Just what I expected - the unexpected!

^Team Red Bulls - top row, L to R: Jane, Laura, Kate, Heather, Michael, Deb, me, Tania bottom row, L to R: Scott, Tyler (the driver :)) Darcie, Patrick, and Brent




^We reached the beach - Deb, Tania, me and Kierstyn!


After six hours too many of traveling to what should be a 3 hour destination, Team Red Bull arrived at Attitash close to 1130p.m. on Thursday, September 15.


Already sleep deprived, I met the Maine-contingency of my new teammates (I had already met the Massachusetts/New Hampshire peeps on my ride up), strategized over who should run which legs, and drank as much water as I could (hydrate, hydrate, hydrate!)

Originally, I was scheduled to be runner 12 (aka the victory lap runner). This changed almost immediately, and I was asked to be runner 8. Runner 8 had a vicious first run (8.8 miles on trails and hills that has been known to make grown men cry). But the remaining mileage is comfortable with two 4+ mile runs. I was okay with this - as curiosity had me looking forward to what actually happens on that 8.8 mile run (the van splits from the runner when they hit the trails) and rumor has it, the scenery is absolutely gorgeous.

But before I could make a mental note to pack my camera for my first leg, my teammate Brent had requested that we switch legs. F*&^%! Due to his constant hacking (he claimed he was sick), I folded.

Now, I was to be runner 7.

Runner 7 is the first runner of Van 2. Below are descriptions of my three legs and the times I ran them:

Leg 7: 6.6 miles: elevation gain N/A: easy to moderate [map]
Topography: This leg is mainly flat.
I ran this sometime around Friday at 1pm

Leg 19: 7.2 miles: elevation gain 640 ft: very hard [map]
Topography: The terrain consists of some steep rolling hills. - what do you mean some? I think there were more than some!
I ran this sometime around midnight

Leg 31: 7.4 miles: elevation gain 300 ft: moderate [map]
Topography: This leg is mainly flat with a "few rolling hills". - we also concluded that when words were put in quotes, this meant they were being sarcastic
I ran this sometime around Saturday at 11am

total mileage = 21.2

My team - Red Bulls - finished sometime around 430pm. That's about 31 and a half hours after we started. Oy vey! Click here to view official results.

So what happened during those 31:35:35 hours of racing? Below I listed some of my favorite anecdotes. You may not find them as funny as I did, as I am sure it was much funnier if you were there, sleep deprived, hungry, and sore.

1. Laura, Runner 11, teammate and official driver of the van - renamed the van "The Vagina Monologues". Reason being: to make Brent (the only male vanmate, runner 8) "feel the estrogen"

2. Another name for vagina is waffle - this gives a whole new meaning to "leggo my eggos"

3. You can cook a meal on your car engine. Laura tested this theory by making turkey and cheese sandwich melts. Special note - don't put the food next to the fan belt.

4. "Don't cha" - by the Pussycat Dolls became our theme song

5. Don't ask a guy "if you were on death row, what would be your last meal?" Trust me it won't be food. meow

6. Running in the rain and darkness is sometimes better than sunny daylight. At least it gives you something to think about as your body hurts. Also, as mentioned by my buddy Robin C. at Ironman Canada, if you can't see what is in front of you clap - after all, you don't want to run into any dear or moose! Robin - this had Tania and I laughing all night long!

7. Make sure you know which transition area you are at. Right before I started my last leg, we arrived at the transition area where I was to end. We didn't realize this til teammate and Runner 12, Tania was chatting with a nice fellow who pointed out that Leg 31 was finishing where we were waiting... whoops! All six of us sprinted back to the van (which must have been a sight, because we were all rather stiff and not moving gracefully). We peel out of the parking lot and head back from where we came from. Laura got us to the correct transition area in record time and slowed just enough for me to jump-out of the sliding van door and run up to poor Heather who had been waiting to pass the baton for the last 7.5 minutes. My teammate Darcie described the incident the best when she said it looked like a hostage exchange.

8. One of my favorite quotes came from Laura when a 9-year old, fat, freckled Boy Scout volunteer tried to park her in a tight parking space with a 12 passenger van. She said, "You have got to be kidding me kid, this van steers like the Queen Mary, there ain't no way I can get it to fit in there."

9. Spending special bonding time with my Team Envision ladies Tania (Runner 12) and Deb (Runner 10). Yes, you guessed correctly, we relived our Ironman journeys time and time again!

10. Tania smelling my socks - ok, what really happened is I had just come in from my second run - you know the one with all the hills. I was freezing, wet, somewhat delirious, and starving. It was so overwhelming to get dressed in warm cloths while in a moving van. Tania recognized the lack of cognitive skills, and took charge of supporting me. She grabbed my bag and started pulling things out, asking "Do you want this?" and "How about this?" She got me dressed and as I explained that my feet were cold, she searched for socks. She pulled out a pair and said "How about these?" I told her I thought that I had already worn them. She says, "I don't think so" and holds them up to her nose, takes a whiff, and says, "well maybe." We burst into giggles as she exclaimed, "That's how you know I am a good friend!" So true, Tania!

11. Convincing Kate to try a triathlon - yes, we were busy spreading the good word! Although, I can't take credit for this one as Deb pushed her over the edge!

12. Seeing my other Team Envision teammates and running friends throughout the 30.5 hours we were trying to reach that damn beach! Special thanks to Robin N, Julie B, Kierstyn, and Lisa for the extra loud cheers, honks and glamour shots taken on my run. And Lisa - you are the best for providing me with the Magic Stick!

Yes, it is still one of my favorite races and I will definitely do it again!