The Ultimate Mother Runner Showdown: Ragnar DC

Where to begin this post? I had the most amazing experience last weekend, and it is difficult to summarize my experience with words. I was selected to be part of this relay team back in June. 22 mother runners (+2 alternates) were selected to join Sarah Bowen-Shea and Dimity McDowell in Cumberland, MD to run 199 miles all the way to Washington, D.C. I was selected to be a member of Team Sarah (later named Badass Mother Runners), and I became runner #5.
  During the last 4 months, these Mother Runners have been getting to know each other on our own BAMR Facebook page, discussing training, logistics, costumes and packing lists.
  I decided not to do a full recap of the relay, but at the bottom of my blog, I will share some of the recaps of some of my team-mates. There are some fun tales in there. I instead decided to share on here my poem that I wrote for the  Another Mother Runner  website. We were asked to write a short recap for the website, and keep it under 200 words. Since I had applied for the relay with a poem, I felt this was appropriate. Here is my poem, based on Elizabeth Barrett Browning's "How Do I Love Thee?"

How Do I Love Thee  Mother Runners? Let me count the ways…

How do I love thee Mother Runners? Let me count the ways.

I love thee with all my heart, you my sisters in sport

As far as my legs can run on dusty roads while white vans rumble by

For the laughter, support and passion that comes with running

In the dark of night with red blinking lights and Christmas lights on tutus.

I love thee as much as Cherry Limeade Nuun and tabouli salad made with c are.

Most quiet need, by sun and headlamps.

I love thee freely, as tightly as my compression socks squeeze my calves.

I love thee purely, as much as that communal shower cleansed me.

I love thee as I pass that sweaty slap bracelet

And as my quads ache from tearing down those hills.

I love thee with a love and an appreciation for the generosity of spirit

That is shared among us as we ventured together,

Smiles, dance parties at the finish---and if our paths should cross again,

I shall but love thee better as an Ultra Team in Ragnars to come!





Here's a few photos from my epic weekend. As they say, pictures are worth a thousand words. Enjoy!



 

Hot Mamas in Tough Girl Tutus Team Sarah

 

This about sums it up for me. Pure joy!! Special thanks to Sarah and Dimity for selecting me to be part of such a great event that I will never forget. Thanks to all the mother runners that I now have the pleasure of calling my friends. Thanks especially to my van mates, the ultimate Bad Ass Mother Runners: Bethany, Schuy, Terri, Jill and Sarah. You have all RETURNED WITH HONOR!

For more recaps from some of my team-mates, please check out these links:



http://seejainrun.wordpress.com/

http://www.runwifeyrun.com/ragnar-dc-recap-5-things-you-need-to-know-to-run-the-race/

http://michiganrunnergirl.com/my-michigan-running-story-jill-plamondon-tackles-ultras-an-epic-ragnar-relay-this-weekends-lighthouse-half-marathon-in-traverse-city/

http://anothermotherrunner.com/2013/10/09/ragnar-d-c-running-relay-races-recap-team-sarah/

http://anothermotherrunner.com/2013/10/07/ragnar-relay-d-c-race-report/