Square peg: Stand by me...Getting it done together

Two vans, Twelve Runners, 200ish miles, just under 35 hours...Team "Will Run for Spotted Cow" does Ragnar Chicago to Madison

This is our whole crew minus team captain Lisa who was not feeling well and missed the finish meet-up

The story begins months and months ago when Fleet Feet Madison and Sun Prairie Running Team friends Christian and Amy Borchardt invited us to join their team for the Ragnar Relay in May. Because they had switched the traditional direction of this race to run from Chicago to Madison rather than the other way (which meant going home to sleep after) and we had been contemplating doing one of these some day, we were not too difficult to convince.

There were a few bumps in the road as we struggled to figure out who was running what distances (I was struggling and needed fairly low distance...and to know so I could train), which van, and other logistics. But we hung in, and concentrated on what might be fun about it.

A few months before the race, I decided I needed to have a themed skirt for the race, and we had option to have running shirts made. Since I was making skirts anyway, I offered them to the team and 6 of us opted to have them...as you will see in the photos.

In the few weeks leading up to the race, we all met, we passed ideas and lists and planning documents back and forth...and of course I sewed skirts.

The night before the race began the team delivered the van to Glenda and I for decoration (which we had been elected to do) made our plans for the morning...and as the saying goes "sh*t got real."

Windows with obligatory cow puns....

Drawing cows....

And my finishing touch...

We had planned a meeting time that seemed awfully early to meet up to drive to Waukegan, IL where we would check in and meet up with Van 1 as they finished the first set of running legs. Everyone was arriving and we were beginning to load when one team member realized she had forgotten her shoes and had to run home and get them...turns out something similar happened last year and that's why the extra time had been built in.

All 6 of us (Christian, Amy, Glenda, Mary, Vanessa and I) plus a "hitchhiker" by the name of Doreen, who was on another team but needed a ride to meet up with her group

loaded up in good time and headed down the road. We had all met each other before, except for Doreen, but we were not necessarily close friends, so we spent the ride down telling race stories, showing pictures and getting to know each other better. And getting to know Doreen (new friend, score!)

Van 2 crew. Amy, Vanessa, me, Glenda, Christian and Mary

We arrived in plenty of time to sign in and shop for a while in the gear store (and ending up with some new singlets). I wanted a Ragnar finisher's shirt...but refused to buy it, as we had not finished. I only had to hope there would be some at the finish. Then we watched and waited for Van 1 and their runners to arrive. Although I was nervous about the whole thing, I decided to put myself in the mindset of "this will be fun" and wore my delusionally optimistic running shirt.

We also learned our team's hand-off ritual demonstrated by Amy and Mary below

Fist bump.....

.....and chug

In due time we met up with Van 1, and after a little time chatting and waiting. Lisa arrived at the handoff, slapped the slap bracelet on Christian's wrist and he was off. The rest of us ran for the van to go to the next transfer point, as I prepared for my first leg.

Pulling out of the parking lot with Mary driving was an adventure in itself. Everyone in a party/race mood milling around and a big vehicle to maneuver. We managed to direct our driver to back out and we all piled in. But people were still milling...so mild-mannered Mary rolled down her window and started shouting "Rental vehicle coming through! Fully insured! Watch out, fully insured rental vehicle coming through!" while the rest of us cracked up.

We made it to the hand off in Zion, IL in plenty of time and I had an excellent run along the bike path there. Glenda met me about a little under a mile out and run with me for a little while and cut off as I did the last bit to get ready for her handoff. I requested a banana and a diet pepsi at the end...which becomes important later.

Coming in to hand off to Glenda

Glenda handed off to Vanessa, Vanessa to Mary, Mary to Amy...and we came back to Van 1 and proceeded to dinner at Noodles to carb up, a stop at Starbucks to load up on caffeine as we would be running all night and the next van switch point.

Vanessa looking strong

Mary on the run as seen through the van window

Amy on the run...check out the unicorn shot (both feet off the ground)

When we arrived at the next major exchange there was still time to wait for our other van. And there was some concern that they would hold some groups before sending them on. This is sometimes logistically necessary to avoid crowding at exchange points ahead and assure there are enough volunteers etc. At this point it was past our bedtime, we were tired from being in the van, and we were just waiting around. We knew we would have a bed for a few hours after our van's next leg...but the gym floor looked awfully inviting to stretch out. So 3 of us snoozed in the van and three hit the gym floor.

Gym floor selfie

By the time our "restful" time on the gym floor was over it was getting dark and had begun to rain...a chilly drizzle. The rain lasted most of the night and added some further challenges. Once Christian took over from the Lisa, who was Van 1's last runner. We headed to the next exchange and Glenda and I got ready to run. Glenda ran my leg as a "buddy" as I have a penchant for getting lost and she worried about me alone in the dark. I certainly did not turn down her offer. When poor Chris came in he had been forced to remove hearing aids due to rain, and couldn't see for the rain on his glasses...so it took us a moment to connect.

Cold, rainy hand off...

But once we did connect Glenda and I were off for a cold, rainy and somewhat crowded 3.9 miles. I had to take off my glasses part way through because they were fogged. But fortunately I can see well enough to get by on the run, and the person I was handing off to was running beside me.

At the very end of the segment I had to laugh as a woman, roughly my pace, and clearly struggling a bit passed me and said, "I hope you don't mind, but if I pass you I can record a 'kill' on our van...and I don't ever get any." I just laughed and told her to go for it. (For the uninitiated, a 'kill' is when you pass someone and some vans keep count. We did not.)

When we came to the next exchange I handed off to Glenda, who was off like a shot. And was met by my team with diet pepsi and banana in hand...loved that!

I was glad to get back to the van, I was cold and wet...and stayed pretty cold for the rest of our van's segments. There aren't many pictures of the night runs because it was cold and rainy. And I spent a lot of time in the van.

About 3 a.m. we arrived at our motel. The first van had the rooms for a few hours, and then we had them for a few hour while they ran. The bed, the shower and the breakfast were all heaven and we got a badly needed 3 hours of sleep.

Then on to Lake Mills for the final switch.

Weather was better for Christian's last run

To be honest, I was not at all sure that I was going to be able to do my last leg. But my team assured me that we were ahead of schedule, I could walk the whole thing if I wanted or needed to. I did not want to do that, but I had the option in my back pocket.

The Will Run for Spotted Cow handoff salute

My last leg was slow and included plenty of walking (as well as cheers from another team whose members we knew pretty well...thanks Ho Hos and Ding Dongs...you know who you are). By the end it was getting warm and I was ready to be done. Coming to the last turn I had determined to try to pick it up at the end, just to get it over. But what I found there made me run even faster.

As it happens, the team planned to meet me with a banana and a diet pepsi as before, but discovered that there was no diet pepsi in the cooler! They saw a Mobile station nearby and decided to buy one...but when they went in, found that they did not have any singles...so they bought an entire 12-pack of cold (wonderful!) diet pepsi. And there was Christian behind Glenda holding it high in the air.

Christian holding up diet pepsi and banana

Me coming in...I may have yelled "I love you Chris!:)

Glenda hit the road

I checked off my final segment

My last run had been in fairly familiar territory, as it was mostly on a piece of the Glacial Drumlin Trail that I had biked before. It was exhilarating knowing we were getting close to "home."

Speaking of home, the route passed very near ours. We took the opportunity to pick up our own car. We wanted to have it at the finish for a variety of reasons, not the least of which was that we did not want to make anyone else leave the party early...but thought for family and personal reasons we might need to take off before others finished their partying.

From there we drove down and parked at the finish in Olin Park and located the rest of the team. When Amy texted she was a mile out all of us went down and waited just off the path at intervals. We chose to be right before the finish chute. As Amy passed each of us we fell in behind so that we could finish the relay together.

Amy running in, with Christian at her side and other teammates falling in behind

Then we received our medals, had pizza and beer or soda, chatted awhile (and got finisher's shirts....they still had them!) Our time for covering the 200-ish miles (I heard it was actually about 189) was 34:24:19...full of epic adventures.

The medals, when pieced together, sum it all up nicely....