Marathon Jeannie, Anne,
Long Shots and
Iron Al at TA #4:
Nothing could stop RWS!

Part 5: How RWS Ran RTB

At 9:20 AM, RWS began their race. The team had a variety of challenges. Some of them included: 1) getting the active van with its runners to the next transition area (TA) on time; 2) having the van driver be familiar with the course and be organized to keep the team on schedule; 3) each runner's need to be hydrated, fed, and warmed up in time for their next run; and 4) resting both the runners and van drivers at regular intervals - RWS anticipated a 31-32 hour race time.

Once the race actually began, Van #1 and #2 would have limited contact with each other. There would be regular cell phone contact between both van drivers to coordinate the transition between the final runner in one van handing the baton off to the first runner in the next van.

Iron Al anxiously awaits at TA #1 for his debut on the race course!	Long Shots coming to the first TA and the completion of Leg #1 of 36.

Every one had their own race strategy. One of the two most difficult legs on the course was Leg #1. Long Shots had trained for running up/down this ski trail by running up and down a steep water tower path weeks before the RTB. This guy has guts and endurance. Although finishing this first leg with heat exhaustion and dehydration, he rocked up and down the 3.1 mile ski slope in 31 minutes! An amazing run! To stay on running schedule, Van #1 needed to temporally leave Long Shots (to pick-up Iron Al and to drop off "g" at TA #2) with the folks in Van #2 so he could get some recovery time at the first aide tent. At the sight of Long Shots' physical condition at the end of Leg #1, RWS began to recalculate their running order figuring they'd be running with only 11. But! Long Shots, the propietor of Tianium mental strength, made an incredible recovery. He rejoined Van #1 at TA #4 and finished RTB and his remaining two legs without missing a step! Long Shots was the essence of Runners With Sole!

Part 6: Baton Passing 101

Iron Al ran Leg #2 with incredible speed. The baton hand-off to "g" at TA #2 went smooth. "g's" first leg (Race Leg #3) was 3.7 miles of nothing but down hill and steeper down hill! So fast was his time, he approached TA #4 about 10 minutes early. As he approached TA #4 he couldn't believe his eyes! Triathlon Kid was standing outside the transition zone and off the course eating a hot dog, fussing with her hair and heading towards the port-a-jon! "Natalia! Natalia! I'm comin' in!" "g" shouted with panic. Like the well trained athlete she is, Triathlon Kid quickly wiped the mustard off her chin, ran to the TA zone, grabbed the baton, and was off like fur on a jackalope!

Not all baton hand offs were smooth. There was plenty of laughter when Triathlon Kid handed the wrist band/baton to MO. Apparently Triathlon Kid had been eating and drinking on the run, again - sticky cotton candy and Cool-Aide. The baton was stuck to her hand like Crazy Glue between your fingers! MO wrestled her to the ground in the transition zone to pry the baton off her hand! What a sight. For the remainder of the race, MO tried in earnest to get Triathlon Kid to not eat or drink anything (!) during her runs.
		Whenever possible, RWS gave their legs post-run recovery baths.
Van #1 stops along the way to cheer-on MO during Leg #5. Man... was she rockin'!