Wednesday, June 24, 2009

Ragnar Wasatch Back Relay...

Wow, I'll tell you what! Wow! There is something in someone who decides that it's a good idea to do this sort of thing: craziness. I mean, I'm all for being fit and eating right (ha, I'm terrible at both, but I'm working on it), but these sorts of things are INSANE!

I decided that I needed to get back in shape after my thyroid told me that it no longer wanted to work and took a nose dive of the deep end a few years ago. I finally found out what was wrong a few months ago. It took its toll on me by ruining relationships with people (I could never figure out why I was always so ANGRY! Why everything upset me and why people irritated the heck out of me), gaining weight, not sleeping---almost at all!, and being hungry all of the time. Grrr...so, I needed to fix it through the hormone replacements and getting my lifestyle choices back into their proper places.

My friend Shayla started me out with a 5k in May and I haven't looked back. This last weekend I ran the: Wasatch Back. It is a 188 mile relay with a team of 12 (or if your INSANE, a team of six...I just recently heard that there were even a few men who did it without teams at all...188 miles all on their own...this must be where you don't know you're insane).

Through a lot of things, I turned out to run a moderate part of the race. I had one really hard run of 3.8 miles up a freakin' mountain. Plus a few others of easy slope and not to difficult of mileage, either. I was relieved. The woman who took my original legs is looking at some knee issues and while I do relish the fact that i don't have those issues, I do feel terribly that she does. sigh...oh well.

I will hopefully have pictures to share with you soon. This was an incredible journey with hardly any lousy sleep and some very cheesy sayings.

We saw people running in full costume:

3rd place: Crazy Xena Warrior Princesses: These women actually had the real thing on! I'll bet they spent an INSANE amount of money putting those costumes together!

2nd place: Super hero team: I saw Flash with a FULL MASK! IN THE BLAZING HEAT! RUNNING! Who is that stupid!?! I would have died of heat stroke. I believe that Wonder Woman was also on his team. She looked more comfortable, at least.

1st place: Man in coconut bra, grass skirt and wig
I give this first place because I can not IMAGINE the CHAFFING this guy received for this get up! What an insane idea!

Insanity seems to run deep (didn't I already mention that people doing this are INSANE! Don't worry, I'll continue to remind you...)

Honorable mentions: Some family took Disney's Incredible Logo and they all wore those suits with a slight modification here or there.

CARS! they dressed up cars!

My fav was a Suburban with 10 foot tusks off the front. It was a full on Woolly Mammoth! So cool!

Road kills take on an entirely different meaning: Every time you pass someone, that is called a 'kill' or 'road kill'. My first leg I only had 3 (which was a goal before I even knew what a 'kill' was!). My second leg I had 9! (this was the mountain one...so many people stopped to walk. Made it really easy...however, there were about 30 who paced my snail like pace). and 4 on the last one. I'll bet there would have been more but this girl barfed right in front of me and I almost did it in response. Had to stop to walk a bit of that one! YUCK!

I hope I'm improving because I have a triathlon next month!

It was truly amazing and I plan on doing it again next year. However, the INSANITY is not permenent. Your body does adjust. And it would be INSANE not to take care of what you were fixing to change when you started.

ALL THE INSANITY!!!

9 comments:

Missy said...

What the heck? LOOK AT YOU GO!!!! I'm amazingly impressed, Deb. Seriously, my hat is off to you. I've been challenged to do a 5K this year - and although I'm not really excited about it, you've inspired me! GO DEB!!!
Did you love the scenery - despite the crazy shifts in running? Joey did it last year and loved it.

christine said...

Run cousin run. You go girl!!!!

I'm really proud of you and just a little jealous. I've been trying to run this summer and my body just won't cooperate.

Keep on runnin'!

Shayla said...

you are AMAZING!!

Lora said...

WOo-hoo!! So glad you did it! Perhaps I'll get inspired...

Marissa said...

That is so amazing! You truly inspire me!

TammeNBen said...

You are my hero! The first few lines of your post sounded just like the little bat on the movie Anastasia.

I am so proud of you. I wish you could bottle some of that and send it to me.

You go girl!

Lyndsie Miles said...

Yes, yes... you are INSANE!!! So is my hubby.

Wow! You go, Girl! I'm looking for pictures!

Marissa said...

Seriously sweet comments about the dressing up-the funny thing is I have always thought you have the cutest style and I feel like I never know what to wear! lol :)

Tiffany said...

Love ya, Debbie! :)
It was a blast running with you & I'm so glad you were on our team! We will definitely have to do it again! All the best to you & your cute little family...