RAGNAR!

OK.  That title is a bit direct, but I was very excited to run the Ragnar Adirondacks event last week with a couple of friends, and a number of strangers. 

We were 13 people in two vans for two days, alternately running on scenic roads and trying to get some sleep in the seat of a moving vehicle.  In the end, I think I got about 90 minutes of sleep, and I ran 20 miles within 24 hours.  To some, that sounds like a circle of hell, but for me, it was a great way to celebrate running and camaraderie, making new friendships and deepening others.

This really wasn't as much of a race as a celebration of running, and right now, that's what I was looking for.  Something not-so-competitive, but enjoyable, and a common adventure that helped me re-bond with people as well as with the sport I love.  Yes, this was a bit silly for me to do (especially with cat ears and a tutu - don't ask), and yes, perhaps we were all just a bit sleep-deprived in a way that mirrored inebriation.  Heck, that's probably why our team feels so good about the event, and is already thinking of doing another, but as with other events, we need to forget the pain of this one before embarking out again.

It also wasn't all good and glorious.  There was soreness, pain, aggravation, confusion, and a bit of embarrassment (I saw a video of me running.  Ugh.  I am even sorrier for the people who often see me around town, but that's the subject of my next post).  it was, however, meaningful. 

Watching the moon rise on my midnight leg in Cycle 2, turning a corner to see my team far earlier than I had expected (I thought they were parked wrong - turns out I was just faster than I thought), enjoying a nice dinner before hitting a hotel for about 30 minutes of sleep before my phone rang from the other half of the team - these are all memories that are going to stick with me for a while.  Hopefully, they can keep me going during the coming winter months, when running is little other than dark and cold. 

Although it could be, this sport of mine is not for everyone.  Candidly I'm not 100% sure why I still do it, when there are other alternatives.  But I keep coming back and I keep setting my sights higher (more on that in 2 blog posts).  There's so much more that I can do with it, and so much farther that I can push myself, and test my limits.  In that sense, Ragnar wasn't a race, or a run, but a bit of a re-awakening to my own potential and my own enjoyment.