook group page. It's an eclectic group for sure but all of us use running as a way to help lose or maintain our weight.

Team Strangers to Sole Mates-

Runner 1- Thomas

Runner 2- Katie

Runner 3- John

Runner 4- Caitlin

Runner 5- Hilary

Runner 6- Paige

Runner 7- Dean

Runner 8- Tay

Runner 9- Martha

Runner 10- Bonnie

Runner 11- Cat

Runner 12- Colleen 

Runner 13- Mark

As a group we want to add a 13th runner to our group. Mark was a very dear friend of our Runner 2, Katie. Unfortunately during the planning phase of this relay Mark was diagnosed with metastasized lung cancer. Mark lost his battle with cancer in late March. Thanks to Katie our team has gotten to know Mark and what a happy, bright and caring indavidual he was. I'm so glad that we can carry Mark's memory with us!

My personal training plan was a basic Half Marathon training plan. I topped out with two 10 mile runs, one of them was epically good and the other was epically horrible! That's how running is though. Someways are great and others suck. Over the course of my training my overall pace has improved dramatically. I credit that to doing tempo runs a 10k pace and running hills. I don't like intervals so I run hills as my "speed work" currently. 

Specific to Ragnar training I have run a couple of "2 a days" to get the feeling of running on tired legs. 

                                        

I've also spent a lot of time and miles out on The Bob Jone's Trail. Even better were the days that Chad came too!

                                                 

I am officially in the taper mode with my longest run between now and Ragnar a 6 miler early next week. I am also planning on keeping up with Yoga/Centergy Monday and Tuesday but then easing off that before the relay. Now it dealing with the nerves prior to the big day!