Vikings Represent

Please, let me introduce you to my Viking counterparts in van 2 of this extraordinary race.

 

 

 

Well, Erin and the kids didn't run.  But she had the difficult feat of watching our child, and her own, while also managing that pregnant belly, for two full days while the rest of us pillaged and plundered.  She was our support staff. 

Cascade Lakes is about 11 miles longer than Hood to Coast, at higher elevation, and the heat was out and proud.  It was prettier though, and at one point we got to stop at a lake for a few hours to recover before we ran again.

The night before, we got together to decorate the vans.  Jody tried on the viking gear.  

Here's the front of our viking-mobile.  VALHALLA!

Beforehand, Charlie and I look all fresh and cheerful.  Warning: this will not be the case 30 hours from now. 

We tagged other team's vans with our trademark Viking helmet.  Someone tagged our van with a picture of poop but Vikings don't take guff from nobody, so we wiped it off with a wet wipe.  Vikings always carry wet wipes.

 I know what you're thinking and yes, we are THAT AWESOME.

 

So we all ran, then Annie laid in the dirt for a while, then we stopped in La Pine and took REAL SHOWERS with FRESH TOWELS.  When we got to the high school, a volunteer waved us in and stood at our van window for a moment.  He told us about the fresh towels, the food in the cafeteria, and the indoor cots we could sleep on.  Eddie said "Hood to Coast sucks".  That remains my favorite moment of the weekend.

The honey badger is really pretty badass.  So is Rex.  He can run uphill for 4 miles straight without even breaking a sweat.  

After we rested, we ran again.  I guess we're all really pretty badass.  Annie and Heather ran in the heat of the day but by the time it was my turn, it was cooled off.   I ran 7 miles while the sun went down, and once again I felt very lucky. 

 

 

 Sometimes in the middle of the night, people go a little crazy.

This is almost our whole team.  Early morning, before we ran for the last time.  My last leg was another 7 miles, which I was prepared for, but it was on the trails and it was in the heat. I was staring at desert all around me, which was lonely, and I knew I was slow.  I don't have this problem at the Hood to Coast, because the legs are easier and I've done it enough times to know what to expect.  And at HtC, I can't stop and walk, because a van will drive by and see me and that would be EMBARRASSING.  But there was no peer pressure at CLR, and I caved.  However, I have survived.

 Eddie flashed Rex, to provide him some inspiration at the end of the aforementioned 4-mile uphill.

 

Oh yeah, my shoes.  So, I'm pretty sure I can't wear these shoes again.  The stinkfactor is overwhelming.  They got wet by accident.  I put them in a ziplock bag so they wouldn't stink up the van, but that only caused them to fester in the heat, in the bag, and make the smell worse.  A real viking would have tied them outside the van while we drove.
(Update- since writing this, I've gone for a run and I was forced to wear the shoes.  I really, really need to go to REI.)

 

Big props to Heather for coordinating this from Bend.  Big props to my van for being so fun.  Big props to my supercute husband for being such a sexy runner.  Big props to the honey badger for being really pretty badass.