Wow what a weekend! I have no idea how to start writing this so that I can capture all of the excitement and amazingness of the weekend. It all seems like a blur. It’s a little long-So here goes….
Our team, Moms Do It All Night Long, headed to Boston last Thursday to take on our 2nd Ragnar Relay race. We did our first race in DC last September. Obviously, there are lots of logistics to work out for 12 moms to pack up and leave their kiddos for 3 days! We managed to figure that all out and head out for our Mother’s Day Weekend Adventure.
Okay so we don’t get out much! We had a fun night out to dinner in Boston’s Little Italy and stuffed our faces with yummy pasta.
Then it was off to decorate our vans…
It is tradition to decorate your vans with your team members names and pictures as well as funny sayings. Every time a runner completed a leg of their run, they checked off their run next to their name. It’s also a tradition to slap a magnet on every van that you pass. Lots of runners keep track of their “kills” (how many runners you pass on your actual run). All of these traditions make the whole experience so much more fun and interactive. We kind sneaked around at the exchange points and put magnets on all the other vans.
Time to get started! Both vans met up at the start line in Hull, MA about 40 min from Boston. We had a quick safety briefing and met up with Erika (MCMmama) our last team member. I was runner #1 and ready to lead us off.
Even though it was 6 am, the start was full of excitement and fan fare. With a wave start every 15 minutes, it was not too crowded. I was really nervous at the start because honestly I just wasn’t sure how my foot would hold up. My training leading up to the race was less than desired to say the least. My PF kept me running only one 6 mile run and a few shorter runs. I am thrilled to say that my foot held up pretty well and I was able to settle into my run and stay right on my expected pace.
And we were off. Van 1 (my van) would be leapfrogging me to get to the first exchange point for the 2nd runner to go off. Van 2 would now have a few hours off before they would need to meet up with us.
It is kind of odd having no idea where you are going. I simply followed the signs telling me where to turn and hoped that I wouldn’t get lost. It was pretty easy with the first run because so many people started at once and I just followed them.
We met up with Van 2 and handed off to them in the mid afternoon. We had a few hours break to grab some lunch. Dunkin Donuts is huge up around Boston and seriously there was one of every block. We kept stopping to use their bathrooms and I started drinking lattes at every stop. Well turns out I drank 8 lattes in 40 hours! This is not a strategy I would recommend. I may need some sort of rehab program LOl. Caffeine withdrawl.
My second run was around 6:30 pm on Friday and I had a beautiful run around a reservoir. It was a little tougher the second time and I was certainly dragging a little. Got a second wind around mile 3 and finished up the 5.3 miles just as it was getting dark. Always happy to see this sign.
After the rest of van 1 did their legs, we headed to the next exchange point to wait for van 2 to hand off to us again. One of the local high schools opened up to allow us to rest in their gym. People were spread out in their sleeping bags trying to catch a few hours of rest. I was so wired and couldn’t sleep. I knew I would be running again in 2 hours and was very antsy. It was quite the scene.
2:30 am was the time for my last leg. This was my shortest run only 3.5 miles but it was pitch blackout and I was terrified. I have only run at night one time before (at my last Ragnar) and it was much more of a lit up area. My run was on a bike path that had no lights except for the ones we were carrying.
The wind picked up and I could hear leaves rustling behind me and kept thinking it was an animal or a crazy person. I didn’t see too many other runners out there and I just wanted to be done. And I was! Followed by the best pizza ever at 3:00 am.
Impromptu massage therapy on the side of the road
The rest of my van ran their last legs through the wee hours of the morning. We finally made it to the finish line area to wait for van 2 to run their last 6 legs. We even had time to have a nice breakfast finally! We don’t look too shabby for 36 hours of no sleep!
We had a few hours to kill while we waited for our friends then finally-the Finish Line around 12:30 pm.
Big huge thanks to my friends at Skirt Sports who hooked us up with these great capri pants. More on that tomorrow and a Skirt Sports giveaway.
We all got one of these cool medals and when you put them all together like a puzzle they form a cool message. Love this!
Thanks for hanging in there for this long post! I could go on and on about the funny stories, sleep deprived sayings, crazy outfits, coffee, songs we sang and the unforgettable memories we made. I had such an amazing time and I can’t wait to do another. After I get some sleep of course!
Linking up with Erika, Patty and April
I love the medals! Congrats on an awesome event. I really want to do another Ragnar sometime. And 8 lattes in 40 hours, lol! Hope you’re recovering okay 🙂
I don’t recommend that strategy!
This gets me so excited for my race, even if I don’t get to run the whole thing–I’m just excited about being there and being a part of it! Congrats!
It’s so much fun and really hard to write about because there is just so much. Can’t wait to do another.
Yay! So much awesomeness packed into one post — and one weekend! I love that it was a Mother’s Day weekend. Glad your foot held up!
Thanks! I know I feel like I left out so much too!
Ahhh how fun!!! LOVE your team name, your van magnets and all the coordination! You guys look like you really had a blast! Can’t believe you drank so many lattes…we may need to start checking out some programs for you 😛
I know seriously! Was a blast 🙂
Oh wow!!!! What a race!!! I can’t even fathom staying up that long and running! It looks like a blast though.
I ordered those capri’s from my contest win and just got them! I feel like part of the team :-)haha!
Definitely a virtual member!
Looks like a really fun time! I’m so glad your foot behaved!
fingers crossed it stays ok!
Looks like so much fun! I hadn’t even heard of Ragnar races until last year.
They have become quite popular. Really an amazing experience.
Ragnar sounds like such a great bonding experience! What a great way for you ladies to be able to enjoy Mother’s Day weekend!
Such a blast! You should try one sometime
It was so fun to be apart of this with you!!!
Ditto! Just wish we were able to spend more time with van 2.
I hope you’ll do another post detailing the shenanigans that went on between runs. I’m sure it was a blast spending time with all the ladies. I adore the puzzle medals.
We did have some crazy things happen. I wasn’t sure how much other people would be interested in.
i laughed out loud when i read 8 lattes in 40 hours. hilarious! so glad you had an amazing time!!!
So not a strategy I would suggest! The next day was brutal. I may need rehab 🙂
What a great recap of Ragnar Cape Cod, Deb! It really was an experience I will never forget. Can’t wait for the next time we can “do it all night long!”
Me too! I had a blast with you all. Still feel like I couldn’t get it all into the post.
Great post! I’ve always wanted to try a Ragnar and you make it seem so much fun. There’s also a ton of DD here in Pittsburgh (3 in our tiny downtown alone!) and I don’t blame you for loading up on lattes. Good thing that didn’t come back to haunt you during your run! Love the recap and pictures 🙂
Thanks! They are a blast and great bonding. Hope you have the chance to do one sometime. The latte strategy is one I would not suggest 🙂 Thanks for stopping by today!
Oh goodness what a freaking blast. Exhausting, but a blast. This brings back so many memories. I swear you girls should get a best dressed award!
Well thanks! It is a blast and I can’t wait to do it again.
How about some of those funny stories, pls?
I will tell you in person! 🙂
That sounds like such a blast! I’m totally doing it one of these days. Congrats!
I hope you have the chance to. They have one in Vegas in the fall -just saying.
What a great experience. Looks like it was a wonderful time. LOVE those medals !
And I would be terrified to run in the dark. I am always afraid some crazy guy is going to jump out of the bushes !
That’s exactly what I was afraid of!!
This looks like it was such a blast! I can’t believe you had that many lattes haha! I definitely need to put one of these on my race calendar soon!
I think you would love it!
Love the medals! Looked like you had so much fun and your foot didn’t bother you. The photos were great – my fave were the jumping sleeping bags and the one of you and Erika massaging on the side of the road.
There were tons of great times for sure and my foot is doing much better thanks!
This makes me so excited for my Ragnar coming up in a month. I am not going to lie I am a little nervous for the night run. Any suggestions?
That was a little scary for me bc mine was so dark. Wear as much reflective stuff as you can. I also wore knuckle lights which helped a ton. I am excited for you too! I wish I could join in
I followed you all in Ragnar on Instagram. Loved it!! And love the friendships Ragnar makes. Thanks for sharing the rest of the journey!
So true! WE really had a blast and it was so hard to articulate into 1 post.
How fun! It sounds intense but totally worth it. The medals are so cool too 🙂
It is so worth it-truly and unforgettable experience.
Wow! This looks like tons of fun! I love the medals! You have me wanting to participate in a Ragnar event.
Oh I hope you have the chance to sometime!
What a wonderful weekend and I love all the pictures!! Yay for your foot being healed!!
Love your outfits too! The course looked so pretty (I love Cape Cod) and the best way to spend time with 12 of your closest friends 🙂
My friends and I signed up to do Ragnar Napa in October and I hope I am good to do it or otherwise I’ll just be the driver 🙂
Have a great one!
Oh Napa Ragnar is on my list for next year! I hope you get to do it. If I can get through it you can. Lots of time. Being the driver would be fun too though.
This ounces like so much fun! I can tell by the pictures and your descriptions that this was such an amazing and memorable weekend for all of you. And I love that you did it on Mother’s Day Weekend! I love all the magnets and especially love the medals. Congrats!
thanks so much! Memorable weekend indeed 🙂
How flipping fun!!! Looove the medals 🙂
It was such a great time! Hope you get to try it sometime!
Oh my gosh running that late would scare me too!! So glad you had a great group of ladies with you!!lovd the medals!!
It was a little scary! All sorts of things were racing through my head 🙂
What an amazing adventure! I so want to do one of these one day! Love the pictures and the recap and I am happy for you that the foot help up! Those medals are so cool, congrats!
I hope you have the chance to do one! There is one in the Florida Keys. Just saying
Looks like an amazing adventure! I want to do a Ragnar one day! I love the medals they are pretty awesome!
They are pretty cool. It’s an amazing experience I hope you have the opportunity to do one
Ragnar is SO SO SO much fun! And I LOVED following you and your team’s running adventures race weekend! 🙂 AND… I LOVE the medal puzzle! SO CLEVER! 🙂
Thanks It was an amazing time for sure. I miss it already
Those are awesome medals! I love that they come together. Idk…I really want to try a ragnar one day but at the same time I am a huge zombie and cranky mess when I’m tired and don’t get my sleep lol idk if I can handle 36 hours of no sleep! But it looks like a lot of fun and a once in a lifetime experience!
So some of the others def slept a little I am just not a sleeping bag type. It’s only one night really and it is so worth it.
I’ve run Ragnar DC and Florida Keys in the past year. I would love to do more in the series especially out west. This one in Cape Cod seemed pretty cool.
They are so much fun aren’t they?! I hope you and I both get to do another. I’d love to do Napa. Thanks so much for stopping by
Love it! And I totally hear you on the running with no idea where you’re going. I kept telling myself during my ragnar that it would be fine as long as no one stole the direction signs 😉
I know seriously! I kept thinking I was going to miss some of the signs and end up somewhere in the middle of nowhere. Fun times!
What a BLAST?!?! Now I have to do a Ragnar! Glad to hear you weren’t in too much pain. I’m sure all those lattes had something to do with that. Hehehe!
Thanks it was a blast and the 8 lattes….wouldn’t really suggest that strategy 🙂
What an awesome experience! Congrats again to everyoen who ran. Those medals are a clever idea :0)
Thanks! We had a blast for sure.
Looks like it was a blast! So glad your foot held up!! I really need to do one of these relays.
Thanks it is feeling much better! Yes you do need to do one 🙂
I love that you decorated the vans! I have always wanted to do that but I am afraid of the clean up lol
It was lots of fun and easy to clean off with baby wipes!
Sounds like a super fun experience!!!
Love the way the medals all fit together! And, those capris are awesome!
It is a one of a kind experience for sure!
Such a fun weekend! I can’t wait to run another one.
Me too! And so sad that I can’t do DC with you. We are going to have to do another next year.