Ragnar Del Sol 2016 - 200ish miles Team Relay
"Why I Ran My First Ragnar"
I don't want to look back one day and think, "I remember that one time I ran the Ragnar Relay." Instead, I want to happily remember the first time I ever ran a Ragnar Relay. And the one after that. And the one after that.
My first Ragnar was this year at the Arizona Ragnar Del Sol, Feb. 19th - 20th, 2016. I ran with a team of 12, including two of my cousins (Staci and Cody) and my mom's younger sister (my Aunt Sheri).
I flew into Arizona the day before the event and my family members picked me up at the Phoenix airport. We had dinner together at Joyride Taco House in Gilbert, AZ, and then the four of us worked on decorating our van before going to bed. Staci and Cody took over this project and did most of the work.
I was so excited it was hard to fall asleep, and once I did, my eyes only stayed closed for a few hours. Around 2 a.m. I woke up and was awake for an hour. At 5:30 a.m. I awoke again, and this time I got out of bed. I sat in the lobby of the hotel for a little while, read a book, did some writing, prayed, and then watched the sun rise over the horizon.
"The sun". Del Sol. The perfect name for this event. My Del Sol race started with me watching the sun rise that morning.
2016 celebrated the 10th anniversary of the Ragnar Del Sol. This week was also an anniversary for me. My only sister, Dana, passed away unexpectedly on February 17, 2015, so it would be the anniversary of an entire year of my life spent without her. I can honestly say I was doing pretty well handling the loss, but I knew this would be a hard week for me and I wanted to give myself something to look forward to, rather than dread, so I faced my fears and accepted the invite to be on a Ragnar team.
It was right before Thanksgiving when I was invited to join team "Your Pace or Mine?". I hesitated to accept because I didn't think it was something I was going to be able to do, especially knowing my teammate and cousin Staci Foster was a 2-time state running champing, and I'd been running 5k races between 35 and 42 minutes that year, and had never gone further than that. I estimated my 10k speed to be about 12-12:30/mile and agreed to join the team. I would do this for me! I jogged around my block a few times, but hip and leg pain immediately started to bother me. I was feeling pretty old at only 34.
On my aunt's recommendation, I invested in a really nice pair of Asics and right away began to have less pain after running.
My training consisted of running on Monday nights with a group who meet weekly at Sports Basement in Walnut Creek, CA. I purchased a headlamp and reflective gear for running after work with this group; it was my first time running at night and I really enjoyed the friends I made there. It made me nervous however, that all of my training was being done at night, in the cool air of the Bay Area. How would I perform in Arizona's dry, daytime heat? I did a little day-time running, but only indoors at my gym on a treadmill, and it was really sporadic. A barre studio opened near my work in January 2016 so I took several classes at Open Barre Fitness Studio in Walnut Creek, CA. Even though I was now running 3-4 miles without much effort, the barre classes were incredibly challenging. But the classes were also fun and the owners (Andrea Holbert & Nicole Dulman) were very motivating; plus, I could feel myself improving with each one! It was a great way to involve muscles of my core and upper body for all-over strength, which would only help me on the days of the big run.
It was about this time that I began to notice my mile-time decrease. One Monday night I went 4 miles at a 10:00 mile pace with another runner. I was really excited! When I ran my first 9:30 mile pace I wanted to cry. I felt really ready for the Del Sol, inside and out! All of the running was really making me feel good inside and proud of myself.
Friends started to ask about my running when they saw me. Others messaged me on Facebook and a couple even joined me at my Monday night running group. Without realizing it, all I had started to talk about was my running. I was even telling people in line at the grocery store about my upcoming relay and how far I would be going: 10.6 miles total!
I wrote a packing list out several days before my flight to Phoenix. I repacked a few times, having to pull everything out and look at it to make sure I wasn't forgetting anything. My last run before the event was on Wednesday, February 17th. It was the one year anniversary for me, so I ran at the cemetery. I cried a lot as I went up and down 3 miles of green hills at Oakmont Mortuary in Lafayette, CA. I cried partly because I missed my sister, but I talked to her as I ran and I began to think instead about what I'd been doing because of her. I felt so much healthier than I had felt a year ago. I felt healthy and strong and happy when I finished my run. I felt peace.
My flight departed California the next morning. I found a seat on the BART train to get to the Oakland Airport next to the one other person not on their cell phone. We chatted about our destinations for the hour-long ride; it made me even more excited. A big white van and 3 familiar faces greeted me at the arrivals terminal a couple hours later. We spent the night at the Hampton Inn in Gilbert, AZ. And then finally, I was watching the sun rise the morning of Feb. 19th!
***On the days when I am missing my sister the most, I feel like the sun reaches farther and shines warmer. Even pictures on my phone catch rays of light during my saddest moments. So the giant sunrise in Arizona that morning meant more to me than the beginning of a new day; it felt like Dana was wishing me luck on my race.***
We picked up our other two van members (Monika and Tony) and went over a few details of the event. The next 34 hours were amazing. I didn't realize running could also be such a team sport. We encouraged each other and helped out however we could, and cheered one another on. We shared a lot more than food and sunscreen! Tony shared with me that he had also lost his little sister only a couple years earlier, and also this same week, on Valentine's Day.We bonded over our experiences and I was so happy to be near someone who was so kind and understanding.
During the race, I ran a 9 minute mile pace for one of my 3 legs, which was my new fastest time. Since returning home, I've completed two 5k races in 27:00 and 27:07, which means I've been able to keep that pace! I've also signed up for my first 10k, happening in just a couple of weeks. I had personal motivation to begin training for Ragnar, and now that I've finished one, I can't wait to do another, as well as other runs for fun and charities too! I've already formed a team for the Napa Ragnar run in November and hope to be one of the teams picked in this year's lottery.
I would definitely participate in the Del Sol again next year - Arizona was beautiful and to be able to experience it on foot and in a vehicle moving just a few miles at a time, for 200-ish miles, is beyond describable. I wish I had been able to bond as closely with the 6 teammates in Van #1, (our team captain/Steve, Gary and Tracy, Nanette, Chris and Stacey), as I had with the people in the van I was in. I loved my 6 teammates in Van #2 and will never forget running my first Ragnar with each of them, and all the people who encouraged me to do something like this as I was training!
I feel so proud of myself and I know Dana would be proud of me too!
