Hashtag Mean It: Step Up Storm Lake Half Marathon Relay: Fun with family

Race morning was like, "Ugh, it's early."
But I pulled on my new race singlet for Team RWB. Even though I've only gone to one Team RWB event in Denver, I feel like I am a part of them now, so it was time to, as they say, "Eagle Up". The only shorts I brought along were some shorty Nike Pro compression shorts, which I sort of regretted, because those things ride up on thunder thighs.

Oh well, it's what I had. I decided to call it my Dare to Bare moment.

A few months ago, my brother asked me if I wanted to do one last race before surgery, since we were going to be home Labor Day weekend. That was a no-brainer, so we decided on the Step Up Storm Lake race, which is about an hour from our parents' house - the closest Labor Day race. And, since I was feeling a little crazy, I asked if he wanted to do the two-person half marathon relay. That is how the "Dynamic Duo" was born.

The race itself was small and low key, probably less than 250 runners there. I don't mind small races. We picked up our packets, sort of warmed up and waited around with everyone else to start. In the meantime, my brother and I met two women who were running the relay as well.

The start of the race was very casual - no timing mats, no corrals, just a megaphone and a horn. I took off, waved to the family and tried to get into the mental space for a long(ish) run. It literally took me about 1.5 miles to get into that head space. Because I was run/walking, I was leap frogging with two girls but I was finally able to drop them somewhere between miles 2 and 3. Because the course was a series of out and backs along the lake, I saw the leaders coming back fairly quickly. The lead guy was running in the middle of the road, so I met him and gave him a high five for speed. I dig it when a runner high fives me back.

I was pleasantly surprised with how well I was doing, running wise. Between my run and walk intervals, I averaged 11: 31 miles; I had been expecting 13's. I guess that is just how much the altitude is affecting me. This realization made me remember one of the big disappointments of the past year in Colorado - I had high hopes that it was going to be an amazing running year, where I would get in good training and come down from altitude and KILL some old PRs. No such luck, but I guess I was not meant to get an advantage in anyway, even from natural blood doping, hehe. That's ok. I don't mind good, honest work.

For most of my portion of the race, there was a woman in front of me, who made a great carrot. It took 5 miles and the lone hill in the race, but I finally caught her as I powered up that rather small hill. She passed me on my next walk break and said, "I guess we will be leap frogging for awhile." I smiled and laughed and secretly thought, "Fat chance." The next run interval, I totally dropped her. And smiled doing it.

I'm so competitive.

When I finally reached my brother ( at 6.6, not 6.1 miles), I was happy to be done and happy I had reached that point much faster than anticipated. I handed off to him and he was on his way:

A high-ten hand off. I am jumping. My brother is not.

Happy to be done. Dad's enjoying the last of his giant cinnamon roll.

We made our way back to the start, and (seriously) before we knew it, my brother was coming down the final stretch. I ran out to meet him, and he grabbed my hand and we took off. We were seriously running so fast, I was wondering how I could keep up with him. I was so concerned with my turnover, I missed my sister's high five.