Ragnar Cape Cod - Can't Forget!

I cannot believe Ragnar Cape Cod has come and gone.  Our race ended after 36hrs on Saturday.  I don’t want to forget any of the amazing things that went on before, during, and after the race. I don’t want to forget the wonderful group of friends I made, who feel more like family. I don’t want to forget how I felt, how my mindset change, how I’m more motivated than ever to improve my health, and my running.   On Sunday afternoon, I sat down at the table on the rooftop deck of the Bradford House on the tip of Cape Cod and wrote this blog post.

I just had one of the best time of my life and it all started because of an interview I heard with Katie from Runs for Cookies  http://www.runsforcookies.com/ on Heather Robertson’s podcast Half Size Me http://www.halfsizeme.com/040-the-half-size-me-show-katie-runs-for-cookies/  .  In it, Katie mentioned how she and Rik formed a group of people who lost a significant amount of weight and found the joy of running.  They created a team that did Ragnar Florida Keys, a 200 mile relay race over 2 days, and called the group From Fat to Finish Line.  One of the team members was a film producer and had decided to make a documentary about the team and race.  I remember being so excited to someday see the movie. I love movies like this!  Such an inspiration! Then From Fat to Finish Line Facebook group was created and I started to follow.  I think it was there or maybe the FFTFL website where I first saw the movie trailer. I posted a link on the Half Size Me community page and got a ton of likes of course, but then also got fellow member, Don, hooked on FFTFL. Several months later, Don came up with an idea to create a similar Ragnar team. He reached out to Bergen, another member in the HSM community, and then they both reached out to me. I was so touched that they considered me! I was not a lover of running (okay I hated it! Triathlons were my thing. Notice I am writing in the past tense), but then they still asked me anyways.  I had experience running half marathons, so I guess I was a good fit. Don reached out to Rik from the original team and he graciously agreed to be our co-captain. Rik then asked Carly to join so that we would have two original FFTFL runners. Over the year our team grew to 12, including my sister Vicki.

So of course a year ago, I had this great aspiration to get down to my goal weight and be super awesome for the race. As the months ticked by, my goal was never realized. I kept saying to myself, I've got six months, five months, still three months to lose, but it never happened. Instead I gained 10-15 pounds over the holidays and was not able to shake it off. I became more anxious about the event thinking I was not living up to the idea of our team. I still did my training but not to the degree I wanted to. I was looking to find any excuse to back out, but I would not let myself. Finally two weeks before the event I said ‘F@#$ it!!  (no, really I said that), this event will change me or kill me!! I need to push through and see how I come out on the other side.’

 

Well I am on the other side and I feel totally wicked incredibly amazing! Bonding with my teammates, seeing the before and after pics, and hearing their stories just totally inspired and rejuvenated me. This is just what I needed to get me out of the funk I've been in for the past six months or so.  As I sit here on the deck of the B&B in Provincetown with gorgeous scenery, the cool breeze, sun on my back, and the smell of the ocean, I have tears rolling down my face thinking about this amazing event and my teammates who I will be friends with forever.  I am so motivated to get back on the healthy path and stay there for good. Everyone has ups and downs, I’m not alone.  It is not about getting down to a certain weight, it's about leading the healthiest lifestyle so I can use my body to participate in such awesome events in life.  Wow, that is deep…and corny… but there it is!!  It is just what I needed!  I’ve never liked running, but now I love it.  I saw how my teammates love it and how they have changed because of it.  Nothing pushes me more or gets me to that high.  I now have a new focus and I’m so excited to improve!

Our journey started last Wednesday when Vicki and I arrived at the team house in Hingham, Ma.  Don, Rik and his wife Cynthia, Bergen, Rudy, Darcia and her fiancé Erick were all in town.  The next day, Jenn arrived from NH and then we drove to the ferry to pick up Carly, Ashley, and Mike.  The only member we were missing was Dani.  Since she lived locally, she met us the morning of the race. We all went out to dinner that night and by the end it felt as though we had known each other forever. Instant bonding!


We took the vans out to get a feel for what it would be like. Then we spent the evening decorating the vans, complete with before and after magnets of each runner.  We headed to bed early so we could be ready for our 4:15am departure to the start line at the beach in Hull.

We had 2 vans with 6 runners in each. Cynthia drove our rental car and Erick drove Jenn's.  In Van 1, we had Rudy, Vicky, Mike, Dani, Dacia and Ashley.  In our Van 2, we had Rik, Carly, Bergen, Jenn, me, and Don.  This is also the order of running, so Rudy would be the 1st to run. Our start time was 5:30am.  We cheered on Rudy, Van 1 took off to the 1st exchange, and then Van 2 went back to the house to pack up.  We had about 6hrs before we would start our legs,  We stopped for breakfast and then drove to the 1st major exchange, where vans meet up again. On the way, we heard that Vicki got lost on her leg.  OMG, I felt so bad for her.  I knew should would be beating herself up.  But I also knew that she had her van mates to support her, calm her down, cheer her up, and they did.  So her 2 mile run became 6 and the schedule was off.  But it didn't matter.  We were there to have fun and that is what we did!

Vicki's 1st leg

After hearing about Vic, I thought 'man, they must not mark the course well - all twists and turns could screw anyone up'.... but then Rik showed me Vicki's run... completely straight! How can anyone get lost?  Well apparently at the very beginning of the run, Vicki and several others were led off track, even though there was a police officer right there.  She was not alone. Not to dis a cop, but it gave the runners a false sense of security that they we headed in the right direction.    Anyway, it made me paranoid, so I took a tip from my daughter the swimmer and marked my arm with the directions for each of my legs.   I did not need because the course was clearly marked (cough, cough, VICKY), but it was a safety blanket for me.


 

 
 
The first major exchange was at another beach. We were jumping from one beach party to the next.  It was windy and a bit chilly, but the sun was shining and the scenery was spectacular. We got a lot of van appreciation with strangers coming up to us to say congrats on our weight loss and to tell us they loved our vans.  One of the many funny moments happened when we went over to Van 1. As the door swung open, a ton of peanut M&Ms came tumbling out. A sudden turn  earlier caused the bag to spill during the ride and they were freed when the door opened. Yes we are a team focused on weight loss, but we have M&Ms flowing out of our vehicle!  Wish I had a video of that!

We set Rik off for his 1st run and we were officially in the event. 9 miles... windy and cold quicky turned to hot.  Rik came off the course hot and sunburned. Then it was Carly, Bergen, and Jenn.  Jenn had the longest run of the race - over 12 miles and received the 'Wicked Hahd' metal. Then it was my turn.  My first run started around 5:30pm.  I would not be finished by the 6:30.. need night gear.. so I quickly had to grab the vest, flasher, and headlamp. It was hilly and I finished my 4.5 miles under the Sagamore Bridge, that signifies Cape Cod,  and handed off to Don for his 1st leg.

Once Don completed, we had another break.  This is when we would need to get comfy in the van and try to get some sleep.  Don was too revved up after his run, so he set out on foot to find a bowling alley.  It was cold and dark... making port-o-potties interesting. I managed to fall asleep with a belt buckle digging in to my lower back.  I woke up to whispering and shivering...I sat up and found a shivering Bergen and Carly huddled together on the seat behind me.  We heard that Van 1 was coming into the major exchange, earlier than expected.  Rik was next to run, but Bergen was up and ready.  Since they were running the same amount of mileage, Bergen told a sleepy Rik that she could take his run.  He said Sure.. 'that is fine.'. as he woke up from his sleep, but completely forgot about the offer.  As Bergen was getting ready to go, he asked what she was doing.  'I'm taking your leg'. We had a bit of a giggle.

After Rik's run, we started getting really punchy... Carly was out on her run and we were going to meet up with her half way.  We ended up driving into a church parking lot and ended up driving around the back and ended up in a cemetery.  There was a street sign that read 'One Way' and it was not leading out of the cemetery.  This is when the first of many silly videos were created.  I've never laughed so much on a trip.

Night time running was interesting.  We wore our safety gear, but then supplemented with finger and hair lights.  By the time I was ready, it was starting to get light.  My run started in the woods, but then led to an area of marshlands.  It was foggy and beautiful.  I did not use my ipod so I could hear all the birds and the normal sounds of morning.  I was fatigued, but I just put one foot in front of the other and got it done. Cynthia gave us pins that read 'You Got This', that we pinned to our sneakers.  I would use this for motivation (and will on all my future races!).  After the next major exchange, it was rest time again.  I stayed in the van, but did not really get any rest.  The others when into the gym at a school.

Our last legs were all around the beaches on Cape Cod.  Absolutely beautiful!!  It was still very hilly.  Bergen had a very challenging leg - 9 miles, 17 hills.  We meet up with her about half way and she looked tired but strong. She posted on Facebook, 'Tired but choosing to run happy anyways, because I can!'.  This was so powerful for me and helped me push through my final leg.  I was soooo tired and sore from the hills, but I chose to have fun because I could.  I blasted my music and danced as I ran / walked.  The final part of my leg was on a path through the forest.. thick sand and pine needles.  When I hit the road again, I was on top of a hill that ran down to the beach to my finish. Running that was the best feeling in the world!  Now we would drive to the end to meet up with Van 1 and wait for Don. Cynthia, Erick, and Dani's wife Tori were there to cheer us on.   Then run in to the Finish Line!

In the end, Rik and Don awarded us with our metal that when put together read 'Together we ran 192 mile'.  We then climbed up to the base of the Pilgrim Monument and enjoyed our free meal and beer.  Our Running Down a Dream Ragnar Cape Cod journey was over, but our friendships will last forever!