Ragnar, MS, and Cake

Team LOCO LACO (We so crazy!)

So I have had a busy few weeks. Two weeks ago I ran with my work, LACO Technologies, in the Wasatch Back Ragnar Relay.  Yes, Ragnar is a funny word...read About Ragnar.

It was my first time running in this race and it was an awesome experience. The low down on how this race works. Your team of 12 runners run from Logan to Park City (190 miles total). You run all day and all night until your team finishes. Each runner will run 3 different legs. You have 2 vans, each with 6 runners. The each runners run then hands off the race baton (a slap bracelet) from one runner to the next.  The last runner finishing by handing off the baton to the first runner of van 2. While van 2 runs van 1 gets to rest, sleep, refuel and prepare for their next round of running. This continues until you all run across the finishline.  I was runner #5.  My runs included a 7.4 mile run uphills on a dirt road through the mountains (super hard, but super gorgeous), a 4.2 mile run through a little town I don't remember and a 3 mile run through Heber.

FYI - Sleeping on church lawns in sleeping bags made me feel right at camping home.

I designed the shirts (first time)...I'm so proud.

The LOCO LACO runners finished with a time of 31:34:43.8.  The best time of 18:26:56.6 was captured by the 'NordicTrack Elite Men' (all men team).

After a long day of racing, what better to do then rock out to some CAKE.  Cake was in town as part of the Utah Arts Festival (yes they came a week early).  The concert was at Library Square (basically the lawn just east of the SL Library).  There was great tunes, great friends and great hippie dancing (on my part).  They played all my favorites and some old stuff I had never heard.  The highlight of the show was when they gave away a tree to the person in the crowd who could guess what type of tree it was (it was an apple tree).  The tree is to be planted and a picture sent every year of its life.  Check out the Tree Gallery

Cake!

Last week I organized a hike to Dog Lake in Big Cottonwood Canyon followed by a bonfire.  It was really fun and we had a great turn out.  I was surprised how fast everyone hiked.  I must be a really slow hiker. 

Scouting out the hike

Thursday night I went with a few friends to the Utah Arts Festival.  There seemed to be fewer food vendors then in years past which I thought was regrettable.  But I did buy some art, jewelry art.  I had seen Route Thirteen on Etsy and loved her stuff.  I was so happy to see her at the festival.  It took me a long time to decide between my favorites, but finally made my purchase.  Check out her stuff.  Route Thirteen

To finish out the week I got together with my old co-worker at Orbit Irrigation to ride in the MS - Harmon's Best Dam Bike Ride in Logan.  To get the full effect of this event here is a little history of me and the MS ride.  This was 5th year riding in the MS tour. 

Team Orbit Irrigation
• Year 1 went something like - Attempted 75 miles (no training), rode 50 miles and was picked up in a truck and driven to the end because my butt hurt so bad...there were Tears. 
• Year 2 - I was smarter and I opted to ride only 40 miles due to lack of training...No Tears, but I was told I was so slow that people couldn't ride that slow to ride with me. 
• Year 3 - I trained so I choose to do the 75 mile ride, we got lost and actually rode 87 miles instead, I didn't eat much and was out of fuel by the end...there were Tears. 
• Year 4 - Rode 100 miles because I trained. I may or may not have fallen and gotten a gigantic bruise on my buttock, but No Tears. 
• Year 5 - Based on my pattern there were going to be tears, but No Tears.  I broke the cycle.  I didn't train this year so just decided to ride 40 miles.  I ate enough and was well hydrated.  Besides pain in my knee I felt strong.  I was super happy to be speeding pass people when usually everyone is speeding pass me. No slow Annie anymore.  It was a nice change.

My name was listed as a 5 year veteran

It was really nice to see all my old co-workers and my old boss, Ben.  Ben rode the 100 last year with me and I wish I could have gone with him this year, but we did get to ride the first 20 miles together.  The race photographers got a great one of us giving each other a high five.  It was awesome.  I'll have to post it when they get the photos out.

I think this is a start of a great tradition. 

Race Ragnar with LACO and MS with Orbit.