Make Tracks Through(?) the Zoo take 3

This May I ran the Zoo 5K for the third year in a row. I was hoping for a PR. I did not get one.

In fact, that entire race was a disaster in spite of a decent time. For one, I didn't quite train like I should have (story of my life, I suppose), mostly because I thought it would be easier. For another, they'd changed the course and I had wrongfully assumed that most of the 5K would be THROUGH the zoo (instead of the last 1 kilometer). I should have checked the course map, but still, it was a bit odd. Third, with the change of course, there was a lot more uphill than I was prepared for.

Not being prepared for uphill running is my constant nemesis. I absolutely loathe hill running and I don't even like going downhill very much unless it's a gentle slope.

So pretty much by the second mile I was literally crying and wheezing with every step. Other runners were concerned and kept asking if I was ok. I was so angry and I couldn't pull myself out of the funk. I knew the constant negativity was hurting me, but I was so overwhelmed by my incorrect assumptions of the race that I wanted to quit. I even WALKED a decent amount, and I never walk during 5Ks. I had to walk up the hills and I was so incredibly crabby about it.

When we finally got to the zoo part of the run, I was too angry to really appreciate it, though running by the giraffes did elevate my mood a bit, and they did direct the water mister towards the runners so that was nice.

I snapped this moments after my finish. Feel the irritation.

In the end, I got 33:39. Still a decent time, but one I was not happy with.

However, I ran the race with my niece Suzy who runs cross country. She had a good time, and my friends Adam and Tiesha had also run. So we got to go to the zoo after the race and see the animals and it really lifted my spirits.

We got to see the baby Rhino Moyo!! Okay so he's a year old now but still

So this race taught me a hard lesson. Always check race courses and hills suck. At least the Zoo 5K gives you a great post-run breakfast, and the zoo is right there to wander around. Thankfully, my next 5K was a wonderful experience, but more on that next time.

I have a tempo run to complete.

SlytheRun

I haven't posted in over a year! And I've really missed writing this blog. So, I decided to get back to it. I've been running a lot this year, and I have a lot of cool stuff coming up.

Today's post is going to be about the Ragnar Relay. I know I posted about it on Facebook, but I figured I'd write about it a couple months later.

In the Slytherin Common room of the Hogwarts Running Club, a few of us wanted to do a Ragnar Trail Relay. 

So we did.

It's kind of funny. I've noticed sometimes that when things go completely wrong, that's when you can have the most amazing time. And you get a good story out of it.

I flew to Atlanta on Thursday, eager to join my teammates. I'd never met any of them before, although we discussed logistics on Facebook for months beforehand. Once I landed in Atlanta, my eagerness was put to the test. Southwest lost my luggage. I usually know better than this, but I'd packed almost everything (except, weirdly, my headlamp, running hat, and kindle) in my checked luggage. The airline couldn't guarantee that my luggage would arrive on the later flight, but said it SHOULD be coming in. That wasn't good enough, considering we had to be at the campsite that night.

So two of my teammates (the wonderful Lisa and Kirby) ran me to REI where I bought shoes, and Walmart, where I bought clothes, and toiletries. I dropped way too much money, but I really didn't have a choice. And well, it's me. Half my clothing is workout clothing. I borrowed a sleeping bag and a couple other things, and I was good to go.

Anyway, we met up with the rest of the team at the campground. I was a bit nervous meeting so many new people for the first time. I'm not really shy, but I am introverted and I'd be spending the next two days with these people.  Lucky for us, we all clicked! After all, we are Slytherins.

Part of the fun of Ragnar is waiting by the transition tent to cheer on your teammate when they run in to give the bib to the next runner. We'd watch the names of the other teams (punny names are popular, and usually cracked me up), and we'd cheer for every runner who'd cross. That's what I love about races, we all cheer for each other even if we don't know them.

I didn't run my first leg until after 9 PM when it had turned full dark. Running in the woods in the dark is a bit eerie, especially when you have one earbud in and you're listening to the Black Tapes podcast as you're doing so. I saw a spider! I cried in the first 2 miles because I was doing so much uphill! I tripped and fell and scraped up my knee and I decided 'ENOUGH IS ENOUGH' and had a blast for the next three miles. After all, I was here to have fun, not feel sorry for myself.

I crashed hard when I got back to the tent. And I was awakened by my teammate (I honestly don't remember which one! I was so tired) to get ready for my next leg. It was a wonderful morning, and I felt at peace as I ran the easiest leg of the three. I enjoyed the woods by day, and it was everything I loved about the outdoors and running.

It's funny. As I was looking through my old photos in the past year, this was the one that had the most genuine smile.

In between my legs I got to know my teammates better. We're all different ages from different backgrounds (and countries!) and we are all united through running and Harry Potter. These lovely ladies who I didn't know have become an amazing support system, and we still talk regularly on our SlytheRun group message.

As we neared the end of the race, we ended up having to double up team members on legs. Leigh and I "ran" the final leg (it ended up being more of a nature walk as Leigh was unable to run for long periods and I was exhausted).

We saw a snake, which was perfectly fitting.

When Leigh and I approached the finish line, our Slytherin teammates met us (and our Ravenclaw volunteer took photos). We ran across the finish line together, and I hadn't felt happiness like that in a long time.

Top: Lisa Ann, Kirby, Elisabeth, Mariel

Bottom: Me, Lisa, Leigh, and Shatan

Shatan the Ravenclaw is giving us a "what the heck guys" gesture

We were one of the last teams there, so the Ragnar Employees came up to us and asked if we wanted to put anything into the Ragnar Arch. Apparently the volunteers like stuffing the hollow parts with random stuff to surprise the next set of volunteers on the next run. We thought that was really cool, so we put in some dark mark tattoos.

After we packed up (and gave the Ragnar volunteers our leftover cookies, much to their delight), we eagerly went to get pizza. And the table next to us gave us a pitcher of beer after we told them we'd just run a Trail Relay! Talk about good things. ;-)

Kirby, Elisabeth, Mariel, and I all stayed in a motel that night, and I took a blessedly wonderful shower (well, okay, it was kind of a crappy motel, but I'd just spent the past two nights using portapotties so I was NOT going to complain).

I woke up really early to get an Uber to go home (thank goodness I'm so used to early mornings at work!) and I proudly wore my Ragnar shirt on the plane. Not my finisher shirt, though I probably should have. :P

Ragnar was such an amazing experience. I'd do it again in a heartbeat, especially with the Slytherun team. I'm so used to running being a solo sport, that I never knew how amazing it would be to run with other people. We built each other up, helped each other, swapped food and stories, and made this experience one that made me realize that I could find happiness again.

As schmaltzy as it sounds, it's true. Part of the reason why I quit blogging last year was because of how depressed I was. I went through hell. I ran a half marathon last november, and I don't even remember most of the training because of how bad it was.

But Ragnar reminded me of why I love running. And it introduced me to a whole new world of relays and trails. And it brought me a very special group of people that will always be in my heart.