The view from van A.

Where do I start? Reading Jeanines Van B blog brought it all back and made me laugh and cry.
As she said we arrived in Georgetown to rain and lots of it.I was getting so nervous and excited all at the same time.We were finally here after almost a year of planning and training and rebuilding our team.(We were stronger for it.)We were here and wet!!!!!Lisa took off like a champ in the pack all bundeled up from the cold.
We ran back to our cars and headed out.No Starbucks for us it was time to head up the mountain to my first exchange.We passes lisa running a set of very steep switch backs and going strong.As we progressed up the road we relized how hard her run would be.Gunalla pass road was reopened for the race.It had been closed for construction and it was a little scary.There were rocks from small slides all over the road and we had to drive around them.Small shoulders because of the construction areas and it had started to snow.
Lisa came in at the front of the pack 3rd or 4th to hand off.I headed out on a flatter section of my leg but the snow was piling up and makeing it hard to stay on the shoulders. As I started my climb up to my 10'000 Plus foot hand off I was getting wetter and colder and had many thoughts of how did I get here.My feet were wet from the start and at times you had no choice but to step right in the slushy water.I tried to put my mind on anything but my run.I though of Kristy and why we really were there.Then I looked at the land scape and wow!!!!! What a beatuful view of the RockyMountains and the trees covered in fresh snow.
Finally there was Victoria waiting for the hand off and Rodney waitng to get me warm. We headed up up up to the top of Guannela pass for the 3rd hand off and as we climbed we relized how hard of a run she was in for and we got worried. There was 3-4 inches of snow at the top and it was coming down fast. There were so many cars parked at the top on snowy slippery roads we almost got stuck. Victoria finished like a champ in no time. She stood at the top of the pass in the snow streatched out her arms and yelled take a picture my husband has got to see this.The photo is incredible I will see if Janine can upload it.
And Wendy was off for a long long decent.She took off fast in the snow on a steep decent.As we headed down the other side of guanella toward 285 the weather got better less and less snow the farther down we went.Still raining and cold but beautiful.We waited at the exchange point for a while.(Wendy had 8 miles) We got Yvonne prepaired to go. Our port-o-pottie visit #1.YUCK!
Now anyone that kinows Yvonne knows that one of her concerns was the wildlife in the mountains. Mountain lions,Bears ect.... We all had some fears on this subject but Yvonne is so much more vocal on this and as a result easy pickins. But as we were waiting for Wendy to make her way down we noticed these HUGE cows in the field right next to the trail head where she was to start her run.We noticed the made coments on their size nothing big..But it must have been open grazing area because all of the sudded they were on the road and guess what! Yvonne tells me she has a crazy fear of cows. Of cows?? They moved on before she left but it was to funny to watch her fret about COWS. It was a great exchange point.
Wendy came in in great time and said what a beautiful run.And off went our final runner Yvonne.We headed down to Grant to wait for Jeff to bring Yvonne to us after her hand off to Jeanne. Jeff said Yvonne came in like a champ and it had been a tough run for her.Log bridges,single track un kept trails tree roots low tree branches and she came in strong. When she hoped in our car she had a huge smile on her face.She said it was very hard but she was glad she had done it.
So off we wnt to Frisco to the condo (Thanks Again) and a hot meal and warm beds.We got a little sleep dried our cloths and shoes.Yvonnes Husband Jamal showed up to join the crazyness of it all and to pace Yvonne on her next leg.Jeanine wrote more about that......
We finally met up with car A and got to hang out as a team for the first time in Frisco.Pegi was running her leg and Jeff and Rod our crazy drivers were in full costume.It was a fun exchange point and lots of teams were there. This was also the time of day where Lisa started to run the first Night leg.Pegi handed off after running an extra mile or so and mad as hell.(bad directions)
And off lisa went head lamp and reflective vest on to start the climb to Copper Mnt.And Van B went off to Bed.
Lisa is such a strong runner and made it to copper mnt town square in great time it was so cold and I had a hard time staying warmed up the sun was gone the moon was out and it was dark. So off I went to the vail trail and the top of Vail pass. A few of us on the team had run this portion of the trail at night before so I knew what to expect.Its a 41/2 mile climb to the rest stop at the top of vail pass.It was a hard climb but unlike the other vans night runs mine was on a bike trail with no other trails intersecting it.No way to get lost or take a wrong turn and we were still in the pack at the time so lots of other runners around to follow(Even pass. Yep 2 of them)
It took me about an hour way longer than I wanted and at the top they tell me "your almost there just to the top of the stairs" AHHHHHH STAIRS AND LOTS OF THEM!!! OK only 3 flights but still STAIRS? At the top was Victoria.
What can I say about Victoris she is awesome. She talkes about proving herself because shes the oldest on out team (shes like 39 or something)and she hasn't been running for long but you would never know it.Shes not very tall but has these long running legs and boy did she fly down the other side of vail. She had an 8 plus mile run and her goal was to do it in 1hour 45 min. Van A was sitting at the exchange point gettin a little rest and getting Wendy ready for the cold again we talked about getting out of the car to look but it had only been an hour and 15 min or so. So we dicided to wait a couple more and holy cow she appares in front of the van.OMG we are THAT van that wasn't ready for her at the exchange. Thank goodness Wendy was dressed.She took off like a rocket to head down to the next exchange. Sorry Victoria!!!!!
So Wendy was off on her night run it was still so cold a little wet but Wendy is Wendy,shes a strong runner and a detirmend girl always a positive outlook and she never gives up.
We sat at the 14th exchange point all tired and cold and now Yvonne and Jamal were getting ready to run.Kudos to Jamal its the middle of " Ramadon" I know I spelled that wrong. And He hasn't eaten much at all but there he was ready to take on the almost 9 miles with Yvonne.Little did we know what a long tough run it would be for both of them. I am soooo glad he was there for her.If I had been given incorrect directions as a joke in the middle of the night in the mountains I would have sat right down and quite.9 miles plus an extra 4 they came in cold scared mad tired but together.Thanks for being there Jamal the whole team is glad you were there.
While waitng for the lost cold duo we had more time with van b Now its to cold to get out and chat soooooo we like to text. DeeDee all I can say is I love you and Will save all referances to (PLE) words for 2AM next year.
So off to sleep curled up in a van seat with 4 other people.(Thanks again Jamal ) an extra car ment more room to spread out.We tried to sleep and we did get a little. I think we all caught each other snoring but were to tired for it to matter.Our poor driver Rod all 6 feet 4 inches of him with a steering wheel sitting in his lap tring to sleep.And putting up with me at the same time.(I'm alittle snarky at that time of night)
Jeanine started to text us about their vans progress and at first we were all alittle bummed about being last but we were in this from the begining for the fun of it and to raise money for Judis House in honor of Kristi and as she started to tell us of the vans detirmination to stick with it our spirts were lifted. Each one in that van had a tough night leg long and dark and alone and they never said enuff and quit.
My how the sun coming up and a blue sky can lift your spirits and DeeDee ran like a champ with her Brother Cris by her side. Van B was now with us to the end. Being in the back of the pack we wern't bound by the 2 van thing any more by the end we even had a caravan.
Lisa ran and ran like mad she made up time and met me at my last exchange. I was scared and wanted to not let my team down. I left on the last 3 mile streach of highway 6 and started to shuck cloths.it was getting hot.then down onto the head of the Glennwood trail for the last 2 102 miles along the river.WOW!!!!! Tree lined at points with the leaves changing and falling.
Off Went Victoria along the river To Wendy who also wound along the river.It was fun to sit with the rest of the team and hear about their runs and chat about all the funny stories. Yvonne took us into Glennwood and was joined on her run by R.J. and Lalo.Then off to Janessa who rocked a fast 1.5 mile run. Jessica hammered out her run fast and strong then off to our fearless leader. By now we were 28 or 29 hours in and sleep and food deprived. I have know idea where Jeanine got her determination from but she pumped out a hot long uphill climb on an empty tank at the back of the pack.Like the rest she kept us in view of the 3 other teams in front of us.
And off went Erica.Now Jeanine had told us about what a strong runner she was but to watch her come in at the exchange and see the stunded look on the other 2 teams faces was priceless.
DeeDee led us to the finish.She left all of her self doubt behind she could have given her last leg away to someone else but she took it on like no other she ran and ran and ran a steep down hill. We met her at verious points along the way and she led us to the finish.
Everyone was there to meet us and cheer for us. Molly gave us the greated gifts but the best was the card with the picture of Kristi and the boys and her and her familys kind words.We never started this race to be first. We wanted to finish what 9 other teams for whatever reason couldn't and we did. We wanted to raise money for Judis house in memory of RJs and Lalos mom Kristy and boy did we.We did it with all of our different personalities some of us didn't really know each other.We did it as a team and I am so glad I got to be part of it.
Amy
P.S. How about next year???Boys v Girls???? We could call them Man Handeled by mental in the mountains? Just a thought.