Boston and the Human Spirit

Alan G

Boston Bound

Flyers singlet for B.A.A. 5K, check.  Flyers tee for Boston Marathon, check.  Kinvara’s, check. B.A.A. 5K number pick-up card, check.  Clif Gel shots, check. Inhaler in case Mike’s dogs spark my allergies, check.  Keys, check.  Cellphone and charger, check.

Oh, yeah, deodorant…check.

Stephanie P

Stephanie P got the train tickets. She’s all packed. Okay, ready to go. We were set for an awesome long weekend in Boston.  Steph and a bunch of our Flyer mates were, as is said, All in for Boston per this year's Boston Athletic Association (B.A.A.) motto for the marathon.  Lara K, Julie C, Jodi D and I were warming up the finish line for everyone the day before in the BAA 5K.

We got to Penn Station in plenty of time for our 9 a.m. train ride.  A little tired, but excited, for sure.  This was Steph’s second go round in Boston after last year’s tropical weather overheated the course.  We were to stay with my best friend, brother from another mother, high school buddy and college roomie, Mike and his family in Newton Centre on Saturday night and move to the Park Plaza for Sunday.  We were looking forward to a pasta dinner with our Flyers mates on Sunday in the North End as orchestrated by Dave K, who also was All in for Boston, the excitement of the Flyers Cheering Station, and the planned post race activities (click here to see what was planned).  

Off to the Expo and on the the 5K

After arriving in Boston, we went to the Expo at the Hynes Convention Center and I loved the black-with-yellow Adidas tech tee for the 5K that I was to run the next day…finally a garment I am allowed to wear that says BAA on it!!!

The Expo was cool.  Didn’t hit the whole thing, but was psyched to find a pair of new Saucony Vittara’s.  Steph picked up some gear and friend Janis thought the white Adidas jacket was fashionable, so she scored one.  117 years of Marathon races on the streets of Beantown.  That is pretty amazing.

Sunday morning, was up early and primed for the 5K.  Got dressed with my Flyers singlet over the BAA 5K tee (it was chilly).  Mike drove us all downtown, we found a parking lot and then they went off to spectate and I went off to wait for the start.  I looked for Lara but could not find her.  Spoke to a nice mom of three kids from New Hampshire who was running the 5K and the Marathon after coming off metatarsal stress fractures.  A brave person, for sure.  And then, a young mom from Morristown, NJ whose husband was running the ‘thon the next day.  It was a crisp, bright morning and downtown Boston looked and sounded inviting for a little race.  Soon enough, the gun sounded and we were off.

Chilly Day at B.A.A. 5K

My stomach bothered me, so I struggled some in this race.  I just felt full, which I really don’t like in a race.  I also was weaving in and out because of the size of the crowd and since there were no real corrals for different paces.  And then, suddenly, there were Paul and Cassie N cheering me on. Paul yelled at me for weaving in and out.  He just wanted me to bowl folks over.  Classic Paulie Highlands.  By the way, Paul, nice race on Monday.  You flew by the Flyers table and were probably catching up with Wave 1 though you had a Wave 3 start.  Impressive.

I focused on my mantra when I am not feeling great, which is “just push the ground back, push it back” and tried to keep a solid core and mid-foot plant going.  Saw Steph, Mike and Janis mid-race and then, on the back end, saw and heard Dave K and Glen W cheering me on.  That gave me a boost and I tried to lean in and accelerate a bit.  There was a downhill through a tunnel, followed by an uphill and then back, followed by a right turn and a left to the finish, which I didn’t check at the time, but occurs to me was probably the famous right on Hereford and left on Boylston.

And then, there it was looming ahead, that big, beautiful, blue and yellow finish line with its arches and photographers’ perch.  The clock said 23:50 when I looked at it shortly after finishing.  I knew it was congested at the start, but thought I’d run about a 23:30…not too shabby, but not where I want to be.  Later, I found out that my official time was 22:09 and I was elated.  It’s been a long while coming back from a bad bike fall in March ’12 and the injury.  Closing in on sub-7 again felt good.   Most of all though, it felt good to be in Boston on Marathon weekend.  The vibe was awesome.  The streets were full of life and camaraderie.  People were cheering, runners were congratulating each other.  I even took a finish line photo with three Central Park Track guys and an NBR gal.  Later, when I could not find Steph, Mike and Janis, I asked some folks if I could borrow a cell phone to make a call.  Lo and behold, I’d found three Front Runners in town from NYC.  It is, indeed, a small world.

We all reconnoitered (love that word!) and got a bite to eat at Joe’s American, on Newbury Street.  Brunch was delish and we got to watch the invitational races for a while as the 400 meter mark was right outside where we were sitting.  That was fun.  Again, it added to the amazing vibe that was enveloping downtown Boston on this special weekend.  Little did I know that I’d be walking past this very same spot on Newbury a day later feeling completely differently.

Flyers Pre-Race Pasta Dinner

After the race, my friend Mike drove us to the Park Plaza Hotel and we went our way to check in and settle down until it was time to head to the pasta dinner.  We took a walk for a little bit around the neighborhood to pick up some last minute items, then rested until we set out for the North End.  It was a green line train to an orange line to our stop and then a relatively short walk into the old Italian neighborhood where the restaurant, Al Dente, was located.  And there we found a nice slice of our Flyer family, figuratively and literally.  Richard G was there with a slew of family members.  Elizel A appeared with her entourage in tow.  Those two groups were so large that each commandeered their own tables.  Our table had a nice mix of veteran and newer Flyers ––  Dave K  (great job organizing the dinner), Colleen R, Lara K, Glen W and his friend Drew, Frieda E and her friend Vicky, Suzana P, Stephanie P and myself (I really hope I didn’t miss anyone!!!).  Al Dente is a cozy, family style place.

A Table of Flyers at Al Dente for Pre-Race Carbs

The food hit the spot, the company was terrific and everyone who needed to get carb-loaded did so.  Then, just to be sure, some of us went to a bakery down the block that Dave recommended (you really need to publish a guide, DK).  Steph picked up a bunch of cookies for post-race, I got a “lobster tail” (flaky dough filled with ricotta, shaped like, well, a lobster tail) and a loaf of truly delicious raisin bread.  And then it was back to the hotels for everyone to get a good night’s sleep.  Sunday night was calm and quiet.  Alarm set for 5:00 a.m to make sure Steph caught her bus.  Cleared the desk in the room and set her stuff up for easy access in the a.m.  Then it was snooze-ville.  Thankfully, the hotel was quiet.

Race Day!

Monday morning, Steph was up and ready to go.  After seeing her off, the 5K runner had the luxury of a few extra zzzs and took them, intermittently.  I was excited to be a part of the Grand Daddy of all marathons, looking forward to getting to the Flyer table and finding Mr. Reliable Ed A who has spearheaded the Flyers cheering section/aid station at Boston every year since 1996, Lara K and Lloyd H and other ‘mates, like Siggy T and Kenny H who, in keeping with their tradition, were turning it into a day trip, and Sondra M and Jennifer B, who were coming up to cheer and then run with Steph for a few miles, too.  I was psyched to see the elites and my Flyer ‘mates run and cheer them on and to join Steph from mile 17.3 to the finish line.

Ed A and Lara K
at Flyers Aid Station

When I got to the T station, I found the incoming trains jammed!  I had to let three green line D trains go past because there was no room.  Between the marathon and the Red Sox game (at 11 a.m.), the trains were full to the brim.  I finally squeezed onto the step of a train and had my ride.  Now only about 12 stops to go!  Once out there, the game was on.  I’d just missed the men’s elites due to the train traffic delay, but in the distance, I saw the lead vehicle for the women.

I broke into a run and hurried to the Flyers table and got there about a minute ahead of the lead vehicle.  These incredible women came flying through at warp speed and were gone.  The weather was ideal and they were having a fine day at the races.  CLICK HERE for the impressive race times of our Flyer marathon runners in Boston.

As time passed, more and more runners came through.  I missed Francesco P racing by, probably because he was a blur.  Yet, I recall seeing Colleen R running with what looked like great ease (she finished only 21 seconds behind Francesco!) although I know she was working hard.   Glen W  had the biggest smile I’ve ever seen on his face.  Paulie N came racing by not long after (I think all three of them were at about a 7:14 pace then). I remember Dave K coming through with a big grin, sweating a lot, but looking totally comfortable.  Dana M wore a smile sprinkled with determination, Jennifer C gave a grin and a wave to the table, and Suzana P stood above the crowd as she buzzed by.

Iris C had a smile on her face, Reyna F bounded by grinning and waving to everyone, and Brian H...what can one say about Brian…the dude’s smile is electric, he runs effortlessly…it should piss me off how easy he makes it look…but, he is just inspiring…and, in Boston 2013, this guy stopped at the Flyer table and Ed made him the largest ham and cheese sandwich, which Brian then took with him on his way, munching, running and somehow smiling…well done, Brian!  Did I mention that Brian ran the course twice?!  No joke!!  He actually ran to the start at Hopkinton, heading out at about 5 AM, and then ran the race back to the finish line in Boston!!!

Flyer Brian H
Running in Support of Alzheimer's Association

And more Flyers were to follow.  Freida E and her friend Vicky came buzzing by in tandem, doing the Wonderama wave as they approached, clearly enjoying the course and the crisp spring morning.  Denise I had wings on her feet as she cruised by heading to an awesome finish. Celia K came through all bright in blue, but not feeling great –– we hydrated her, got her some salty stuff to replace some electrolytes and she showed how tough she was by pushing her way through to the finish.  I’d heard that Elle G was toughing it out, too, and was considering stopping, but then she got to the water station and there wasn’t any stopping Elle. She took off with Scott C at her side and they ran together until she shifted into another gear and finished strong.  Elizel A came through with her iPhone ready to take pics, totally enjoying herself. 

Elizel A with her iPhone

Somehow, I missed several people. Bill H ran by with Dave K, and there was David B, as well as Julie C, Laurie K and Jamie L.  Papa Bear Richard G and Cassie N were somewhere close behind Steph when I stepped onto the course with her.  Her good buds, Sondra M and Jen B did so, too.  We all ran together, offering Steph support for the next several miles and through Heartbreak Hill.  Soon after, Sondra and Jen peeled off and Steph and I continued.

It is an amazing course.  As it winds through the neighboring suburbs of Boston, the streets are full of life.  Bostonians know how to spectate at a marathon.  They cheer and cajole the runners along.  There are countless unofficial water stations and fruit hand-outs.  The Boston College kids rocked the New England casbah, for sure!  The race got me hook, line and sinker.  I wondered to myself how I would qualify for it knowing that I must run this course, through these neighborhoods, amongst these people, with these people.  To start with Stephanie in Hopkinton, not at mile 17.

At mile 25, she looked at her watch and told me she had to, and was going to, beat her heat-infected time from last year.  I was just there for support and let her set the pace.  And I could feel her digging deep and pushing the speedometer up a couple of notches.

Stephanie P and Alan G

And Then It Happened....

We went down through the short tunnel, up the small hill and made the right onto  Hereford.  All Steph had left was the roughly ¼ mile up the hill to the left onto Boylston and then about 3/8 of a mile to that finish line that Lara, Julie C, Jodi D, me and thousands of others had warmed up for the marathoners the day before during the 5K.  She looked at her watch and said to me, “I got this” and I said, “you’re darned right you do.” Then, about half way up that hill on Hereford, there was a loud concussive blast.  Shortly thereafter, there was another.  Heads turned, confusion started…Steph asked, “What was that?”  I said that I did not know, perhaps it was an electrical transformer that blew.  I thought maybe it was some kind of celebratory cannon shot for Patriot’s Day because it sounded like, well, a very loud cannon.

We summited Hereford at Boylston and turned left and slowed to a stop.  Huge confusion and some fear mounted.  Smoke was wafting across the finish line from the sidewalk near the Marathon Sports store and the candy shop.  Boston cops jumped into the roadway, hands up to bring runners to a halt.  Some wanted to continue running because they either were focused only on finishing or were very confused.  The police pulled barriers across Boylston to stop the runners.  I held onto Steph, who was, naturally, very upset that something, someone, had attacked this race, attacked our sport, attacked innocent people.  Another woman, grabbed me and clung to my right side, crying, wondering where her son was, if he was safe; he was to meet her at the finish line.  I tried to put her at ease while having no idea of what was the real answer to her fear.  I hope that he was ok.  She soon went to find a cop.

I and a few others turned to help the police stop the runners coming up Hereford Street as they did not know what had happened down Boylston at Boston’s fabled finish line.  Amazingly, people held together and worked together.  The police were outstanding.  Commendation medals to all of them.  The BAA volunteers were outstanding.  Public service awards to all of them.  The spectators were outstanding, handing cell phones over the barriers to runners to locate their family and friends.  Civic awards to all of them.  Later, I saw some medics at work on people on Newbury who had apparently made it around the corner before collapsing.  Commendation medals to all of them, too, as well as tp the medical staff who ramped up a MASH Unit in the marathon medical tent.  Expecting to treat dehydration and exhaustion, they got dismemberment and disfigurement and death.  Unreal.  Unbelievable.  Unthinkable.

The Aftermath

Fast forward.  Two young men, who I am unable to define, attacked Boston, attacked a marathon, attacked innocent bystanders, attacked our way of life, attacked the human spirit.  One can call them terrorists and they indeed caused great terror.  I am more inclined to call them the world’s biggest losers.  They wreaked havoc, created death and destruction to no meaningful end.  One is dead and the other is effectively dead.  The anger welled up in me pretty quickly. 

I was on the train with Steph, Lara, Kenny, Siggy, Freida, Vicky, Sondra and Jen (and many others heading home).  There was all kinds of chat and speculation amongst the shock and fatigue of the day.  The race will never be the same came up.  I thought, bullshit.  It will be back and better than ever before.  I decided to turn the anger into action.

Unity Run NYC ––  A Boston Tribute

How?  A Boston Tribute Run.  I got the word up and out and it grew.  And, I am no rocket scientist…I was not the only one.  In the long run, no pun intended, there were numerous Boston tribute runs.  I was lucky enough to have a great teammate, Karin A, a former Pasadena Pacer, who put me in touch with the VP of her old team.  He had come up with a Unity Run concept and asked me to make our run Unity Run New York.  Done.  Brilliant.

Saturday morning, Flyers, Whippets, Mercury Masters, Millrose Runners, NY Harriers, Forest Park Runners and many more turned out in big numbers, about 300 of us, at the Maine Monument near Columbus Circle in Central Park. And, over the weekend, in LA, SF, Pasadena, Long Beach, Seattle, Houston, Denver, Colorado, Boulder, Cleveland, Chicago, West Hartford and, yes, in Edinburgh, Scotland, there were Unity Runs to pay tribute to Boston –– the city, the marathon, its people, its spirit –– and to honor and remember the fallen.

I’ve said this a few times now…if some idiot wants to attack the human spirit, it is really not a good idea to start with marathoners and their spectators.   We run for hours and they stand out there for hours.  And we run as one, now more than ever. 

Let’s keep it moving forward, my brothers and sisters.  Running as one.  Boston Strong.  New York Strong.  World Strong.

One love in peace….

You guys and gals are the best…you humble me in many ways.

Your prez,

Alan G

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Ragnar's Riches -- Flyers Find Fortunes in Friendships at the Ragnar Wasatch Relay Race

From Thursday, June 16, through Sunday, June 19, a hardy crew of Flyers plus a couple of friends and relatives who have since joined the Flyer family adopted Viking names and costume and descended upon Park City, Utah, for the Ragnar Wasatch Back Relay, a 192-mile high-altitude slog through Western fields and mountains in pursuit of the ultimate triumph: A heavy silver medal that also functions as a bottle opener. Beset by illness and injury from start to finish, both teams nevertheless survived and triumphed, having fun and building friendships along the way.



Flyers Ragnar Relay Team Members

In their own words, this is part of their story....

The Cast
Flyer Vikings Team 1:

Alan G., Captain (Odin)
Meg B. (Gna)
Sungwon H. (Freya)
Lisa J. (Lofn)
Adam J. (Noorns)
Joe J. (Tyr)
Deb M. (Vor)
Charlotte N. (Huldra)
Ray S. (Frey)
Francisco R. (Vidar)

Flyer Vikings Team 2:

Heather M., Captain (Gefjon)
Jon B. (Loki)
Will D. (Mani)
Eric F. (Aegir)
Ami I. (Frigga)
Leslie L. (Eir)
Stephanie L. (Sjofn)
Alisa N. (Sif)
Dana M. (Nanna)
Jocelyn T. (Nerthus)
Glen W. (Heimdol)

The Adventure Begins (by Sjofn)

Sjofn Strikes a Pose

“You and 11 of your closest friends running 200(ish) miles, day and night, relay-style, through some of the most scenic terrain North America could muster. Add in crazy runners, inside jokes and a mild case of sleep deprivation. The result? Some call it a slumber party without sleep, pillows or deodorant. We call it a Ragnar Relay.”

Despite the description I read on the Ragnar Relay website, I still did not know what to expect. Not only would Ragnar Wasatch Back be my first relay, but, although I had joined the Flyers last year, I could sadly count the number of times I’d participated in a group run on two hands.

I nervously sipped my coffee and sluggishly rolled my carry-on to the gate designated on my boarding pass at JFK Airport, unsure of who I’d meet and whether they’d like me. My nerves were assuaged when I was immediately received with a group of smiling faces – Alisa N., Jocelyn T. (a friendly face I remember from one of the group runs), Joe J., Sungwon H. (the really fast girl I’ve seen in cool Boston tights at races), Ami I. and Deb M. (another fast woman I admired and had just read about in a recent Flyers newsletter).

A group of Flyers that had flown in on another flight greeted us with more smiles, handshakes and hugs at Salt Lake City – Lisa J., Meg B., Alan G., and Jon B. – and once we made our way to grab lunch at In-N- Out Burger, home of my favorite burgers and fries on the West Coast, I knew we’d get along just fine!

The house was immensely bigger than I could have imagined. In fact, it was the largest house I’d ever set foot in. It was high-ceilinged, equipped with a pool table, hot tub and patio that wrapped around the entire house, and, best of all, offered a magnificent view of the snow-covered Wasatch! I was fortunate to have arrived at the house with the first group of arrivals, as we immediately surveyed it and deliberated on who would sleep where. We concluded that it’d be best if the men slept in the basement on the bunk beds, singles and even on the pool table, and the women and couples shared doubles on the first and second floors.

A handful of us decided to make a quick trip to Wal-Mart for water, Gatorade and sleeping bags, and to Whole Foods for groceries afterward. However, what was supposed to be a quick stop turned into a nearly 3-hour-long excursion! Francisco R., our head chef for the weekend (and Jack-of-all-trades!), dictated what needed to be purchased for dinner, while the rest of us fetched the items as well as anything else we thought we may need in our vans (from Clif bars to bananas to 5-Hour Energy drinks).

Francisco nearly single-handedly prepared a delicious dinner that comprised of salad, garlic bread, sautéed shrimp, chicken in tomato sauce and pasta. He responded that he didn’t need help when a few people offered it, silently prepping the ingredients on his own, until Sungwon insisted on helping and jumped in as his sous chef! We gobbled down the food, and paired it with the excellent wines that a few people had picked up on a liquor run.

What followed after dinner was like nothing I’d ever experienced. Perhaps it was because it was the first time I’d received a name other than the one my parents chose for me when I was born (I have no middle name), and perhaps I could better relate if I were baptized (I was raised Buddhist). Veteran Ragnar relayers sat at the front of the room, facing the rest of us, as Alan, a Co-Captain and fellow veteran, called each novice relayer to stand, and provided them with a Norse name and the name’s meaning. Each novice was, then, anointed by each veteran with beer, and received their very own special Viking singlet with their new name printed on the back. After the naming ceremony, each person was handed a Viking hat, and selected a Viking skirt or dress of their liking, which were designed and hand sewn by Ami. Each person also had an opportunity to test out the exquisite Viking hand-puppet dragons made by Lisa!

I was delighted to have met a great group of people and excited about the relay but unsure of what to expect as we packed our four vans with heaps of running clothes, sleeping bags and food to last us for over 24 hours, decorated each van with terms such as “The Flying Vikings” or “The Viking Flyers,” Viking-related drawings and our Norse names, and made our way to check in our two teams.

Highlights of My Race Experience

• Honey Buckets! The cleanest, most fragrant port-a-potties I’ve ever used, they quickly became a favorite destination. Eating around the clock seemed to do something crazy to our systems, and it didn’t take long before we were comparing the number of times we were paying visits to the Honey Buckets during the relay. I, myself, realized that I had to go badly less than a mile into leg 2, and ran all the way to a Honey Bucket, bypassing most of my teammates’ high-fives.

• Snow! Ragnar Relay had to hire snowplows to remove the remaining 8 feet of snow off of the road leading into Wasatch Mountain State park so that the runners could pass. It was beautiful to see the spring aspens with their lime green leaves against the white snow and blue sky.

• Camaraderie! We huddled together outside in the frigid cold in the middle of the night as we waited for incoming teammates at exchanges, provided our runners with water and fuel every 5 minutes if it was a particularly challenging leg, and waited for teammates by the Honey Buckets with coffee in hand on early morning runs. We shared sleeping bags, PB&J sandwiches and Body Glide. We cried, hollered and laughed together. The best part of the entire experience was undeniably the friendships we built and strengthened.

Clipboards and Checklists (By Odin)

As one of the organizers of the event, the first highlight for me is kind of broad and all encompassing. It occurred on Thursday, June 16th throughout the day. It started on 81st and West End Avenue when Lisa (Lofn) picked up Meg (Gna) and me (Odin) in a private car service and we made our way to our 7:10 a.m. flight out of Newark Airport. This highlight continued with my receiving texts from Ami (Frigga) and Sungwon (Freya) that their "parallel" flight out of JFK at 7:00 had arrived and the exclamation point on this was spotting the lot of them (Frigga, Alisa (Sif), Deb (Vor), Freya, Joe (Tyr), Stephanie (Sjofn) and Jocelyn (Nerthus) in the terminal by the baggage claim area. This highlight continued as we hit the Avis area and discovered Francisco (Vidar) waiting for us.

At that point, given that we still had others arriving a bit later, we got directions to....In and Out Burger in Salt Lake...and the highlight continued with a 4 x 4, animal fries and a vanilla shake...

The first highlight resumed at the Avis counter with the discovery of Charlotte (Huldra), who had previously been scoping out the great State of Utah for 10 days and Dana (Nanna), who overcame the Viking flu to join us in Wasatch country...seeing Nanna there was a particular highlight as it meant so much to all of us that she made the effort to fight through her malaise to be there...it was a Viking family defining moment for big daddy Odin...;-).

Not long after, the start of the adventure continued with the arrival of Heather (Gefjon), Glen (Heimdol) and Eric (Aegir). In the course of things, Jon (Loki) swung by in his Uncle Willy's car to pick up Nerthus for lunch. About that time, we learned that Ray (Frey) had missed his NY flight to SLC, but we heard that he'd connected with a flight to Minnesota and was then onboard to a mini-SLC flight to arrive at 4 p.m. So, we got Avis Viking ships rented by Sif, Heimdol and myself and off that crew (with Vidar, my co-pilot, taking our van) went to do some shopping and go to our house at the top of Iron Mountain. Adam (Noorns) had arrived from Northern California and immediately established his Viking creds with Magellan GPSs for each van and by sticking around to wait for Frey, Leslie (Eir) and Willy (Mani) to complete the arrivals. The highlight was completed once everyone was safely accounted for and at the Viking Mansion on the Mountain.

The next highlight was seeing and being amongst everyone and feeling the excitement as the Ragnar NY Vikings led a baptismal ceremony anointing our new brother and sister Vikings into the fold. Folks put on the Vikingwear so generously created by Frigga with really cool fabric provided by Gefjon. Some wore the dragon handpuppets creatively fashioned by Lofn. Almost all drank beer while watching their fellow Vikings baptized by Frey and Sif with, what else, beer! The Viking family grew exponentially and the bonds forming were palpable....

My last favorite memory encompasses a few high points from the race. While I cannot mention all of them, I also cannot just pinpoint just one. The first high point has to do with Freya and Tyr...this Viking couple has it going on and their love and concern for each other, expressed in various ways, was a heartwarming respite from our adrenaline-fueled pillaging of small Utah communities. As Tyr at first had issues acclimating to the altitude, Freya kept an eagle eye on him...added to this highlight was Tyr's inner strength in figuring out how to cope and then banging out his best run over the hardest leg, 7.7 miles of rolling, climbing hills and nailing 23 road kills. His better half, Freya, turned an ankle while running a blistering sub-8 pace in the dark. She willed herself to run, taped up, during her last leg, as Tyr made sure she was really ok to give it a go and she, the Road Kill Queen of The Viking Flyers, flattened numerous additional RKs in running just over an 8 minute pace on a balky wheel (though you'd a never known it from watching her).

The second high point was Vor's incredible consistency. It didn't matter if it was the heat of day or the dark chill of night, this Viking Queen is relentless...she started this race for us and set the tone for our van with steadiness from uphills to flats to downhills. For me, this peaked during her 8+ mile downhill run from Snowbasin Ski Resort...when she finished, she was extra excited, exclaiming to us "I ran through snow up at the top of the leg!!!"...Vor's enthusiasm and refusal to be slowed down revealed her physical and mental strength as an athlete...it left me all the more impressed than I already had been.

And the last, but not least, part of this highlight is my son, Vidar, our new Viking, yet veteran of many battles. Vidar tackled the swirling dustbowl uphill of Avon Pass. He ran 7.4 miles up a ridiculously steep incline that was all dirt....team's vans had to pass him, kicking up dirt and leaving him with the Avon Hack, a cough that I understand well from running down the backside of the Pass on the next leg. This was coupled with the fact that Vidar was suffering from some Achilles tendonitis that flared during a recent race in Espana. Yet, this did not stop him from passing many folks along Avon Pass and literally leaving them in the dust! For the rest of the race, Vidar had a noticeable limp when he was not running, but would not sit one out. He insisted on taking his legs and getting them done, and that he did...not to mention that he knocked off numerous road kills of his own on each leg. Vidar seemed to have the answer or extra item to solve many of our issues...he was a priceless member of our Viking ship.

And that was the true highlight of this adventure, I would say, from Viking ship to ship...there was a sense of responsibility to one another, a team spirit, a true spirit of family. It was an honor to share the experience with everyone there...Skol!!!

We Do It Better When We Do It Together (by Lofn)

The 12th leg was tough, but the ending surreal. It ended on top of a mountain at a ski lodge just outside Salt Lake City. It was dark out and all my teammates were there waiting for me and cheering me on when I arrived to hand off the baton to Deb M.

I lucked out because I got to run the last leg of the roughly 200 mile relay. During the last quarter mile leading up to the finish at a football stadium, I could hear the crowds screaming! As I approached the stadium track, my team jumped in to cross the finish line with me. Simply awesome!

Finally, there’s nothing like an old school "heart of America" pancake breakfast.

Howling at the Moon (by Vor)

My first reaction: Utah is breathtaking. Do we have to run this relay? So I was given the honor of leg #1. It was exciting to start for the team although felt I had to set the pace. After throwing my Viking hat to the crowd, I was off. The high altitude then the hills literally took my breath away. I would gaze at the beautiful landscape and focus.

A Picture's Worth 1,000 Words (or More!)

My second leg came up quickly, #4 the extra leg I was taking for the team. I still struggled with the altitude but was adjusting. By leg #13, my night leg at about 10pm, I got into a rhythm and comfortable stride. It didn't hurt that 6 of the 8 miles were a major descent. But it started with a steady climb up the mountain at Snow Basin Resort through 3 inches of snow (very cool!) until heading out onto the road for my steady decline. With my headlamp tightly on my head, flashlight in one hand and water in the other (it was a no-support leg!), I looked up to see a full moon and stars shining bright. Exhilarating. Only one more leg to go in the morning...

I have to say one of the highlights were the Honey Buckets! This is UT's version of our Porta-Potty. I was amazed how fresh and clean they kept them. It was actually a pleasure to visit. Every time Joe was missing we knew where he was : ) NYRR take note!

Honey Buckets bring smiles to Vor, Vidar Freya and Odin :)

Lastly and most importantly, I was so impressed by how everyone really pulled together as a team despite illnesses and injuries. Not only were we down 3 people to start with, leading to many people picking up extra legs, but my van alone had many injuries during the course of the relay and still carried on strong. Through altitude sickness, sprained ankle and other ailments we still managed to persevere! And achieve a total of 132 roadkill I might add. Truly, teamwork at its best. This is my third relay and you really do see everyone, friends or new acquaintances, work together in a unique team bonding experience. Also a special shout out to our captains who successfully managed 21 people through leaks, flats, and 192 miles of fun and at times, pain and anguish.

Oh and by the way – Wal-Mart ROCKS! Not only were we able to get all of our food and beverages there at a low-low price, but I also got myself a souvenir - a $9.99 sleeping bag. Well worth the 2 hours of sleep.

Mountain Man (by Heimdol)

The Ragnar Relay started in 2004, and Leg 34 (otherwise known as the “Ragnar” leg) is its signature leg.  This leg, like the race, is named after a man who is endowed with great courage and strength. A road sign at the bottom says it all “Rough Steep Winding Road.” The leg begins at 7,233 feet and climbs.

ANOTHER 1,711 feet to Guardsman Pass. This is a brutal but gorgeous four mile run, over a dirt and paved road connecting the Heber Valley to Park City. According to some website accounts, it is an 18% grade. This was my third leg and occurred about 20 hours into the race. By this point, I was tired and hungry and couldn’t wait to finish. This snow covered mountain was all the separated me and the rest of my team from the finish line in Park City.

As I climbed (notice I didn’t use the word run) the crystal clear mountain air got thinner and colder. It was hard to decipher which hurt more – my burning legs or my lungs which were struggling to process as much oxygen as possible. When I reached the top, I was greeted with awesome white birch trees, spectacular views, and three foot snow mounds on the side of the road. On the other side of the mountain was the Heavenly Valley Ski Resort and all its trails. Indeed, I had climbed a mountain.

Forging New Friendships (by Mani)

It was a great experience relay-running 192 miles through the back country of Utah on the east side of the Wasatch mountains.

The best part was the team – a 12-person relay and all the runners were from the New York Flyers running club from NYC. Jon B., my nephew, invited me to join in (a big thanks to Jon!). It was a great team and all strong runners.

I was in Van 1 of Team 1 and we finished in 27 hours 53 min. Leslie L. ran along with me on my first leg (back to back with his first leg) and then I ran my next two legs Friday night and Saturday morning.

There is nothing like running at 1:00 a.m. under a full moon through the Ogden Valley while listening to Les Mis on my iPod. Sucking Marrow defined!

As a van we had 180 “road kills," 1 flat tire, too many Clif bars, not enough water, no drama and a ton of fun!

Thanks, Team.

From Heaven to Hell and Back Out the Other Side (by Gefjon)

Midday Thursday: GRACEFUL GREETING

My first glimpse of the majestic snow-capped mountains surrounding the city of Salt Lake arrested me in a gaped-mouth sort of way. Throughout the drive to Park City and wherever I turned throughout the trip, I would face these awesome white tipped mounds and marvel at the natural beauty of this marvelous state.

8:00 pm-ish Friday evening: HELL

At my first chance of the day to get to run, clad in a silly Viking hat and unlit headlamp (as yet unneeded), I charged forth along the flat terrain for a short time. A very short time. The charging came to an abrupt and startling lumber as I began my 3.2 mile ascent up a very steep incline with a 986' elevation gain. Besides this tough climb up Trapper's Loop, I realized I was not yet acclimated to the thinness of the air at just under 6000 feet. Leg 11 was billed as "Very Hard", but I think we all agreed that Ragnar Wasatch under estimated the leg descriptions. This was "VERY F--ing HARD!" It also allowed partial to no van support, which was actually a good thing as I really didn't want to see anyone during my climbing misery! (Although I won't lie, it WAS great to hear the honks of Van 1 quickly riding by). This was by far my worst 5K ever and I felt like I let the team down because I had to walk at times and lost some of the gains we had made with the earlier legs. Sobering and humbling for sure, but at least I was finally moving after a full day of waiting for our (Van 2's) race to begin!

3:00 am Saturday morning, cold and dark: VAN CAMPING

Reclined minivan seats, 4 covered shivering bodies in various states of repose, none of them deep. One camper outside in the cold. Elbow to van-elbow in a jam-packed parking lot, hundreds of tired runners attempted vehicular sleep under a star filled night sky, dimmed parking lights and nary a Honey Bucket in sight. We had about 45 minutes before we were due at the next exchange to meet Van 1 and start our new set of legs... So this is what relay running is all about!

5:50 am Saturday morning - GOOD MORNING UTAH!

Now came crisp, cool dawn redemption! My next leg, #23, was by far, my favorite. Up and running even before the fishermen cast their lines, I was zipping along at a brisk pace on a delightful expanse of road. With a wide lake stretching along the left, my right side was flanked by small mountains covered with wildflowers and live horses. I picked up the pace, happy that my body felt strong, and I started to pick off some road kill. I earned 15 and with each passing "kill," I gained energy and confidence. This 5.5 mile leg was billed (thankfully) as "Moderate" and also had no van support. I didn't need any and was grateful for the tranquility and silence of the road. I ran and watched the fishermen as they drove up and approached beautiful Rockport Lake. They had their mission and I had mine. Two fast guys passed me early on, so net gain road kill was lucky 13! My much improved pace was just over 8 minutes. I was stoked! It was so much more satisfying this time to have made a stronger contribution to my fellow Flying Viking mates.

2:00 pm-ish Saturday afternoon: BIRCHES

Excited to begin my 3rd and last run of Ragnar Wasatch, #35, billed as a "Very Hard" and non-van supported leg which began at the top of Wasatch Mountain State Park. Before I started, we drove the long slow steep climb up this crazy ass mountain (which Glen ran!) and with each rising foot in elevation, the scenery became more poetic. The snow deepened and grew tall around us as we drove to the 8898' summit. The tall white birch trees competed with, yet dominated the not-quite pristine snow drifts with their outrageous grace. Adrenaline and heart rates slowed amidst their beauty. Even Robert Frost would have been inspired in the presence of these birch trees, as was each one of us. So it was at this juncture that I completely switched gears - donned my camouflage hat, rock-filled iPod and tore down the severe downhill of my 7.3 mile leg into Deer Valley. Earning 17 road kill and discovering that I can actually fly downhill much better than I can climb, I raced to the transition to hand off the relay bracelet to the awaiting Stephanie who would bring us all home in the final leg.

Sunday postlude: TEAMWORK

Tire changing, brewery celebrating, picture taking and relaxed traveling made up the rest of our time in Utah. All throughout I could see us coming together to support and cheer each other in our race efforts, but when crisis struck in the form of sagging ceiling leaks, last minute change in accommodations, and a flat tire just before our rental contract was about to expire, that's when I saw the team really pull together. I’m grateful to have been part of the journey with this great group of people.

Blogged by: Stephanie L, Alan G, Lisa J, Deb M, Glen W, Will D, Heather M (and compiled by Dana M)

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