Napa Valley Ragnar

Napa Valley Ragnar, now told through text message...

Grammy: “hey are you on your way?”
Me: “yep. Want us to come all the way up to the house to bring you the girls? Or want to meet halfway at Chili’s? We’ll buy.”
Grammy: “...Dad says leaving for Chili’s in 5 min.”
Me: "good, I was hoping to eat my weight in chips and salsa tonight. totally counts as carb loading."
Grammy: "and lava cake."

BF: “hey are you guys on your way to the airport yet?”
Me: “yep, dropped kids off to my mom. We’re on our way but not sure were gonna make it.”
BF: “you better!”
Me: “not looking good...”
BF: “drive faster. Don’t bail on me.”
Me: “Traffic sucks.”
BF: “seriously? Are you here yet?”
Me: “uh....” (doesn’t know I just sat down behind her at the airport)
BF: “how close are you?”
Me: “very. Might make it.”
BF: “I just saw your husband. I hate you.”

Me to Facebook: “Hey team! We’re in San Fran! See ya’ll tomorrow! Let us know when you get in and we’ll find you. Husband has to work in the morning but BF and I are playing tourist!”

Husband: “Morning! Did you guys sleep ok?”
Me: “Yep! Slept in, had breakfast, on our way to Golden Gate Park.”
Husband: “how?”
Me: “hotel shuttle to airport, BART to sketchy neighborhood, bus to museum at Golden Gate Park. We’re on the BART now.”
Husband: “you’re on the subway? Did you get mugged yet? ....yeah, tell me where you’re getting off, I'll come get you. Got out of meetings early.”

Me: “hey! I’m one of your teammates! Wanna meet me and another random teammate to go sightseeing?”
J: “ok, sounds good.”
Me: *sketchy directions*...which may or may not have been correct
J: “cool. I’m in a gray shirt, blue hat, red backpack.”
Me: “...We’re the two white girls who look like we don’t know where we’re going.”
Me: “PS, I just got attacked by an underground subway pigeon. Watch out.”

Husband: “Where are we meeting for lunch after I pick you up?”
Me: “ummm, we gave you bad directions. We’re in Mission District. Want tacos?”
Husband: “sure. Where?”
Me: *address*
Husband: “k. is this place good?”
Me: “it was #2 on yelp. So obviously.”
Me: “PS, Mission District is sketchy. I’m so counting these 2 miles to my total this weekend.”

Now we add commentary. Because the tacos were awesome. After which, we didn’t have enough time for a museum so we found Lombard Street instead, just for fun. Then husband dropped the three of us off at the airport again. He left for more meetings while we waiting for more teammates. The next few hours involved collecting people, getting our rental van and circling the airport for hours. I’m not entirely sure why or how it became funny, but we had a great time. We made a run to Target for groceries and discovered that the 12 passenger van we were driving is exactly 6’9” (thanks to the parking garage). We had a team dinner at Chili’s, doing more talking and laughing than eating. Half the team had run together at SoCal (plus our awesome driver/Husband), and half the team were runners I had never met.

Me to team: *picture of my running shoes and the infamous s’mores snack mix* “Get up! Let’s go for a run!
P: “sweet! N is picking you guys up, meet you at the start."
Me: “....he says you’re picking us up.”
P: “no, he’s supposed to.”
Me: “uh....”

45 minutes later, we met the team at the starting line. In Ragnar Roulette fashion, all of readied to run and waited eagerly for our heat to be called. The announcer called our team to the start, and then couldn’t resist sharing that we must be crazy and explained our Ragnar Roulette. Instead of assigned positions, he would draw the first runner out of a hat. So we gathered, he drew and called my name! I shed my warm up pants and jacket, grabbed the next name and took off running while the rest of the team drew, divided into the two vans and our race had begun. I ran 3.7 miles through Golden Gate Park with the picturesque fog drifting in across the grass. The humidity made my hair double in size immediately and despite the early morning cool air, the humidity had me dripping. I came into the exchange and handed off to my teammate. He was the lucky one to run down to the beach, through the sand, up a tough dirt trail and finally across the Golden Gate Bridge. We had planned to jump out and run with him at the bridge but didn’t get out time and missed the chance. However, the bridge was gorgeous! The fog was so thick we couldn’t see the other end, I just seemed to disappear into the mist. It was enchanting.

(awhile after we handed off to van 2)  P: “Runner 9 is out. How you guys doing?”
Me: “So good. Got some Thai food. Shopping at Big 5. R talked me into some calf sleeves. He’s basically brilliant.” *picture of me and R in front seat, feet on dash. His sleeves are blue. Mine are hot pink.*
P: “cool.” *Also wearing hot pink sleeves!*
Me: “wanna know what were doing now?” *picture of us in go-karts* *picture playing 4 man pacman in arcade* *picture playing driving game in arcade*
P: “I hate you.”
Me: “It’s cool. We played air hockey too. Three on one. I won.”

We met at the next major exchange and waited for runner 12 to come blazing in. He drew #1 again and it started all over. I managed to stay in Van 1 the whole time, strategically so I could stay with my super hot husband who came along to drive for us. I put in another 6.4 for my night run. I was dark enough for safety gear but still warm outside so it was a great run. After Van 1 passed off to Van 2 we went in search of food and landed at a Denny’s. BF and I apparently got a little silly and were snuggled under my blanket making "drunken confessions" until our food came. Apparently I professed my love to her.  And for Ragnar.  And then turned it into a rock ballad.  I blame sleep deprivation. Which became obvious when I finished half my food and then fell asleep at the table. There is photographic evidence but I’m not sure where.

We spent the rest of the night in the van, parked at the next exchange. Van 2 arrived and passed off to us again. I drew 4.9 for my last run, bringing me to a total of 14.7 miles. It was enough to make my calfs really sore but I could have done more. My last run was along a river, quiet and peaceful with very few other runners out. And as I came running into the exchange, my teammate met me the same way I met him (at the end of his 25 miles), with a donut and slurpee. And again, we went in search of food. Along the way, we stopped a vineyard to take pictures and sample a few grapes (“pre processed wine tasting”). We finally parked in the town of Calistoga, where the race would end and wandered a few blocks up main street. We found a place announcing their award for #1 burgers in Calistoga and needed no further evidence. The burger was amazing! After which, we went to the finish line, wandered around, and then took a nap in the sunshine. As our team got close, we gathered at the finish to run in the last 10 yards across the finish line with BF. We took team pictures, donned medals, devoured pizza and then ended up hanging out at the finish line party until dark. BF and I talked half our team into dancing with us and ended up creating a rather large dance floor area filled with people. Slap happy silly and euphoric from running, we drove back to San Fran, piled into hotel rooms for showers and into a very comfy bed. 

With the team together, there was obviously less texting. But plenty of pictures (and inappropriate jokes). And by that evening, we swarmed facebook with pictures:
*pictures of teammates handing off to each other*
*picture of our tartan sash tied to the car antenna, worn all through the race and now leading the drive home*
*beauty shot of my running shoes and the Gold Rush medal (double medal for SoCal and Napa)*
*random back seat selfies*
*Alcatraz Island*
*9 of us crammed into a jail cell at Alcatraz Island*
*sea otters at Fisherman's Wharf*
*J pretending to be a sea otter*
*Husband pretending to ride J pretending to be a sea otter*
*me and my clam chowder in a sourdough bread bowl*

Group conversation, “What races are we doing next year?”
...del sol?....colorado?....McDowell?....Wasatch Back?....D.C.?....which double medals?....Florida keys?....
Me: “um, honey? What should my race budget for next year be?”
Husband: “...I think you need a cheaper hobby. Cocaine perhaps.”

But oh so fun....