Leg 3

Leg 3, Runner #3 Maggie

4.1 Miles

Rutherford to Yountville, CA

Leg 2

Leg 2, Runner #2 Lindsey. 

4.7 Miles

St. Helena to Rutherford, CA

(celebrating our first successful baton pass)

start me up i'll never stop

Saturday May 2, 2009.  10:30 AM

Leg 1, Runner #1 Kelley.

4.8 Miles

Calistoga to St. Helena, CA

"the baton" was a green bracelet that we brilliantly fastened to our number

And we're off!!!  

sole sisters fun fact #1

Did you know that we have 2 REAL sisters on the team too?  Here are Monica and Donya posing with the Relay mascot (which is supposed to be the state of california, not a soggy noodle).

rain dogs

Coach Andrea reads the rules for the Relay.  Flo wonders if she should sign her organs away in the event that we don't make it.

We arrive at the start line with an hour to kill in the rain.  

This is the true story... of twelve strangers... picked to live in a van...

Well not all strangers.  many of our runners have been close friends since elementary school, but there was a lot of introductions that had to happen before we all started stinking up a van together...

We kicked off relay weekend with some carbo-loading at the olive garden in santa rosa... and for being mostly strangers, I'd say we hit things off pretty well!

Andrea arranged a hotel for us just a few minutes from the start line.  Here is Amy and Navery catching up on some much needed pillow talk.

Our Lucky Penni

(wilder ranch state park, santa cruz, california)

Distance running is not as simple as 'throw on your shoes and go'.  In fact, a considerable amount of planning is involved.  Have I eaten well enough today, and yesterday, to support the distance I want to go?  Is the route I'm taking exposed or shaded, and will I need a hat and/or sunglasses and sunscreen?  How about bathrooms??  bathrooms are a serious consideration.

  What do I need to carry for hydration, are there fountains along the way to refill?  Will I need shot blocks, gels or a granola bar for refueling?  Needless to say, a whole bunch to think about.  

The best thing about running an organized race is, that for the first time, after months of training, all you actually have to think about is running.  Aid Stations are spread out in perfect increments along the course and stacked with everything a runner could need.  Any runner, no matter what distance the race is, fully appreciates the Aid Stations.  

(my aid station, wilder ranch state park)

The Relay, however, has required months of planning.  Our team will need to be almost entirely self sufficient for 199 miles.  Feeding and hydrating twelve women for two days is hard enough to plan for, excluding any running!  

We have been very, very fortunate to have some amazing sponsors to ease this burden. Specifically, Penni Bengston of Finish Line Productions has offered to supply us with all of our nutritional needs for the entire 199 miles!!!  

This is an amazingly generous offer and we are so very grateful.  We can't thank Penni and Finish Line Productions enough for being our Aid Station!!