First off, thank you so much for the lovely comments regarding my Blogiversay! You all were so sweet. 
About a week and a half ago (sorry for the lateness in posting), the hubs and I participated in a relay race that spanned 185 miles from Spokane, Washington to Sandpoint, Idaho. It was a lot more relaxed than the Cascade Lakes Relay that I participated in a couple of weeks ago.
The race started at 8:15am for us on Friday morning. The race start times are determined by what your estimated run times are. The slower the team, the earlier the start! I think teams were starting at 6am! Yikes.
Since I was in Van 2, after the first runner from Van 1 took off, the rest of us (Van 2) took off for breakfast. That is nice thing about being in Van 2, you get to relax a little before the race. The bad part is that you are unshowered at the finish. ;( You pay no matter what van you are in.
There were some funny/cute costumes and van decorations going on:
Here was the run layout for the relay:
Van 1 had runners 1-6 in it, and Van 2 had runners 7-12 in it. I was Runner 7.
My first run happened to begin about noon or 1pm. It happened to be the speed trial leg. I was NOT the fastest person on the team, and I have no idea why they put me in that position, but it happened, and I had to deal with it!
Waiting…Waiting…
Nervous…
Here he comes for the exchange!!!
Here….We….
GO!!!
Dang, my legs look freakishly long in this pic!
When I looked at the profile for this leg, it looked just a tad hilly. I was really WRONG. It was extremely hilly actually. As I was attempting to run up the first hill, I felt like I was going to pass out and my legs and lungs were on fire. I looked down at my garmin, and I was going at a 6:45 min/mile pace. Whoops. I started out WAY too fast, and this would bite me on the a$$ for the rest of the run. It seemed to take F.O.R.E.V.E.R.. My legs felt fresher after cycling 24 miles when I ran 10K in my last triathlon. I realized that I probably should have warmed up a little bit more for this run! Oops. I just tried to enjoy the ride at an 8 minute/ mile average up and down the hills as a few FAST men flew by me.
I could finally see my hubs stretching at the next exchange.
Pick up the pace, Nicole!!!
Notice how calm he looks and how dead I look?
This was the hub’s first relay race. He did freaking amazing!!
Isn’t it beautiful?
Vibrams were in full swing here…for a while. My teammate did really well the first 2 miles of her run in these, but the temperatures got really hot as the day wore on. The pavement got REALLY hot. She ended up getting heat blisters on her feet. I DON’T recommend these when it is really hot out, and if you only have pavement and cement to run on! Those blisters were nasty and bothered her so bad that she had to switch to regular running shoes midway through her 3rd run.
One of the things that I really enjoyed about this race was all the different types of people running it. You had people who looked like the “typical runner,” and you had people who didn’t.
Everyone was out there having a great time whether their normal pace was a 5:30 minute mile or a 12 or 15 minute mile. Everyone supported each other. It was great.
Stay tuned for the second run at 11pm with a headlamp in Part 2!
Lisa August 25, 2010 at 12:16 pm
Yay for Relays!!! I’m soooo excited about Hood to Coast this weekend. It’s my first relay and I’ve really enjoyed your recaps. It looks like this one is really scenic! I might have to add it to my “to do list” if HTC goes well.
Emily August 25, 2010 at 12:29 pm
Just came across your blog-this recap is great! I LOVE relays. I did one in VT a couple of years and last summer there was a barefoot guy running on pavement in August on a 90+ degree day. He kept sticking his feet in an ice cooler between runs. Crazy, crazy, crazy! Can’t wait to read recap #2!
Heather (Where's the Beach) August 25, 2010 at 12:31 pm
Wow – 6:45?! I consider a 7:15 pace blowing it out too fast for me LOL! I always love your race recaps.
Sarah for Real August 25, 2010 at 1:00 pm
I heard about this on the news and had never heard of it before. Is it new or do I just have my head buried under a rock? Looks awesome! Did you ride the roller coaster?
Nicole August 25, 2010 at 1:37 pm
Heck yeah! I’ll be getting to that in the next post.
Kacy August 25, 2010 at 1:09 pm
6:45?! You ARE FAST girlie!
I hadn’t heard about people getting blisters IN the vibrams. Good to know.
Looks like a fun race and you did awesome, can’t wait to read about the rest
genesis August 25, 2010 at 1:09 pm
im totally gonna find a team for next year even if i have to sneak my way in
a few people from my first relay did the S2S and i can kind of make her out in the picture where youre waiting for your first leg and then another person where your hubby was waiting…
Nicole August 25, 2010 at 1:38 pm
That is crazy!!
natalie August 25, 2010 at 1:32 pm
EEK!!! I LOVE relay races! Your pictures are awesome, I’m looking forward to reading part two. You are one fast lady.
Question – What kind of shorts are those?! Random… I know
Nicole August 25, 2010 at 1:38 pm
haha. not random. They are by Brooks (the shoe company). They are my FAVORITE running shorts. love them!
Erica August 25, 2010 at 2:01 pm
SO cool that ya’ll did it together. It looks like a totally gorgeous run.
Caitlin August 25, 2010 at 4:19 pm
I love the teamwork here. Y’all are such a strong couple in body and mind. That’s something to look forward to!
These shots are gorgeous and your legs ARE freakishly long. In a very good way of course
Mike Russell August 25, 2010 at 8:48 pm
As always, quality post Nicole. I love the picture of you in mid stride — you must reach out about 10 feet with each step. I am betting your legs are no longer than mine, but your flexibility has to be a ton higher. I need to keep working on that to get more efficient.
Great report…
Mike
Pure2raw twins August 26, 2010 at 4:16 am
Congrats on you blogiversary!!
And thank you for your sweet comment on our blog, and for your support! We hope to meet up again soon too. ; )