Wasatch Back 2010

Call us crazy but we did it again! Team Rustee-Joints took 12 people, 2 SUVs, lots of water and ibuprofen and ran 188.2 miles in 2 days. I had the first leg this year so I was in Van 1 with Lori, Brad, Tiffany, Jack and Paula. A little intimidated at the start because everyone else looked like serious runners. I, on the other hand, had been sick from mid-April till the week before Sloane was born so needless to say my training regimen was less than appropriate to get me through two 8 mile runs and one 5 miler. Ouch. 21.3 miles in 24 hours! We started at 9am in Logan with Sione from the Biggest Loser counting us down (not gonna lie, that was kind of cool!). The weather was gorgeous, the runs were challenging and our van was hysterical. Brad was up to his usual antics - Lori talking to him about directions and instead of answering he says "hey, do you think those are pelicans? No (keeps talking)." So the joke for the next two days was that any time Brad had ADD, ignored Lori or was power-talking we would all yell "PELICANS." The things you do to amuse yourself! Brad also had a half-open GU in his pocket that ended up leaving a suspicious and sticky stain on his thigh. Brad quote: Oh man! I gu'd in my pants. Classic!

Our favorite team of the race this year was the "butts." Their van said "doe this race make my butt look big?" I actually heard one of them say "hey, you have a dent in your butt" to her teammate. I was like, huh, at my house we call that cellulite! We missed the Xenas and the Piggy Girls but people were fun and very nice as always. The Backcountry.com team outdid themselves running with their props in the heat.

Jack and Paula - the newbies to our group - had a couple of grueling runs over Avon Pass. Paula's downhill was so dusty that this is the only picture where you can see her through the dirt. What a trooper (and so glad I didn't take that leg!). Brad's last run was a doozie up the south end of Jordanelle in the heat. He actually had salt stains on his shirt from sweating so much! My last 2 legs were non-support so no pics of the beautiful sunset run down from Snowbasin into Mountain Green but it was lovely. And let me just say - thank god for gravity!

What a great run this year! The biggest bummer was that we didn't catch up with Natalie and the Control4 team but they did have a 4 hour head start on us! We made most of the exchanges without trouble, no injuries, no puking, and got to run across the finish line at The Canyons in Park City 33 hours after we started in hot pink striped tights and furry hats (don't ask!). Can't wait for next year!