Wasatch Back Relay '08

Short version: I survived! I've been training for this race since January and it finally happened. We had a van full of great people, very positive and encouraging to all participants, and we finished with smiles on our faces. Thank you, Jen, Corom, Natalie, Cody, and Charles for a great weekend!

Long version: see bottom of entry.

DISCLAIMER: I had absolutely nothing to do with picking our team name (Wasatch SexyBacks), motto ("Party in the front, Sexy in the back!"), or costumes. People may find offensive some of the apparel included below. That would include Corom running in his "whitey tighties" and a cape, and his wife, Jen, running in a pair of shorts made to look like a bare bum is hanging out. If you're prepared to see those, then scroll on.

Jen, Cody, Natalie, Charles

Genn & Corom

Ogden Canyon: Before our first legs
Cody, Natalie, Corom, Jen, Charles, Genn

Charles

Corom

You can see from this picture the beautiful setting and temperature in which I ran my first leg. Everyone else ran in pretty hot weather, but I got shade and dusk. It really helped as I made my way up the hill. Gorgeous!

The ladies: Natalie,
Jen (4 1/2 months pregnant with #3!), Genn

Start of our third (and last) legs in Heber
Shelton handing off to Natalie

Cody, Corom, Jen, and Charles striking a pose during Natalie's run

Charles fighting his way up "Ragnar" (killer hill before the end)

These two were so fun to have on our team. Corom was not only shamelessly enthusiastic and a good runner, but he was really easy-going and kept us all laughing. Jen was probably our strongest runner on the team, also very supportive and super friendly.

What a beautiful state we live in!

Wasatch SexyBacks after the finish line

Yeah! Papa made it with the boys. They were a great motivator on my last leg because I knew I'd get to see them when I finished. Thank you for being so supportive, sweetie!

Van 2: Charles, Corom, Jen, Genn, Natalie, Cody
Everyone in our van made the challenge fun and enjoyable. We each worked hard, encouraged each other, and meshed well as a group. I'm so happy I did it, and did it with these guys. Thanks so much everyone!

Yes, I know it's more than 5 minutes, which is long for a video, but it condenses about 26 hours, so cut me a little slack, ok?

Long version: For those who aren’t aware, the Wasatch Back Relay is so named because teams run around the “back” side of the “Wasatch” mountains in “relay” fashion. Our team was a typical one, and ran a 12-person team. “Van 1” consists of the first 6 runners, starting in Logan. Each person runs one leg. Runner #6 hands off the baton (slap bracelet) to the first runner from “Van 2” at the “major exchange.” Each person in Van 2 runs their first leg while Van 1 takes a break and meets up at the next major exchange, where Runner #12, in our case, me, hands off to Runner #1 and the rotation goes through again… and again. :) So overall, each person runs three times, each leg being 3 to 7 miles. The legs are classified as Easy, Moderate, Hard, or Very Hard. Each person runs some combination of difficulties. I was able to be the final runner from our team. The downside was that I anticipated running the longest, so I couldn’t just get it over with each time. The upside was that my first leg was at dusk, my second leg at dawn, and my last leg through Park City and I knew that everyone would be waiting for me at the end. Really, I felt good most of the time. My van was generous enough to let me sit in front most of the time, so I never got motion sick. I also had a “Very hard” leg first (3.1 mi.), then “moderate” (5.2 mi.), then “easy” (5 mi.), so at least I got to get the worst over with first.

My first leg was the first time our team had to use the reflective vests and headlamps. I forgot about the headlamp until our runner was almost at the exchange, so I had to run back up the hill to get it before actually starting my run, but other than that there were no hiccups. I ran hard up the hill and thought about when I ran cross country in high school and our team t-shirts had the silly saying, “No hill, no challenge. Small hill, small challenge. Big hill, Your challenge!” One female runner and I kept passing each other for the first mile, until the hill got pretty steep, then I passed her for good. On the last mile, I could hear someone breathing heavily from behind me. I thought it was the girl I had passed, so I was doing everything in my power to stay in front of her. Within yards of the exchange point, a guy came up on my right and started to pass me. I kicked it into gear and sprinted to the finish. He groaned and gave up – I was hoping he would race me in, but it still felt good to stay ahead of him. I went back after the exchange and congratulated him. He said with a big smile, pointing his finger, “I tried so hard to beat you!” It was a really great effort and everyone had great sportsmanship.

Going without much sleep was definitely the hardest part for all of us. At one point on our second legs in the middle of the night, I was driving to an exchange and I could barely see straight. I parked the suburban and slept until we needed to drive again, then let someone else drive while I curled up in a back seat for probably a half hour. When my teammates started saying, “Alright! Corom’s on his way!” I knew I was in trouble. I was literally forcing my eyes open, my body felt glued to the seat, and I had five miles to run with less than 20 minutes to get ready! Somehow, I managed to get out there and run. I kept telling myself I could rest after I finished this leg. My music helped. The most memorable thing from the second leg, though, was running around Rockport Lake, just north of Peoa and Oakley, near Kamas. Most of my leg was right on the main road that wound around next to the lake. The mountains were on the far side. Their reflection grew more distinct in the water as they emerged from the blackness. I loved watching the horizon turn to gray and then a dull yellow as the sun made its way to the mountain ridge. I tried to beat the sun to the exchange point. I won. J

Our van really lucked out having the Kartchners with us. Cody’s dad recently purchased a house barely on the far side of Deer Creek Dam, coming from Heber. We were able to leave the snail-paced driving of the course and speed down the highway to the house, where showers awaited our dirty, sweaty bodies. It felt so refreshing to be clean! We all then curled up in sleeping bags on the cushy carpet for about an hour’s nap. All too soon, it was time to be up and driving to the final major exchange in Heber. The final legs were good because we knew they were our last. We would finally be able to get some real sleep after that finish line.

Cody (leg 3) and Charles (leg 4) had the toughest uphill climbs I have ever seen in a race. Most people walked a fair portion of both legs. Our guys were champs and did an awesome job. Corom, in all his caped, almost-naked glory, ran the final climb and steep decent down the mountain to the edge of Park City. He handed off to me for my last leg and then the van headed to the finish. I was very unfamiliar with the course, since the finish line was not where I thought it would be (downtown Park City). I found my way, though, and enjoyed the run along a trail through the old part of Park City and then ran to the highway near where we shop at the outlets (the "new" side of town). It was hot and I didn’t have any water with me. Luckily, one runner striding past me asked if I wanted water, so I got enough to wet my mouth and neck. I pushed through the leg as fast I could without feeling nauseous. I was hungry, tired, and knew everyone was waiting for me at the end. I thrilled to see the race volunteers at their station about a ½ mile from the finish. Then I could see the tents and cars and crowds. Finally, around the last bend, there was my team! They joined me and we all ran in together for the final 100 meters or so. It felt so good to be finishing, I didn’t slow up as much as I should have, but I just loved it! We had accomplished it! We conquered it! Yes!!! And, of course, Chris was there with Sam in the BOB next to him and Niko on Chris’s shoulders. When I ran past them, Niko recognized me and smiled really big. Boy! That was a treat! You can almost hear it in the video, but when I came out to meet my boys, Niko came down from Chris’s shoulders to my arms. The first thing Niko said was “Vee, vee, vee!” (“Vite, vite, vite!” or “Fast, fast, fast!”) which is what I say to him when I want him to hurry or run. How that warmed my heart! I loved enjoying that moment with them.

All in all, you’re probably thinking, “You’re crazy to actually pay money to do that.” I don’t know that I’ll do it again, but I’m sure glad I did it. I also know now that I will definitely do a ½ marathon, hopefully this year, and that next year I want to train for a full marathon. I didn’t think I could do it before, but now I’m sure I can. I just need to prepare well. Thanks, team, for a great experience. Thanks, Chris, for encouraging me to do it – to get out there even when I don’t feel like it. I’m so happy I did!

UPDATE: Our team placed 65th out of 545 teams with a time of about 25 1/2 hours. Yeah!