Wild West Relay Info + An Easy (Non-morning) Run + 100 Posts

The countdown is on:  1 1/2 days until I leave for Colorado for the Wild West Relay.  A lot of my sweet teammates have already done a "preview" of the race.  But I realized you might not read their blogs.  P.S.  If you don't read 'em, you probably should.  Consider yourself warned.  Whoa, that came off much more threatening than I anticipated.  :)

Here is the race rundown (previously provided by the awesome Kristin at ChasRunner):

• 200 miles, 24 hours
  
• 12 runners per team
  
• 36 legs total
  
• 3 legs per runner
  
• From Fort Collins, CO to Steamboat Springs, CO
  
• 2 SUV's packed with granola bars, peanut butter, stinky people & Gatorade
  
• Lots 'o hills
  
• Lots 'o elevation
  
• Really, really challenging terrain but it promises to pretty amazing
  

Our team is the Dangerous Dozen!! To prove how dangerous we are, I will be running with nunchucks on my first leg, a samari sword on my second leg, and brass knuckles on my third.  B.A. Fo Sho.

• Amanda from Run to the Finish
  
• Melissa from Trying to Heal
  
• Bobbi from NHerShoes
  
• Shannon from Shannon's Scene: Take Two 
  
• Alesha 
  
• Cynthia from Amber 
  
• Julie from Jules Jabber
  
• Jennifer 
  
• Moore
  
• Dionne 
  
• Kristin from ChasRunner (my personal recruiter for the relay)
  
• and Moi.

To be honest, this relay could very well hand my @$$ to me on a silver platter, but I think it's going to be a blast and a half.  My legs....(of the relay, not my stems) are frightening.

Leg 1:  7.3 Miles.  Moderate.  This will probably be my easiest leg, I'm guessing.  As it's at the lowest altitude of the three, and has the most gradual incline.  To add injury to insult, however, I will be running this leg at approximately noon on Friday.  Friday it's supposed to be about 96* F.  Uff da.

Leg #2:  7.2 Miles.  Also Moderate.  By my approximation, this one will be

 starting roughly around midnight.  It's supposed to be around 35*F at this point.  This is the leg that I get to cross Wyoming off my "States Raced In" List.  Also, my dad told me to wear bells on my shoes to ward off the bears.....  He was serious.....

Leg #3.  4.2 Miles.  Moderate.  This leg should be the easiest.  But it probably won't be.  The elevation is painful to even think about at this point, and my legs will be PISSED at having already ran 14.5 miles in a 12 hour time frame.  I think I can convince them to persevere if I promise 

them liquid libations once they're done.  If not, I will use my brass knuckles to slow down the competition.  Either way.....

I tried to start packing tonight, and it was a mess and a 1/2.  I have WAY too much crap to bring for a running trip.  Tomorrow I'm only working a 1/2 day, so I'll finish up then and clean my apartment.  OR I'll just go to the waterpark, and say to hell with cleaning.  I wonder which way I'll go....

Tonight I had an easy 6 miler on the schedule.  I was almost spot on with my pace of 9:40 that I was supposed to achieve.  I did the 6 miles in 57:21 for an avg. pace of 9:33.  There were at least 9 million bikers out so it was a good night to people watch.  Plus, I didn't have to wake up early for the run.  Double bonus.  :)  Taylor left for WEFest this afternoon, so I figured I'd just run after work.  Luckily for me it was a beautiful 72 degrees after work with almost no humidity.  

1.  9:13

2.  9:37

3.  9:37

4.  9:45

5.  9:39

6.  9:28

Post-run I actually got in some sit-ups and push-ups that I've been severely neglecting.  I did 3 x 15 push-ups (that's a struggle for me, FYI, so I'm pretty proud).  

BTW, it's my 100th post.  In honor of this momentous occasion, I'm giving all of my followers a new car.  Wait...what?  Did I just say new car?  I meant a new post:  this one.  Thanks for following along thus far, I promise there are more adventures just ahead.  Like the knife shanking that will occur at some point of the relay.  Can't wait.

Note to the WWR RD in case he should accidentally stumble upon my lowly little blog:  I will not be strapping or packing or literally be bringing weapons of mass and/or small scale destruction on the trip.  You should see my suitcase.  It's packed to the brim.  Simply no room.  Perhaps next year.