Thursday, November 20, 2008
Ragnar Relay - Legs 2 and 3
The rest of the story...
Anne-Marie – NO Pickles! I knew from the start that it was going to be a while before I would be running my leg, about 8 and a half hours or so. Had a blast during that time going from stop to stop cheering everybody on and making sure they had everything they needed. I got some great pictures of everyone and just enjoyed a great day. When we saw Ali off on her leg it quickly sunk in that it was my turn next, and I started feeling a little nervous. Jen and I headed to the next exchange and I started to get ready. Because it was going to get dark while I was running I had to don the snazzy reflective vest and snapped the head lamp on the brim of my cap (little did I know how much I would come to love that little light!). Then the time came and I could see Ali coming up to the exchange. She passed on the slapper and I was off for my 10 mile leg. The first half of the leg was a little tough, there was no shoulder so I was running on grass for about 2 miles. As it started getting dark I was getting worried about hitting a hole or something. This gave way to a great stretch of road that had some great rolling (not so rolling) hills, and as it came on full dark it was an amazing experience to be out there "doing it" – I got into a zone and just enjoyed the run.I was ready to pass on the slapper by the time the exchange rolled around. Because it was a major exchange there seemed to be a ton of people lining the path to the exchange point, and all of them were cheering the runners on – a definite boast as I handed off to Jen.
Jen – Ready…Set…Go! Ahhhh, the 2nd leg. I was pumped. The 11 hour wait is over. 13.4 miles this time. Was I ready? How was it going to feel? After spending the last several hours frequently visiting the porta potties on the route I was anxious to start running again. I had been feeling sick to my stomach the whole time. Not sure if it was something I ate or just all the Gu’s, Accelerade and Power Bars but I figured it should disappear somewhat as I got into my run. I was right. Yeah! The route this time was going to be a tough one with some major hills to climb, but I was ready. The first couple of miles went ok, but then found myself in a less desirable neighborhood and no other runners in sight. Really just wanted to see someone or even one of the vans go by just to make sure I didn’t take a wrong turn, but nothing for quite a while it seemed. I eventually made my way through and then out into a rural area. Not sure which scared me the most, the less desirable neighborhood or the middle of nowhere. I finally see the 1st hill up ahead and a pack of 5 dogs running down their front yard. They would stop each time I looked at them, I think my headlight threw them off but as soon as I would look at the road again, they would start inching forward. They barked and I kept looking, I made it to the start of the hill climb, but now the dogs were running after me. Oh geeze! I turned my visor around so the light shined in their eyes and ran as fast as I could up the hill. They eventually chickened out. The hill must have been too tough for them…they obviously didn’t train like I did ;-> Ahh, the posse showed up and hung with me till the next checkpoint, they had heard from the other vans to stick to the runners on this leg, it was an ugly one. The rest of the run felt great. I got to see the space shuttle in the sky next to the huge moon. Awesome sight. I couldn’t have asked for a clearer sky. Anne-Marie then joined me on the bike and stayed with me through the next leg. It was perfect and I really needed someone by then. I had a lot of soft sand to run through, she had to walk the bike…it was tough running through it…kinda like very soft sand at the beach. Twisted my ankles a lot. Knees hurting by now. Yeah, a trail. It was the Withlacoochee State trail, nice! Dark, too, but Anne-Marie stuck with me. Even with something in the woods rustling on either side. Thanx girlfriend! I was mentally digging deep for the last 4 miles. It seemed to take forever, but made it to the exchange, posse cheering me on and Audrey ready to take over. Whew…that was a long one. Now where are those compression socks?
Audrey – My 2nd leg started at a little after 9pm with mileage to total 15.9 miles. I had high hopes for a great leg after my signage issue in the last leg. As I left the exchange point, I was off with Anne-Marie in tow on the bike. It took a little bit for my legs to start to warm up after such a long hiatus of running and sitting in the car. My entire run consisted of running along the shoulder of SR-50. Let’s just say the shoulder was completely slanted and filled with road kill. About mile 3, I started to experience shooting pain running up my right leg to my knee with a desperate need for Tylenol. To make matters worse, I started to feel sick about mile 6. I ended up starting a run/walk along the route. When I finally arrived at the exchange point for the first portion of my course, I made a stop at the port-a-potty and took some Tylenol. Off again, I went in complete pain. I didn’t know if I was going to be able to stand the pain long enough to finish this portion, let along my last leg. Somehow, I managed to make it to the exchange point.
Dave – This is when the stomach ache began. I might even call it Montezuma’s Revenge. We’re talking bad stuff here, but my wonderful girlfriend Ali, kept me company on the bike and she talked me through the entire 8 miles. I managed to run the whole way and was excited to have only one more run to go.
Chris – So leg 2 starts at 1:52 am, boy is it nice out, night running is the best. This leg is only 6.1 miles and after the disappointment of the first leg I decided to run this one hard knowing that for leg 3 I would be tired and it would be hot again. With Sherry leading me on the bike I was able to maintain a 7:55 per mile pace for this leg. As I approached the finish I was happy to see Ali, passed on the slap bracelet and was ready for a nap (all 10 minutes of one).
Ali – After a 2 hr rest lying down in the back of the van, I jumped on the bike to pace with Dave while he ran. We tried to keep someone on the bike at all times since we were running through some dark, random places. It was actually nice to get my legs loosened up and stretch it out. When Dave got done Chris took off for his quick 6 miler so I had a quick turn around from the bike to the run and before I knew it, I was standing in the exchange corral with a vest and headlamp. Bring it on! Chris came flying in and I was off. Ouch…those hamstrings were still a bit tight, but nothing a good 11 mile run won’t cure. After a mile Dave appeared on the bike next to me, all was good from there out. I had what would be a scenic course if it would have been light out, but all I knew was it contained some rolling hills. More rolling up, then rolling down, but it was actually nice to do something besides run straight and flat for 2 hours! Surprisingly, I felt great (minus the tightness in the hammies) and held my pace. I knew the last mile was over a bridge, and I love bridges so I had something to look forward to the whole way. It was worth the wait, with the full moon, the water was beautiful. All I could think about was how I wanted to go for a swim. In the meantime, I’ll just get to the exchange point and get this bracelet on Anne-Marie! Two down, one 14 miler left! Woo-hoo!
Anne-Marie – After my first leg I had hopped on the bike and rode with Jen through her 2nd leg and with Audrey through her 1st leg – almost 16 miles! Wow. But it definitely was a great way to spin out the legs and I think it really helped keep things loose for the 2nd and 3rd legs.
It was late. We saw Ali off from her exchange and figured it would be time for my 2nd leg around 4:00am. Sleep wasn't really happening, so we waited at the exchange for Ali to come through with Dave on the bike – my stomach was bugging me a little and I don't even know how many times I had to run to the port-a-potty. I had the spiffy reflective vest on and light ready to go for my 9.7 miles. Because it was dark, it wasn't that easy seeing who was coming so there were a few false starts until we saw Ali. As she came up I was feeling a little nervous, but quickly got into a groove as we went along. Chris was riding the bike along with me and was so great the entire time – he definitely kept me going and psyched along the way. It was awesome.
Could see the sun just starting to come up as I ran along into the next exchange, and it was so great to know that we were now two thirds done! Just one more leg each and we would be in Daytona. Jen wasn't quite at the exchange point yet so I got to abuse her a little with the slapper. Then it was time to pass it off and Jen took over for her last leg!
Jen – 3rd leg...LAST leg…only 6 miles….I got this! Just about an hour away from saying I did it. I exchanged with Anne-Marie and I was off. Chris joined me on the bike this time. It was still dark and soon would get light, but he was able to get one last support ride in. Thank goodness, I needed it! Thanx buddy! This was definitely a slower run, I felt good, but definitely felt the pain more and the fatigue. We were all running on next to no sleep. Tummy was still upset. Seemed to always disappear when I ran but quickly came back when I stopped. But, no worries, only 6 miles to go. It was a scenic route with a couple of big lakes and lots of frogs on the road…dead. The posse as usual came by showing their support with honks and woo-hoo’s never wavering in their aid to the runner on the road. Chris would either sing a couple lines of a song or just be his funny self to help take the edge off. Finally, the infamous “One Mile To Go” sign…I had made it. I told Chris to go ahead and check on Audrey and see if I could take over on the bike and ride with her. I was worried about her injury from her last run and Chris had just done 2 bike legs with Anne-Marie and myself. He rode ahead and I finished the last mile…damn proud of myself for making it. Got to the exchange and set Audrey off. Couldn’t ride with her as it was daylight, but hopped in the van to stick close to her.
Audrey – With two horrible legs on my record and still in some pain, I headed off with fingers crossed that I could finish my last leg of the relay. Well, I didn’t make it far…less than a half a mile before the shooting pain was too unbearable to run. Although I didn’t want to stop and let down the team, my body was screaming at me to stop. I gave in to walking and knew I couldn’t make it. Thankfully, we were able to substitute runners for those who dropped out due to injury. Jen took one for the team and jumped back on the course after completing her legs immediately prior to finish my section…THANKS Jen!
Jen – Audrey got about 1/3 of a mile and was still in too much pain to run, but bless her heart, said she would walk it if she had to. Everyone else had longer runs for their last legs so I knew what I had to do. I put my shoes back on, told the posse I had 2-3 miles left in me and would do my best, but to check on me every mile. I took off. I actually felt better on this run than my last one. I was faster too. The posse checked on me every mile and was there with mega support! It fueled me to keep going. I knew I could make it the first 3 to the next exchange. Chris came up in the car and said Ali was there and would take over. There was no way I could let her do that…I was still upright…I knew I was done after this and she still had 14 miles to go. I had to finish it out, I told Chris, tell her I got it…I’m going 4 more! Oh boy, I passed the exchange station, Ali gave one more offer. I was too worried about her on her next run and knew I could do this; after all, I was done after this. I told her I got it and passed the exchange. I was committed now. No turning back. What the hell was I thinking! What did I just do? Ok….FOCUS! The next four were tough, gagged a lot with tons of roadkill on the road, dug deep into the soul again, but made it. Then happily slapped that wristband on Ginger and said Run Baby Run! Wow, I really did it, 37+ miles….YEEHAW…what a RUSH! Special thanx to the posse. You guys are INSANE! I love you all!
Dave – My last run of the day! I was so excited to get this run over with. I took one of those new Roctane Gu’s and felt great for the first 4 miles. The humidity killed me on my first 2 runs and the third wasn’t any different. I was completely soaked and I tried to stay as hydrated as possible. The last 2 of my 7 mile trek I did a walk/run and as I climbed the last hill the finish line was in sight. I ran as hard as I could and crossed the exchange point with a huge smile on my face. I was finally done and ready to cheer on the rest of our crew for the last few runs. Plus, I can’t wait to put my Ginger costume back on. ; )
Chris – Leg 3 started real nice, cloudy and a little cooler in the middle of the Ocala National forest. Only 15.7 miles until I am finished. As always I started out too fast and then the sun came out. The last 8 miles were tough but thanks to Poncho running with me and keeping my mind occupied I was able to finish with an average pace of 9:36 per mile. That was ahead of the plan and now I was done. Towel off, change clothes and a nice nap in the back of the forerunner. Now that it is done it was not as bad as I imagined it to be, I am now ready for the finish line party, see you in Daytona Beach! WAY TO GO S.S. INSANITY!!!!
Ali – I can’t believe it’s here already…my last run! Surprisingly, this whole adventure has flown by! As I got the bracelet and turned to run, I was mentally in the game, but my legs needed a bit of convincing. It took a mile or so to shake them out. The quads were a little tired and the hamstrings were like rubber bands stretched to their endpoint. But it’s all mental, right? And you can’t expect to run across Florida from coast to coast without feeling a little bit of pain, so suck it up and go! It was 7.4 miles to the first exchange and my plan was to run all the way there and then if I needed to resort to a walk/run, so be it. Luckily I have the best family, Dad and Nan drove over from Dunedin to cheer us on and help us out…as if they haven’t already done enough! So I was fortunate enough to have 3 vehicles supporting me along the way. It was so helpful because it was hot and humid and I needed to continuously dump water on me to try and cool off. I got to my favorite signs, the “One Mile to Go” marker and ran it in feeling pretty good. Saw the posse and kept on trucking. I told Dad to head up about 2 miles and be ready to run. When I saw him, I started the walk/run. We would go for a mile to a mile and a half and then walk for about 2 minutes. It allowed me to get my heart rate down, get some extra water and get ready for the next stint. Sometimes you just have to break it down, one mile at a time! This worked great and with a mile and a half left, I was ready to pound it out…well it may not have actually been pounding, but I ran the whole thing with a smile on my face and a feeling of great accomplishment and respect for my incredible team! 5 runners down, 1 runner left. Anne-Marie stood in the exchange looking strong and confident. Bring it home girl! We will see you in Daytona Beach!
Anne-Marie – "36 hours never seemed like a long time until it seemed like it would never end!" By the time my 3rd leg rolled around I was getting pretty darn tired. I'd managed to grab literally a few minutes of sleep here and there, but nothing any more substantial. The day had warmed up quite a bit and we were running along the highway with little shade. This leg was going to be tough – 16 miles – but doable. We got to drive through some beautiful countryside during the day supporting and cheering on the team. Waiting for Ali at the exchange was pretty nerve racking, I was worried that I was going to really struggle with the run and didn't want to let the rest of the team down. I was ready as Ali passed off the slapper, and started my last leg. It took a little bit to work out the stiffness in my legs, but that soon passed and I was able to settle into a good groove. Now this is where having the support and caring of an awesome group of people comes in – stopped along the side of the road at the perfect intervals my team and Ponch & Nan had cold water and a ton of encouragement. I'd already figured out that at 6.4 miles I would have run the distance of a marathon in 24 hours, so as I crossed that mark I couldn't help but let out a "YES!". It was only another miles and a half or so to the next exchange at that point, but because we were getting closer to Daytona Beach it was definitely getting busier. After the exchange I had a great running partner for the next 3 miles – he helped keep me going and my spirits up as we headed to the home stretch. I think the best part of our run together was getting to the top of the bridge that took us over the causeway – it was beautiful – but there was no time to stop and admire the view. Daytona awaited! The team was all there at the turn around and then it was straight down A1a to the finish. That last 5 miles was really tough. It has gotten quite cold and there was a strong wind blowing. I just kept picking something in the distance and concentrated on getting there until I saw that beautiful blue sign and the team waiting there to run the last little bit in with me. Crossing the finish line with the team was awesome. I was filled with the emotion of what I and the rest of us had managed to accomplish in the last 33 hours – WE DID IT!
Anne-Marie – NO Pickles! I knew from the start that it was going to be a while before I would be running my leg, about 8 and a half hours or so. Had a blast during that time going from stop to stop cheering everybody on and making sure they had everything they needed. I got some great pictures of everyone and just enjoyed a great day. When we saw Ali off on her leg it quickly sunk in that it was my turn next, and I started feeling a little nervous. Jen and I headed to the next exchange and I started to get ready. Because it was going to get dark while I was running I had to don the snazzy reflective vest and snapped the head lamp on the brim of my cap (little did I know how much I would come to love that little light!). Then the time came and I could see Ali coming up to the exchange. She passed on the slapper and I was off for my 10 mile leg. The first half of the leg was a little tough, there was no shoulder so I was running on grass for about 2 miles. As it started getting dark I was getting worried about hitting a hole or something. This gave way to a great stretch of road that had some great rolling (not so rolling) hills, and as it came on full dark it was an amazing experience to be out there "doing it" – I got into a zone and just enjoyed the run.I was ready to pass on the slapper by the time the exchange rolled around. Because it was a major exchange there seemed to be a ton of people lining the path to the exchange point, and all of them were cheering the runners on – a definite boast as I handed off to Jen.
Jen – Ready…Set…Go! Ahhhh, the 2nd leg. I was pumped. The 11 hour wait is over. 13.4 miles this time. Was I ready? How was it going to feel? After spending the last several hours frequently visiting the porta potties on the route I was anxious to start running again. I had been feeling sick to my stomach the whole time. Not sure if it was something I ate or just all the Gu’s, Accelerade and Power Bars but I figured it should disappear somewhat as I got into my run. I was right. Yeah! The route this time was going to be a tough one with some major hills to climb, but I was ready. The first couple of miles went ok, but then found myself in a less desirable neighborhood and no other runners in sight. Really just wanted to see someone or even one of the vans go by just to make sure I didn’t take a wrong turn, but nothing for quite a while it seemed. I eventually made my way through and then out into a rural area. Not sure which scared me the most, the less desirable neighborhood or the middle of nowhere. I finally see the 1st hill up ahead and a pack of 5 dogs running down their front yard. They would stop each time I looked at them, I think my headlight threw them off but as soon as I would look at the road again, they would start inching forward. They barked and I kept looking, I made it to the start of the hill climb, but now the dogs were running after me. Oh geeze! I turned my visor around so the light shined in their eyes and ran as fast as I could up the hill. They eventually chickened out. The hill must have been too tough for them…they obviously didn’t train like I did ;-> Ahh, the posse showed up and hung with me till the next checkpoint, they had heard from the other vans to stick to the runners on this leg, it was an ugly one. The rest of the run felt great. I got to see the space shuttle in the sky next to the huge moon. Awesome sight. I couldn’t have asked for a clearer sky. Anne-Marie then joined me on the bike and stayed with me through the next leg. It was perfect and I really needed someone by then. I had a lot of soft sand to run through, she had to walk the bike…it was tough running through it…kinda like very soft sand at the beach. Twisted my ankles a lot. Knees hurting by now. Yeah, a trail. It was the Withlacoochee State trail, nice! Dark, too, but Anne-Marie stuck with me. Even with something in the woods rustling on either side. Thanx girlfriend! I was mentally digging deep for the last 4 miles. It seemed to take forever, but made it to the exchange, posse cheering me on and Audrey ready to take over. Whew…that was a long one. Now where are those compression socks?
Audrey – My 2nd leg started at a little after 9pm with mileage to total 15.9 miles. I had high hopes for a great leg after my signage issue in the last leg. As I left the exchange point, I was off with Anne-Marie in tow on the bike. It took a little bit for my legs to start to warm up after such a long hiatus of running and sitting in the car. My entire run consisted of running along the shoulder of SR-50. Let’s just say the shoulder was completely slanted and filled with road kill. About mile 3, I started to experience shooting pain running up my right leg to my knee with a desperate need for Tylenol. To make matters worse, I started to feel sick about mile 6. I ended up starting a run/walk along the route. When I finally arrived at the exchange point for the first portion of my course, I made a stop at the port-a-potty and took some Tylenol. Off again, I went in complete pain. I didn’t know if I was going to be able to stand the pain long enough to finish this portion, let along my last leg. Somehow, I managed to make it to the exchange point.
Dave – This is when the stomach ache began. I might even call it Montezuma’s Revenge. We’re talking bad stuff here, but my wonderful girlfriend Ali, kept me company on the bike and she talked me through the entire 8 miles. I managed to run the whole way and was excited to have only one more run to go.
Chris – So leg 2 starts at 1:52 am, boy is it nice out, night running is the best. This leg is only 6.1 miles and after the disappointment of the first leg I decided to run this one hard knowing that for leg 3 I would be tired and it would be hot again. With Sherry leading me on the bike I was able to maintain a 7:55 per mile pace for this leg. As I approached the finish I was happy to see Ali, passed on the slap bracelet and was ready for a nap (all 10 minutes of one).
Ali – After a 2 hr rest lying down in the back of the van, I jumped on the bike to pace with Dave while he ran. We tried to keep someone on the bike at all times since we were running through some dark, random places. It was actually nice to get my legs loosened up and stretch it out. When Dave got done Chris took off for his quick 6 miler so I had a quick turn around from the bike to the run and before I knew it, I was standing in the exchange corral with a vest and headlamp. Bring it on! Chris came flying in and I was off. Ouch…those hamstrings were still a bit tight, but nothing a good 11 mile run won’t cure. After a mile Dave appeared on the bike next to me, all was good from there out. I had what would be a scenic course if it would have been light out, but all I knew was it contained some rolling hills. More rolling up, then rolling down, but it was actually nice to do something besides run straight and flat for 2 hours! Surprisingly, I felt great (minus the tightness in the hammies) and held my pace. I knew the last mile was over a bridge, and I love bridges so I had something to look forward to the whole way. It was worth the wait, with the full moon, the water was beautiful. All I could think about was how I wanted to go for a swim. In the meantime, I’ll just get to the exchange point and get this bracelet on Anne-Marie! Two down, one 14 miler left! Woo-hoo!
Anne-Marie – After my first leg I had hopped on the bike and rode with Jen through her 2nd leg and with Audrey through her 1st leg – almost 16 miles! Wow. But it definitely was a great way to spin out the legs and I think it really helped keep things loose for the 2nd and 3rd legs.
It was late. We saw Ali off from her exchange and figured it would be time for my 2nd leg around 4:00am. Sleep wasn't really happening, so we waited at the exchange for Ali to come through with Dave on the bike – my stomach was bugging me a little and I don't even know how many times I had to run to the port-a-potty. I had the spiffy reflective vest on and light ready to go for my 9.7 miles. Because it was dark, it wasn't that easy seeing who was coming so there were a few false starts until we saw Ali. As she came up I was feeling a little nervous, but quickly got into a groove as we went along. Chris was riding the bike along with me and was so great the entire time – he definitely kept me going and psyched along the way. It was awesome.
Could see the sun just starting to come up as I ran along into the next exchange, and it was so great to know that we were now two thirds done! Just one more leg each and we would be in Daytona. Jen wasn't quite at the exchange point yet so I got to abuse her a little with the slapper. Then it was time to pass it off and Jen took over for her last leg!
Jen – 3rd leg...LAST leg…only 6 miles….I got this! Just about an hour away from saying I did it. I exchanged with Anne-Marie and I was off. Chris joined me on the bike this time. It was still dark and soon would get light, but he was able to get one last support ride in. Thank goodness, I needed it! Thanx buddy! This was definitely a slower run, I felt good, but definitely felt the pain more and the fatigue. We were all running on next to no sleep. Tummy was still upset. Seemed to always disappear when I ran but quickly came back when I stopped. But, no worries, only 6 miles to go. It was a scenic route with a couple of big lakes and lots of frogs on the road…dead. The posse as usual came by showing their support with honks and woo-hoo’s never wavering in their aid to the runner on the road. Chris would either sing a couple lines of a song or just be his funny self to help take the edge off. Finally, the infamous “One Mile To Go” sign…I had made it. I told Chris to go ahead and check on Audrey and see if I could take over on the bike and ride with her. I was worried about her injury from her last run and Chris had just done 2 bike legs with Anne-Marie and myself. He rode ahead and I finished the last mile…damn proud of myself for making it. Got to the exchange and set Audrey off. Couldn’t ride with her as it was daylight, but hopped in the van to stick close to her.
Audrey – With two horrible legs on my record and still in some pain, I headed off with fingers crossed that I could finish my last leg of the relay. Well, I didn’t make it far…less than a half a mile before the shooting pain was too unbearable to run. Although I didn’t want to stop and let down the team, my body was screaming at me to stop. I gave in to walking and knew I couldn’t make it. Thankfully, we were able to substitute runners for those who dropped out due to injury. Jen took one for the team and jumped back on the course after completing her legs immediately prior to finish my section…THANKS Jen!
Jen – Audrey got about 1/3 of a mile and was still in too much pain to run, but bless her heart, said she would walk it if she had to. Everyone else had longer runs for their last legs so I knew what I had to do. I put my shoes back on, told the posse I had 2-3 miles left in me and would do my best, but to check on me every mile. I took off. I actually felt better on this run than my last one. I was faster too. The posse checked on me every mile and was there with mega support! It fueled me to keep going. I knew I could make it the first 3 to the next exchange. Chris came up in the car and said Ali was there and would take over. There was no way I could let her do that…I was still upright…I knew I was done after this and she still had 14 miles to go. I had to finish it out, I told Chris, tell her I got it…I’m going 4 more! Oh boy, I passed the exchange station, Ali gave one more offer. I was too worried about her on her next run and knew I could do this; after all, I was done after this. I told her I got it and passed the exchange. I was committed now. No turning back. What the hell was I thinking! What did I just do? Ok….FOCUS! The next four were tough, gagged a lot with tons of roadkill on the road, dug deep into the soul again, but made it. Then happily slapped that wristband on Ginger and said Run Baby Run! Wow, I really did it, 37+ miles….YEEHAW…what a RUSH! Special thanx to the posse. You guys are INSANE! I love you all!
Dave – My last run of the day! I was so excited to get this run over with. I took one of those new Roctane Gu’s and felt great for the first 4 miles. The humidity killed me on my first 2 runs and the third wasn’t any different. I was completely soaked and I tried to stay as hydrated as possible. The last 2 of my 7 mile trek I did a walk/run and as I climbed the last hill the finish line was in sight. I ran as hard as I could and crossed the exchange point with a huge smile on my face. I was finally done and ready to cheer on the rest of our crew for the last few runs. Plus, I can’t wait to put my Ginger costume back on. ; )
Chris – Leg 3 started real nice, cloudy and a little cooler in the middle of the Ocala National forest. Only 15.7 miles until I am finished. As always I started out too fast and then the sun came out. The last 8 miles were tough but thanks to Poncho running with me and keeping my mind occupied I was able to finish with an average pace of 9:36 per mile. That was ahead of the plan and now I was done. Towel off, change clothes and a nice nap in the back of the forerunner. Now that it is done it was not as bad as I imagined it to be, I am now ready for the finish line party, see you in Daytona Beach! WAY TO GO S.S. INSANITY!!!!
Ali – I can’t believe it’s here already…my last run! Surprisingly, this whole adventure has flown by! As I got the bracelet and turned to run, I was mentally in the game, but my legs needed a bit of convincing. It took a mile or so to shake them out. The quads were a little tired and the hamstrings were like rubber bands stretched to their endpoint. But it’s all mental, right? And you can’t expect to run across Florida from coast to coast without feeling a little bit of pain, so suck it up and go! It was 7.4 miles to the first exchange and my plan was to run all the way there and then if I needed to resort to a walk/run, so be it. Luckily I have the best family, Dad and Nan drove over from Dunedin to cheer us on and help us out…as if they haven’t already done enough! So I was fortunate enough to have 3 vehicles supporting me along the way. It was so helpful because it was hot and humid and I needed to continuously dump water on me to try and cool off. I got to my favorite signs, the “One Mile to Go” marker and ran it in feeling pretty good. Saw the posse and kept on trucking. I told Dad to head up about 2 miles and be ready to run. When I saw him, I started the walk/run. We would go for a mile to a mile and a half and then walk for about 2 minutes. It allowed me to get my heart rate down, get some extra water and get ready for the next stint. Sometimes you just have to break it down, one mile at a time! This worked great and with a mile and a half left, I was ready to pound it out…well it may not have actually been pounding, but I ran the whole thing with a smile on my face and a feeling of great accomplishment and respect for my incredible team! 5 runners down, 1 runner left. Anne-Marie stood in the exchange looking strong and confident. Bring it home girl! We will see you in Daytona Beach!
Anne-Marie – "36 hours never seemed like a long time until it seemed like it would never end!" By the time my 3rd leg rolled around I was getting pretty darn tired. I'd managed to grab literally a few minutes of sleep here and there, but nothing any more substantial. The day had warmed up quite a bit and we were running along the highway with little shade. This leg was going to be tough – 16 miles – but doable. We got to drive through some beautiful countryside during the day supporting and cheering on the team. Waiting for Ali at the exchange was pretty nerve racking, I was worried that I was going to really struggle with the run and didn't want to let the rest of the team down. I was ready as Ali passed off the slapper, and started my last leg. It took a little bit to work out the stiffness in my legs, but that soon passed and I was able to settle into a good groove. Now this is where having the support and caring of an awesome group of people comes in – stopped along the side of the road at the perfect intervals my team and Ponch & Nan had cold water and a ton of encouragement. I'd already figured out that at 6.4 miles I would have run the distance of a marathon in 24 hours, so as I crossed that mark I couldn't help but let out a "YES!". It was only another miles and a half or so to the next exchange at that point, but because we were getting closer to Daytona Beach it was definitely getting busier. After the exchange I had a great running partner for the next 3 miles – he helped keep me going and my spirits up as we headed to the home stretch. I think the best part of our run together was getting to the top of the bridge that took us over the causeway – it was beautiful – but there was no time to stop and admire the view. Daytona awaited! The team was all there at the turn around and then it was straight down A1a to the finish. That last 5 miles was really tough. It has gotten quite cold and there was a strong wind blowing. I just kept picking something in the distance and concentrated on getting there until I saw that beautiful blue sign and the team waiting there to run the last little bit in with me. Crossing the finish line with the team was awesome. I was filled with the emotion of what I and the rest of us had managed to accomplish in the last 33 hours – WE DID IT!
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