Hood to Coast (this is getting good)

Well here we are....at the final stage of the game. We had ran hard for 20 plus hours and now it was getting down to the wire. We realized that we had pulled ahead (by minutes) of Afternnuun Delight. (the other NUUN team). Way to go Nuun Platuun, Van 1!! This was just the boost we needed to be able to dig deep and run some stellar last legs. We ended up getting out of the van to try to get in a quick bathroom stop and then I would be ready and waiting for Susan to hand off to me. Kim @ the bomb.com above walked with me while Jess took a few snapshots from behind. Kim even walks like a Bad A$$, look at her. Thanks Jess...we know Ricardo wasn't capturing any of this.

What you don't see in this picture is the chaos that took place in the next several minutes. I ran to a line of porta potties FAR FAR away (it seemed) from this school which was where I needed to meet Susan for our exchange. After I was done I ran back down towards the road and a volunteer told me to go the other way...which led me down into this field. I ran and Kim was right behind me. I was beginning to panic because I was getting tired from all this running when I wanted to be rested and ready for Susan. We finally get down to where we could see the exchange (just feet away) but we had a tall chain link fence in between us!! Ugh!! Panic. Run back up the hill and around the road and down to the exchange or climb the tall fence.

Kim and I debated for 10 seconds and then I knew I had to climb the fence. That's right...CLIMB. Umm, it has been awhile since I have scaled any fences. So I climbed, and as things poked me in the behind and then she pushed. I made it to the top and tried to balance myself and push out so the fence would not catch my shorts. Scary!!! I kept saying to Kim..."I'm going to rip my shorts, I'm going to rip my shorts". I jumped and landed it...in total spider man fashion. I ran to the exchange and at almost the exact time I heard 9...8....1! That's us and there was Susan.

So I was off and ran hard...with plenty of road kill (# of people passed) There were only two times that I was passed, both times I was worried that it would be a sparkle skirt from Afternuun Delight...but it was guys both times. SCORE!! 3.52 mile, done: 28:21!! I had made it, my shortest leg of the race...and could SEE T waiting!

Here is Susan below; an absolute machine who gave so much to our team. She had some serious HEAT to deal with and she was speedy fast. She was focused on giving us the cushion we would need to try to maintain the lead. Yes, yes...we are all Nuunies, BUT we are competetive NUUNIES! I brought her some water that she drank and tossed in a matter of seconds. Rock Star.

Waiting for Susan....speedy/cat napper and my van seat mate as well trail mix master!

Cheering on T coming up the hill in pink. Her leg was brutal. Hot and hilly and fighting an angry hamstring, but we were on a MISSION.
And then there was ONE...our last runner. You won't want to miss the ending.