Wow…what an experience!
Super nice Elisabeth picked me up from the airport and we headed down to Orange County to meet up with our team for Van decorating!
We made it to Exchange 6 around 8:00am. We were waiting for the last runner from Van #1 to come in for the exchange. At this point Van 1 was on a break and Van #2 was starting up!
All smiles before we realized that the temperature was about to climb to a bajillion degrees Fahrenheit!
Krispy Kreme Doughnuts at Van #2 start!
This is where our runner ran to pass the slap bracelet for the exchange!
Exchange 6 and others waiting for their runner to come flying in.
Beautiful California with awesome new friends! In the middle, our super awesome driver Phil…he was so good y’all. He knew exactly where our runners were running and we never got lost. He got us to every exchange on time and was right there to high five us as we came in. I remember thinking toward the end of every run…where’s Phil? Where’s Phil? I knew when I saw him I was finishing up!
The cutest Linzay waiting to exchange with Ashley.
Trying to show you how hot and tired I looked already and I hadn’t run yet!
Super sweet Danica before her first leg!
Me (soaking wet) after my first leg at 1:30pm in 98 degree weather (heat index 110*)…crazy and emotional, quite hilly run!
The following morning before our last leg. Seagull eating a bagel!
Ashley before her last leg. Love the ProCompression socks and reflective BicBands were wore. Thanks ProCompression and BicBands
Phil making sure Ashley gets water and support!!
Me seeing the Pacific Ocean for the very first time..beautiful.
Mission Bay..sun came out for Linzay’s run..weather was still cool!
Linzay before she takes off..speedy pants…
Ashley and Phil..such an adorable and awesomely sweet couple!
Our decorated van.. This is the only picture I have of our van..sorry..F- on that one.
This is what was holding up traffic when we were trying to catch up with our runner!… She was in the middle of the street and could care less that she was trucking along at .5miles per hour…
Look at the price of gas in California..(What?What?) ..in the swamp we think $3.76/gal is crazy…which it still is. I’m just thankful we haven’t reached $4.00/gal yet. Lovely economy..Thanks there Obama.. anyhoo..
One of the best parts of my trip…in Pt. Loma I found this girl! Mori is my best friend from 7th grade..I haven’t seen her in like 16 years…she lives in San Diego now! I can’t wait to return to SD and hang out with her in just 5 weeks!!!
The bestest Ashley figured I needed a souvenir from California..since after all, I KatieRUNSthis has renamed me the Touristy Runner..and the SoCal girls agree with her! I love taking lots of pics!
Me..last leg…San Diego Convention Center to National City…STOPPED AT A RED LIGHT AGAIN. This just doesn’t happen in the SWAMP..afterall we don’t even have caution lights..haha.
Part of my course! Lovely..didn’t get a pic of the vomit on the stairs I had to go up to get to these which I traveled down to cross Harbor Drive (i think)..
Voila! C’est Finis
( It’s finished..cajun French thank you very much)
Super Awesome Team and Experience
The finish was at Coronado Island… on the beach!!
Many hours later I was on my way back to Elisabeth’s apartment in L.A… This is the Ritz Carlton in downtown L.A…the bright lights in the back ground should be Staples Center where the Laker’s play.
Elisabeth’sparking garage/backyard-ish/front porch…that makes no since! How cool are those trees..nothing like that in Louisiana..Neato!
Saying Goodbye and Thank You to her for all of her kindness and generosity! You are awesome girlfriend! Thank you All so much for everything! Heather you were so great and helpful…along with all of Van 1!! Thanks so much! I don’t have a picture of the 12man SMCOL team yet…but here is the Ultra…
Team So Much Cooler Online Ultra Team
1st place woman’s division ultra
(HauteRunningMama, SarahOUaL, Pam, ChaCha, Faster Bunny)
Congrats to you hardcore guys. You did awesome…y’all are all machines! And thanks to SarahOUal for putting all of this craziness together!
Finally…grub at the airport while waiting on my flight early Sunday morning..it was so good!
And I returned home to Louisiana around 5:30pm Central time to find this… my husband and his friend sitting on a swing they put together..so proud! It broke right before the picture was taken and I tried to get them sitting there still stunned but they jumped up too fast… I almost pee’d my pants laughing so hard at this pic moment! Love me some Loo-zee-ana and missed it as well! Rice and Gravy was consumed immediately after I took this picture! Crawfish coming shortly…like tonight!
Cajun Runner 
I am so jealous of your crawfish. I was so sad when we were there just a couple week too early for crawfish season – I did not get to eat a huge plate of boiled crawfish and make an enormous mess of myself. Very sad.
It was great meeting you! You are too cute! I’m glad you had a good time out here in California 🙂
It was great meeting you! Next time you come down, let me know. I’ll try to make sure you get your crawfish on!! I had a super time in California!
makes me want to run a relay again really soon!
It was crazy fun! I was on the 12 man team, not Ultra..they were hardcore..but we had a lot of fun! I kept thinking of y’all while we were running…and how it was only 6 of you instead of 12..and at 1 point in the 100 degree temp I was sort of jealous of the 22 degrees you had!!
Love this! I’m still smiling thinking about all the fun we had!
So.Much.FUN!! We have to do lunch next time in there! Missing ya already!!
I had such a great time with all of you! And, you are more than welcome to come stay anytime you want. (that’s my back door/garage area, you didn’t see the front, which is actually super cute, but we were way too tired at that point). i’m so glad you joined the team (and that you got home safely!)
I’m so glad I joined the team too! I will surely try to make it back to L.A. one day!
It was SO great to meet you this weekend! It looks like you guys had so much fun and I wish we could have spent more time as a group. Glad that you traveled safely!
You’ll be back soon, right? Meet-up???
It was great meeting you too! I wish we would have been able to visit with you guys more…hate that we had to be in different vans.
This post just makes me want to run!!!
Yes, doesn’t it! It was a blast, if you have never ran a Ragnar Relay…DO IT!! It’s quite an experience!
It was great meeting you Erica!! thx for the pics!! you’re a sweetheart & I hope you make it out to SoCal sometime soon. SoCal Ragnar next year?!! have a great day/weekend!!! :)) xo
Hi there! I’m coming back June 1-6.. In just weeks!!!