Run The Red Rock!!!

Thomas and I, in a moment of weakness, decided two days before the race, to help out some friends and run the Red Rock Relay. It is like Ragnar, and they were short four runners. For those of you who think I am speaking spanish, Red Rock and Ragnar, are relay's where you have a 12 person team. Six runners are in van 1, and six other runners are in van 2. You start with one runner who runs a leg of the race and then passes the wrist band to the next runner. You continue like that until you go through all 12 people, and then you start again. Each person is supposed to run three legs throughout the relay. It takes 2 days since it covers 187miles (from Brian Head in Cedar City to St. George), and makes an 8,000 foot drop in elevation. Sound fun?

I know for most normal people, this sounds like torture, but I have to say it was seriously one of the funnest, most challenging, and rewarding things I have ever done! My stomach muscles were as sore as everything else, because WE LAUGHED OUR GUTS OUT!!!


Left to Right: Mark, Mike, Callie, Marlie, Alynn, Ryan, Amy and Thomas
This was just part of the team, we had two other runners, Trevor and Shannon who met us later. We only ended up with the ten runners total, so everyone had to pitch in extra miles to cover for the missing two team members. I only knew Callie and Mike going into the race, but loved everyone on the team. We pulled together, supported each other, worked hard, helped each other out, and had the time of our lives!

It was about 6:30 a.m. when we got to the starting point at Brian Head, and IT WAS FREEZING!!!! Ryan and Thomas were already making us all laugh. Lots of teams dress up to get prizes, and the two of them were cracking us up with their comentary on all the costumes. HILARIOUS!!! Thomas got a picture with one of the runners who was on a super hero/super villan team.




Thomas was our first runner. He had to run to the ski lift, ride it for twenty minutes up, and then run 3.7 miles down the mountian to the exchange. Thomas, who was a mountian goat in a previous life, loved this part of his run.



Thomas handed off to Mike, who Thomas affectionatly called Satan for the first part of the race since he and his wife Callie talked Thomas into running. Thomas told them he would only run if #1-We could find a babysitter for the kids, and #2-They could garantee he would not miss one second of the BYU vs Oklahoma game. My angelic mother took my kids with her to Richfield, and Mike, the awesome guy that he is, took the dish off his house and brought it to the cabin we stayed at. Talk about taking care of your team!


This was me on my first run. It was a 6 mile leg that went up and down hills. I started running at 9:43 in the morning. The elevation was killer, but lucky for me there were lots of clouds to hide the sun. IT WAS PERFECT RUNNING WEATHER! I cruised on this first run and was feeling awesome at the end. Three days of jitters and doubts were finally gone. You can do it repeat ten times.
Passing off to Callie at the end of my first run. You will notice there are no pictures of me during or after my second leg. That one was 6.2 miles, and was in the pitch dark since the moon was covered with clouds and smoke. It was over 80 degrees and humid from the rain. I had been warned to look out for coyotes, and despite my reflective vest and head lamp, I felt like the oncoming highway traffic was going to run me over or give me a headache from their bright flashing lights. About four miles into the run, I broke down and cried like a baby. A girl passed me and must have told her van I was struggling because they cheered like crazy for me when I reached them about 100 yards later. I finished the leg but IT WAS SOOOOOOOO HARD and I felt like a total wimp!

Thomas running his second leg. It was the third run for him since he had picked up some extra miles for one of our missing runners. He NEVER runs, and did not train AT ALL, so I was impressed with how well he did. This leg was 6.7 miles and wound around gorgeous lakes and cabins.


This was our team name. Endorphins make people happy so...up yours. It was a fun conversation peice along the way as people caught on to what it meant. Those Lee's are so creative!!!

Gorgeous pics along the way!





It was not always easy to appreciate it as you ran, but we did have some great views!

Our van had a break while the other van ran their second legs from midnight to about 3:30 am. The second van had four AMAZING runners. They picked up most of the slack for the missing team members. Mark was in that van and rolled his ankle earlier in the day. Thomas taped it up really good and Mark ran almost five miles on it! I wish I had a picture of it because it looked SO SORE the next day! YIKES! Way to take one for the team Mark. I still can't believe you ran on that.

As they ran, our van found a soccer field to sleep on and crashed. After sleeping for a short time, we woke up to an absolute down pour! No rest for the weary. Poor Marlie had to run in the monsoon and was such a great sport about it. Thomas was the runner after her, but his Achilles was really bothering him. His leg was 6.1 miles, so I ran the first half and he took the second half. The rain let up as I started running through the city of Washington. The gutters were bulging out almost two feet from the curbs. There was so much water!

Thomas' half of the run was on a running trail where the van could not follow. After almost an hour we started to worry that he was injured. We decided to give him ten more minutes when he came waltzing into the exchange. He was moving SLOW and made us all laugh until we practically peed our pants as he told us about all the bunnies and frogs on the trail. He had tried to catch a rabbit but after several failed attempts, settled for a frog. Ryan gave him so much crap it still makes me laugh when I think about it. The rest of the trip we called him frog boy and gave him a hard time for taking a nature walk while the rest of us were trying to run a race.


Trying to sleep after frog boy finished his walk.



My last leg! 3.8 Miles until I'm done! If I look like I'm about to die it's because I am. Look at that hill!


Passing off to Callie for the last time! Go Callie go! Only nine hours until the BYU kicks off! We can do it!

Amy's blistered feet. I covered them all with duck tape to prevent them from getting bigger. OUCH. Thanks for the flip flops Marlie!

Alynn, Amy, and Callie trying really hard not to laugh as frog boy took a picture and quoted Nacho Libre.

WE DID IT!!!!!!!!!! WAHOO!!! We finished our race in 30 hours which was amazing considering we were short runners. At the end of the race Marlie was talking about how crazy her friends think she is for running these relay's with perfect strangers. She said how much she loves it because she leaves with 9 new friends. WELL SAID MARLIE!!! I feel so lucky to have had such a great team and to know you all! Good luck in your future runs!! GO RED ROCK!


Amy ran 19 miles, Thomas ran 16. If I have to weigh more than him at least I can run farther!



Back at the cabin. After a cheeseburger and a shower nothing could have been better than BYU winning Oklahoma! We were so tired but we jumped up and down like the crazy fans that we are! GO COUGARS!


Sayings that are absolutely hillarious when you have not slept and have been either running or cooped up in a car for 30 hours.

1. Get that corn out of my face.
2. Put some dirt on it.
3. I'm a mean-o-acid.
4. Up yours.
5. I'm calling my aunt.
6. Where's the damn duct tape.
7. I'm retireing after this.
8. We'll pay for it, we're wealthy.
9. They think I don't know a load of crap about the gospel, but I do.
10. Dad's giving me miles for that.
11. Is it 4:20 yet?

Love you guys! Thanks for the laughs!!!!!!!!!