RAGNAR 2011!

Ragnar baby! I did my first Ragnar Relays last year with 2 of my good friends from high school. While we ran, our husbands got together to hang out, and decided that they were going to do it with us the next time. Well, they held to their word, and so our co-ed ragnar team was born: The Honeymooners! Two cars of 6 people, 6 couples, all slightly crazy to be running a relay race from Wickenburg to Tempe - over 200 miles.

We left Friday morning after I dropped the kiddos off with two great friends (Thank you Cathy and Lori!) and headed up to the start line up in Wickenburg. Prior to the race us girls made our "wedding outfits", afterall, we were the honeymooners!

Me, Kristin, and Kaylani

Ryan was our first runner, and Kristin met him along the way to cheer him on

His first run was almost all up hill! He did a great job, especially sporting his tuxedo shorts

Jake was up next. He was even sporting his bow tie!

I was runner 3, after Jake. I am getting ready for my first run, 7 miles.

Joel is ready to cheer me on ( he hadn't changed into his Honeymooners outfit yet)

Joel went after me, but I didn't know where he had put the camera, so I have no picture of it. His first run was 6.5 miles and he did great.

Crazy Kristin was runner 5

Kaylani is gearing up for run, she was our cars last runner before we handed off to the other car of honeymooners.

Jake and Kaylani got a little caught up in the moment!

A big part of the fun of Ragnar is seeing all the different teams, their themes, the fun decorated cars and vans (why did I not take a picture of our car...it was awesome!), and the awesome costumes. Their were some really good ones too! Some of my favorites were: The Assercisers, Let's get Physical (things 80's leotards and jane fonda), the Pacemakers, and one group totally devoted to the movie Top Gun. Here is an example of some of the crazy groups out there:

Kristin never turns down a challenge!

After our first round was done, we went to go eat and then it was time to rest before our second leg started. Joel didn't waste anytime! At about 6pm Joel was already out cold.

He can sleep just about anywhere!

Our next set of runs did not start until about 9 pm, so we all had to run with reflective  gear on. I think it worked!!

We finished running about 2:30 am, and we were all ready to crash. The boys camped it outside while the girls slept in the car.

Those are our 3 boys right in front

Ya think Joel was tired? He was the last to wake up out of all the runners who were sleeping in the lot!

All of us were tired, but still in love! Gearing up for our 3rd and final leg of the race. It was chilly outside!

Kristin and Ryan, married 8 years

Kaylani and Jake, married 11 years

I finally got pictures of Joel when he did his last leg of the race. He did so good. I think people were surprised to see someone that large out there running. He surprised himself  too, by not only keeping his pace, but even going faster!

Us happy Honeymooners, married almost 10 years

and still in love

ok now he is just showing off! I think he was just happy that he was done running!

 When our car was done with the third leg we passed off to our second set of runners, and went home to shower up and get the kids. Then we headed back to the finish line at Tempe town lake so we could all run it in together!

love this pic of the family! The boys were so excited to be able to run through the finish line with us!

Think Joel likes to pick people up?

When we were all done we had to finish with some wedding cake!

Zoey liked the cake too!

All in all it was soooooo much fun, and we all can't wait to do it again next year.

In a 24 hour period Joel ran a total of 16.5 miles, the longest he has ever run before! I totalled 23 miles when it was all over. I think I might be a little crazy....but I'm hooked!!