Ragnar Relay Chattanooga to Nashville TN!

It's here! Let the INSANITY  begin... 24 hour Ragnar Relay Chattanooga to Nashville, here we come!!! 

Since August I have been training for the Ragnar Relay in TN.  Coming to Mississippi from Utah, home of one of the first Ragnar Relay races  I had always thought it sounded cool, I mean, who doesn't love a girls weekend out! Combine that with running, lots of laughs, no men, (or kids for that matter) = GOOD TIMES BABY! Ironic that it took me moving across half the country before I actually got talked into doing one!

Running.  Love it or hate it, many of us do it.  Why?  Who knows! Many do it because it is the cheapest form of exercise, requires no money (well, that's not technically true if you buy good running shoes, goo, sports drinks, etc.) however, the trend is barefoot running these days; so again, if you like to run like the caveman; no money is required.  You don't have to go to the gym, you can run anytime you want, day or night, and you are only dictated by your schedule, no one else's.  Now that last statement is completely bull shi! if you have kids or a family.  Because we all know mom's are never on their own schedule, they are on EVERYONE else's schedule.  So if you're a mom, running may require a little schedule manipulating, but it can be done, I"M PROOF OF THAT!  Early mornings, runs between naps, late night runs, runs in the snow, rain, sunshine, and humidity (at least here in the south) are just a few of the enjoyable environments that runners survive in.

When we first moved to Mississippi back in August, I was foolish enough to run late in the morning.  Coming from Utah where it get's extremely hot; I thought "oh no big deal".  However, with the thick heavy moisture in the air, I felt like I was suffocating to death. Lesson learned! Don't run after 8am in the south during the summer. If you do, you may find yourself looking for along the lines of roadkill!

So back to why runners run!  I HATED running back in my early twenties.  In fact had anyone ever told me I would become a runner I would have laughed in their face.  I mean who in their right mind thinks it's fun to run 3 miles, let alone 6, 8, 13, or the hellish, 26.6 miles?  I wasn't about to PAY anyone to run.

I remember the first group of girls I ran with (because I couldn't afford a gym membership) in SLC, UT.  There was one girl whom I remember telling me she was going to run in a 10k.  A what?  And you're paying someone to run?  Why would I pay someone to run?  Are you an idiot?  Well, 7 years later, I am that idiot!

That running stint only lasted about 6-9 months. It wouldn't be until about two years later, after becoming a gym rat, competing in my first (and only) sprint triathlon, and running on average 2-3 days a week, 3 miles per run, that we would move and I would be forced to look for other (keep the fat off), options!.

The closest gym was 20 minutes away. I didn't want to wasted an hour of my day, give or take just to drive to the gym.  So a local group of girls talked me into running, and this is where it begins. During the three years we lived there (Springville, UT) I ran my first half marathon.  I remember the first time I ran 10 miles.  I thought, oh my hell, you are going to have to scrape me off the ground and drag me back! There is no way I will be able to survive.  Little did I know, I would think it was fun!

That's right, I said fun! I know, what the hell?  I actually enjoyed running 10 miles.  So the madness begins!  At this time I was actually four months pregnant.  Shortly after this, I had a tendon freeze up in my left shin and had to stop running until after I had my baby.

16 weeks after having my third child, I began the insanity once again.  I completed two half marathons, and have found that although I still have my days when I HATE running (because we all have those days when we just want to be lazy and our will power falls guilty to the snooz button).

Running is something you will not love until you are consistent with it.  Running once or twice a week is not consistent, believe me I know!  The other argument I have is, you won't love it either, unless you actually start to increase your mileage... if you're doing three, go to six.  If you're running five to six, increase to eight! This is where running actually becomes fun even meditative! Call me crazy, asinine, psychotic, whatever you like; I can take it because I once believed such people were irrational, pounding pavement psycho's!

So, for the first time in my life, I will compete in a 24 hour relay race with 11 other girls.  I'm leg 4 with a total mileage of about 16 miles.  I cannot wait to get away from the kids, the hubby, and go eat lots of crap, drink lots of diet coke, sleep whenever possible, and run like hell!  (Because at 1am I am going to be running like hell, who knows what will be coming out of the woodworks at that time of night ;)

BRING IT ON RAGNAR!!!

(Sorry babe, I love you... but sometimes a girls gotta get away! (Even the girl at the checkout agree'd!  ;)