The end

About 4 hours after my second leg, I ran the last of my 3. I ran the last 3 or so miles of the race, and it was rough. My phone died so I didn't have anything to listen to and I don't know how long I took, but I was able to pass 3 more people for a total of 8 (our van exceeded 100 roadkill!). 3 guys from my team came back and ran the end with me, which was very nice of them. I feel like in that last leg I wasn't able to achieve the "mind over matter" state that I usually do. Maybe it was the lack of sleep, or the unexpected variations of the course compared to the map I had studied, or being distracted by other things, but those last 3 miles were tougher than they should have been. Once I saw the finish line though, it got easier. It was fun to see my team waiting and to get to run in with them. Unfortunately, Mike was running late, and my mom didn't make it over with Ethan, so I didn't get to celebrate with the family. We ended up coming straight home after team pictures instead of hanging out at the shopping center where the race ended.

After two days without showering or sleeping, I headed straight for the shower and then took a nap until Mom and Gary came over with Ethan (that was quite the stupor I had to pull myself out of to get out of bed). We ate pizza, watched a little TV, and went to bed very early.

I feel like the Ragnar is a whole different animal when it comes to races. It is something that is best when done with fun people who are enthusiastic about the challenge and event. It is mostly about the fun of it. And running in these circumstances was so different than running at home. I'm glad I had a fun car to cheer me on and take on the extra legs of the race rather than sleep. What a weekend!

I didn't bring my camera, so when my team mates start sharing pictures, I'll get them posted.
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