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2009 Myomed Ragnar Del Sol Relay (day 2)

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Location:

Mesa,AZ,USA

Member Since:

May 12, 2008

Gender:

Male

Goal Type:

Other

Running Accomplishments:

I started running again in 2007 after 14 years of not running.

Mile - 4:59 (high school 1992), 5:57 (9/21/2010 ARR Open Mile)

2 mile - 11:10 (high school 1992)

5k - 21:54 (11/18/2010 Tempe Road Runners 5k)

10k - 48:29 (5/9/2009 Race for Hospice)

Unofficial 10k - 47:11 (1/27/2011 Red Mountain Park)

1/2 marathon - 1:49:00 (4/4/2009 Havasu Half)

Marathon - 4:33:09 (11/21/2009 Mesquite Marathon)

Short-Term Running Goals:

Run a half marathon in under two hours.

Run a marathon in close to 4 hours.

Long-Term Running Goals:

Stay healthy long enough to live through the millenium.

Personal:

I am married and have six kids. 

Blog title explanation

Bloggers I've met in real life: 1MileToGo, Aaron Kennard, Andrea North, Arizona Desert Monsoon, auntieem, Bec, Ben, Benjamin, Bonnie, Camille, Cari, Collin Anderson, David Holt, DooneEight Kid Mom, Erico, Flatlander, Gary, Jake Krong, JamesW, Jose, Josse, Julieesplin, JunKelli, Kerri, KP, Kyle Dion, Lightitup, Little Bad Legs, Lybi, Marthon Dreamer, M, Mary Ann Schauerhamer, Misty, Nan, Peds Endo Doc, Rachelle, RADRhett, Riley Cook, Rossy, runningafterbabies, Sasha, Scott Hughes, Scott (Kelli's husband), Scott Wesemann, Slow Joe, Spencer Simpson, Stephen, Steve Piccolo, Susie, The Rookie, Toby, Tracy, Twinkies, TylerS, Walter

Favorite Blogs:

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Miles:This week: 0.00 Month: 0.00 Year: 0.00
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Asics Gel 3030 Lifetime Miles: 204.85
Saucony Hurricane 13 Lifetime Miles: 149.22
Asics Gel DS Trainer 17 Lifetime Miles: 87.49
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Brooks Ravenna 4 Lifetime Miles: 88.83
Mizuno X10 Trail Lifetime Miles: 180.06
Mizuno Wave Inspire 10 Lifetime Miles: 802.77
Asics Gel Kayano 21 Lifetime Miles: 56.47
Mizuno Wave Inspire 11 (blue) Lifetime Miles: 800.75
New Balance 1260v5 Lifetime Miles: 9.19
Reebok Floatride Lifetime Miles: 8.23
Race: 2009 Myomed Ragnar Del Sol Relay (day 2) (9.4 Miles) 01:25:30
Total Distance
9.40

Leg 23

Can you say freezing head wind?  What the heck was this?  Why me?  Why?  Nobody else had to run in the freezing wind.  Just me.  I knew this was going to be tough, so I predicted a pace of 8:30.  Little did I know I would be fighting the wind the whole time.  There comes a time in every race I've done over 10 miles when I ask myself, "What am I doing?  I don't belong here.  No amount of bragging rights is worth pain I'm going through for not being in the proper shape I need to be."  I started to doubt Ragnar.  Maybe I should hang it up after this race.  It is getting kind of expensive.  It's a logistical nightmare.  It's hard.  But then I gut it out, and it isn't long before I remember why I keep coming back.

This was a 6.4 mile leg.  The first 4.4 were uphill into the wind.  The last two were 2 miles downhill into the wind.  It didn't really feel like downhill, and I was cursing Paul Peterson's name most of the time.  Best mile : 8:53, worst mile : 10:19 (my one and only mile over a 10 min. pace.)  I think the best part of this leg was running behind someone named Shawn for a little bit without him knowing.  There must have been a pause in his IPOD because all the sudden I scared the begeebeez out of him.

After James finished running for our van came the real hard part: getting to Camille's house without falling asleep.  Camille lives right close to another guy's house that was on my team last year.  It was perfect going to his house before our last set of legs to shower and rest.  So we decided to do the same thing at Camille's house, but they changed the course this year.  No matter.  It was still worth it for the warm shower that was oh so much better than the cold tent shower in the gravel a few hours earlier.  Plus Brandon made us waffles.  That hit the spot.  I also went and filled up the tank with gas again.  Finally after eating and showering, I went to the van and caught a few winks.

Leg 35

Only three miles to go.  This is where I hoped to make up for lost time.  But guess what.  Now the hot Arizona sun was out.  I go from freezing to burning.  Whatever.  I could tell the sun was affecting all of us.  Christian had about a three mile run.  The first two mile had to be the steepest section of the course.  But that last mile coming downhill was amazing.  I swear he ran a sub 4.  Poor Glen.  The guy who hadn't run in months had the 8 mile run.  He gutted it out.  I kept telling him if he needed to quit, I'd take over for him.  It became a moral victory for him to finish it all.  Camille struggled.  I think the heat and her knee caught up to her.  Then I started my last three miles.  I grabbed a bottle of water and told my team just to meet me at the next exchange.  This was just going to be like a loop around my neighborhood.  I wish.  It was hot!  Funny how it gets hotter as the day goes on.  But I didn't feel too bad.  I stayed alive, and that was the most important thing.  First mile - 7:51, second mile - 9:02, third mile - 8:59.

The best part of this section of the race was when I got word that Michelle had come out and was running with some of our teammates in the other van.  Yep.  That's against the rules, but anyone that wants to penalize us for having our actual team captain come out to get her mind off recent events (see yesterday's entry), is one heartless SOG.  I gave her the biggest hug in the history of hugs.

Overall we came in 59th place.  I was hoping for another top 25% finish, but we barely missed it.  But with all the changes to the team at the last minute, I'll take it.  To see everyone at the finish line together was awesome.  And now I remember why I keep doing this every year.

Weight: 0.00
Comments
From Mary Ann Schauerhame on Mon, Mar 02, 2009 at 17:43:43 from 71.219.82.165

Good job in the Ragnar! Thanks for the congratulations! Keep up running! It's the cool thing to do!

From Burt on Mon, Mar 02, 2009 at 17:54:12 from 68.76.197.194

Well, I do want to be cool like you. Speaking of cool, your latest profile picture is pretty cool. That must be at the start of the race because I see another girl, and no girl could be that close to you unless it was the first few feet.

From LaurenO on Mon, Mar 02, 2009 at 17:57:08 from 68.98.209.210

Nice job Burt! Sounds like fun! (well, sort of...) :)

From jelmo on Mon, Mar 02, 2009 at 18:16:03 from 205.188.116.143

Ragnar sounds like an awesome race, nice job. I lived in Cottonwood, AZ 17 yrs ago but was not running at the time(which I regret now). AZ is a beautiful state.

From Eric Day on Mon, Mar 02, 2009 at 20:35:42 from 189.192.109.17

you totally arizona rock. good work! great team.

From Camille on Mon, Mar 02, 2009 at 22:41:34 from 71.223.90.219

Dude... the only thing you have to say about me on your blog is about how I struggled! I may have to vote you off the island. You could have atleast mentioned that I was a super star or something. LOL.

You were awesome. Thank you for another fun Ragnar experience.

From sam on Tue, Mar 03, 2009 at 05:30:03 from 78.32.130.9

Hey Burt, sorry not been on to cheer you on, but great work how amazing sounds like really hard stuff, well done to the whole team, and good on Michelle that was good for her! cool get some well earned rest. ;-)

From Brent on Tue, Mar 03, 2009 at 18:10:06 from 168.178.30.75

Burt, great race report, something to talk about for years, how Kool.

Stay Kool, B of BS Rools out

From Burt on Tue, Mar 03, 2009 at 18:40:03 from 68.76.197.194

Lauren - Thanks. It was a blast. You should put a team together next year with your Tucson running club.

Jelmo - The cross country course in Mingus was my favorite one to run in high school. I grew up in Kingman.

Eric - It was kind of cool having fellow bloggers on the team and meeting others.

Camille - that's not the only thing I said about you. It's just the only thing you see. Thanks for all you did.

Sam - make a trip across the pond next year and there's a spot on the team for you.

Brent - Thanks, dude. I think this is the first time you've commented on my blog. No commando points, but I got a cool with a K. I'll take it.

From Kelli on Wed, Mar 04, 2009 at 09:46:29 from 71.219.75.10

Now that was the race report I have been WAITING to read since we finished the race! You did an awesome job of detailing that race---I felt every minute of it. Seriously, what is up with the weather there? It was freezing at night (even though the temp thing in my car said it was 65) and so flippin' hot during the day! I was not prepared for that much HEAT! So glad to hear that even you tough Arizonians struggled with it!

Your van did awesome, I wish we could have run side by side the entire time. Maybe next year we will have to just come and be in your van!

GREAT JOB!!!!!!!

From montelepsy on Thu, Mar 05, 2009 at 02:05:20 from 155.85.58.253

It's cool to know that this is what started the whole change your lifestyle-for-the-better decision you made. At least the physical part.

From Lyns on Mon, Mar 01, 2010 at 13:31:22 from 174.27.150.90

Makes me want to do a Ragnar! Great read!

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