Wasatch Back

Last weekend was one of the most unique and exciting weekends of my life (not to mention tiring, challenging and inspiring). I ran the Wasatch Back relay race with 11 teammates, 180 miles from Logan, UT to Park City, UT. Our team was split into two vans, six runners in each, each runner assigned three legs of three to eight miles each. We started in Logan at 2:20 pm on Friday and ended in Park City at about 6:30 pm on Saturday. Our team was eclectic, made up of members from age 16 to 51, one runner with MS, one breastfeeding mother, and one runner who joined us three days before the race. Oh, and did I mention that I'm 4 1/2 months pregnant? We were quite a group.


Our team name was "The Who's From Whoville," as our theme was Dr. Seuss. Each of us chose a character and had the option of dressing in our own costumes. This was particularly challenging since we were also supposed to run in these costumes, but several of us came up with some good ideas.


The greatest thing about this race was the intense camaraderie that was instantly created amongst our teammates, most of whom were strangers before race day. There was so much encouragement for each person every minute of the race that it was impossible for anyone to fail. The vans leapfrogged the runners and offered water, Gatorade, cheers and support along each leg, and the fact that there were so many people there rooting for you made you give 110% so you wouldn't let them down. I have ran three marathons, but I think that this may have been more challenging than any of them. I don't think I would have made it without the rest of the Whos.


My favorite part of the race was the end of my first leg, which was the first run for our van, and so set the pace for the 30 hours to come. I knew the hand-off was getting close, probably just around the corner about 50 yards ahead, and I had been slowly gaining on the woman in front of me. I decided that I was going to pass her, and get another "roadkill", which we tracked proudly on our van. I took the lead just before we rounded the corner and saw the checkpoint about 80 yards ahead. I was feeling great until I saw her creep up behind me, about to make me roadkill with only 50 yards to go. Without thinking, I burst into a full sprint. I saw my whole team explode with excitement, jumping up and down and screaming my name, and I knew by the looks on their faces that she was running just as hard as I was. With every ounce of energy I had, I ran, leaving her yards behind me and handing off to my teammate Cynthia with two roadkills under my maternity belt! Cynthia was so excited that she said she took off WAY too fast, running her first mile a full minute faster than her pace. Our team was so pumped, and it was one of the greatest feelings I have ever had.