The Wasatch Back Relay
June 19-20, 2009
188 miles, from Logan to Park City. 12 team members, 2 vans.
Dan invited Dean, Braden and me to run on his Ragnar team. We have been training for the sections each of us were assigned to run. Dean and Braden both had really steep sections of this relay, and I got a fairly easy assignment. Then, about a month ago, my assignment changed, because one of the other women got injured. So I went from running 13 miles total, to 18.4. Dean and Braden trained by running up and down Suncrest, and Butterfield Canyon. I increased my training miles to get ready. Last Monday, I got a call that they needed to switch my runs again. This time, it was to trade with one of the men. So now I would be the only woman in the mens' van. On the bright side, it did drop 2 miles off my total.
Our team started at 11:45 am up in Logan. Van 1 had the first 6 legs of the relay, so we met up with them for exchange #6 in Liberty where, at about 5:30 pm, they handed the wrist band off to Dan, who was the first runner for Van 2.
Dan ran 4.0 miles and handed off to me. I got to run on the east side of Eden.
I ran 3.4 miles. It was an easy run, but I haven't run at 80 degrees before. I do my training runs in the mornings when it's much cooler. The heat made it harder than I expected but my legs and lungs felt great.
I handed off to Braden who ran 3.5 miles north of Huntsville, and he also really felt the heat. He usually does his training runs late in the evening.
Braden pictured here checking his time. Notice the cool tattoos Dan made for us. Our team name was "Road Crew" so he had "men working" and "women working" and other familiar construction signs.
Everyone decorated their support vehicles with their team names. Ours had blow up constructions signs on it, as well as a sign in the back window that said "Do not pass." We also had team shirts, that have "do not pass" on the back.
Braden hands off to Ryan. Ryan's cute kids were waiting at the exchange to run with him. They ran for about 30 feet, and then Ryan was on his own.
Next up was Dean. He had a "very hard" leg this time. Each of the runs are rated, and Dean got 1 "hard" and 2 "very hards." His was the toughest assignment. So off he goes on one of his "very hards." He had to run up the old Snow Basin road. He started his run around 7:30 pm, so he didn't have to deal with the heat. He did great, but ran the down hill portion too fast....he would pay for that later.
That mountain behind Dean is the one he just conquered! Then he handed off to Adrian. Adrian finished just before 9 pm.
We handed off the clipboard to the "girls van," and headed off to East Canyon for the next van change. Apparently last year they had dinner at East Canyon for you to purchase....well they changed the location of the dinner, and we didn't get the message. So at about 11 pm, tired and hungry, we (5 men and Erika) tried to get a couple hours sleep in a suburban. Braden went out and slept on the asphalt, and I think he was the only one on the team that really got any sleep. Then at around 1 am, we got the call that the last girl (runner #6 ) had just started so it was time to get up, and get Dan (runner #7) ready for the exchange.
Dan ran his 3.8 starting at East Canyon and running through the canyon. At about 3:00 am, it was time for my 7 miles through the canyon into the town of Henefer. It was cold enough that in the head lamp I could see my breath, but warm enough that I had to shed my jacket. It was such an awesome run! The sounds of the canyon in the middle of the night were so cool. I wish my other teamates could have run that one....it was amazing.
I was supposed to hand off to Braden at 4:05 am, but I ran faster than expected so he was still in the van when I arrived. He had to race up to the exchange to get the wristband from me and start his 9.6 mile run. His run would take him up highway 84 along the east side of Echo Reservior.
Here is Braden finishing up his run, and handing off to Ryan. Ryan now had to run 7.7 miles. Ryan finished around 6 am so now it was time for Dean to start his "hard" 7.3 mile run. He would go from Wanship and around Rockport Reservoir. This exchange in Wanship was the exchange where Caitlyn, Kassidy, and Drew volunteered. Dan had chosen this time and location so they would be there during the Ryan-Dean exchange. The race organizers changed our start time from 8:30 am to 11:45 am, which put our volunteers there too early. Caitlyn finished her shift around 3:00 am and drove straight back to Logan so she could go to work at 10:00 am. But it was a great Father's Day present anyway!
Dean had just finished running past the dam at Rockport, and Braden was there to run alongside and give him his water. Dean handed off to Adrian, and Adrian finished up in Oakley at 8:30 am. Once again we handed off the clipboard and wristband to the girls, and it was time to get breakfast and an hours sleep before we run our last legs of the race.
For breakfast, we went to Dan's parents cabin, and Janna was waiting for us there, with beds made and breakfast ready! Janna was awesome!
This is Dan finishing his last leg, which was 4.6 through Heber. It was raining really hard for the first part of his run, but it tapered off. By the time I ran, the rain had stopped. This is the start of my last leg of the race. It was 6.1 miles through Midway, and up to Wasatch State Park.
This is my final hand off to Braden. In case you can't tell, I am very happy at this moment!! I did it! I was really pleased with how my joints and muscles and lungs handled this. It was really fun to be a part of, and now my part is over. Now to cheer on the rest of my team.
Now to go support Braden. This run was "very hard".....and that was an understatement! This is the leg of the race Braden has been training for. 1463 foot ascent in 3.6 miles. He did amazing. 13 road kills on this run! (road kills are when you pass a person)
On this run, water breaks were a must. Even though the weather was cool, it was still a killer of a run so we drove along and Dean would run with him for a few steps so he could get a few drinks of water.
This is Braden handing off to Ryan. Braden at this point has finished his last leg of the Ragnar. His total miles 16.7. Great job Braden!!!
Ryan runs 4 more miles up Wasatch State Park...
Braden took good care of him, making sure he got his water breaks.
This is the start of Dean's final run. When he got out of the van to walk down to the exchange, his knee was really hurting. We are guessing it was from running downhill too fast on his first run, and then having to sit in the van for too long without stretching. He was hurting when he started this run....and this one was a killer! He had 1 mile steep uphill to the summit of Gardsman Pass, and then 6 brutal miles of downhill through Deer Valley. Right at the start, he told us to get him some Ibuprofen, and a strap to hold his knee in the right place....this didn't look good.
We drove ahead one mile so we could check on him, and he was still in pain, but wanted to continue. The next mile, he still wanted to continue, but as Braden got back into the van from giving Dean water, we decided to make a plan as to who would take over for him. Dan offered to, because Dan was feeling good after being done with all of his runs. Ryan, who had just finished, and had been having some back issues, said he was still ok enough to finish the rest of Dean's run. Braden played the trump card...."He's my dad, I'm going to run it, it will be some father son bonding time"
So on the next water break, Braden decided to run the rest of the way with Dean. The two of them made it down that killer mountain. Braden, having just finished with that "severe uphill" run, and Dean with a hurt right knee, made it to the end!
Dean made his final hand off to Adrian, with Braden right by his side....just like they have run so many training runs and races.
Now we need to re-adjust our mileage totals.
Erika-16.5
Braden -18.7
Dean -18.4
