ragnar florida keys part 3 - the bridge & everything after

Play catch up!  Read parts 1 and 2!

I'm going to skip way ahead now... because when people are tired and cranky, they bitch at you for no reason, and it sucks.  That was basically how my night started as our van went off duty.  I slept outside on the grass.  Someone almost stepped on me.  And 3 people made fun of my Cubs blanket ("Haha, seriously, who is a Cubs fan).

But I digress...

Kelsey kissing a dolphin before we went on duty again.

Kelsey got some rain for her long leg along the Seven Mile Bridge.  Me?  Not so much.  I got the humidity and the bright sunshine for mine.

It was a virtual exchange - Kelsey finished on one side of the road, they radioed who was coming in, and the next person took off from the other side of the road.  The nice part about this whole thing is that we didn't have to wear the gross slap bracelet/timing chip.  The radio guy didn't see her, but Charles did, so I waved and then I was OFF to the keys!

Kelsey coming in after leg #3!

My last leg, nearly 10 miles, took place on a TON of bridges, going to a lot of different islands (keys), and passing the key deer preserve (they are like regular deer, but smaller, apparently).  I think I've already mentioned that it was hot and humid.  Yeah.

My body does weird things in the heat/humidity.  I swear I sweated all that I could sweat in the first 2 miles.  There were 2 aid stations on this leg.  The first was at about mile 2.5.  I get there, fill up my bottle, and ask when the next aid station is.  "Oh, it's about 2 miles away," says the volunteer.  Wishful thinking, that was.

I'm doing really, really good until mile 6.  That's when the mysterious aid station fails to appear, and I'm out of water, SO HOT, and really just want to die.  I do not like this weather one bit.  It's nice on the bridge over the water, because there's always a nice breeze blowing.  But running next to the trees is stifling and uncomfortable.

FINALLY, nearly at mile 7, I spot the water station.  I drink 3 cups, fill up my bottle, and make a new friend named Andrew.  We are both doing the run/walk thing, because it's too hot out here and we are both feeling the heat.  Quite honestly, I am starting to feel the way I felt at the end of Ragnar Chicago, and I don't want that to happen again.  Mostly because I don't think there's a lake at this exchange that I can jump into.

I leave my new friend, who is probably going to walk the rest of the way in.  I decide that running will get me there faster, so I try the run/walk thing.  I'm running 4 minutes and walking 1.  It's the only way to make it.  I spot the 1 mile to go marker EARLIER than I expected it to.  I LOVE when this happens, haha!  And then a short time later, I'm handing off to Andrea and DONE with my portion of Ragnar Florida Keys.

(9.54 miles, 1:29:31, avg pace 9:23, in case you were wondering.)

Van 1 is DONE!

After we handed off to van 2, we drove into Key West and headed to our hotel.  We had more than enough time to shower and relax with a bit of football before driving to the shuttle lot.  The shuttle was actually a trolley, and they didn't seem to mind (or they pretended not to notice) our cooler full of champagne for the finish.

View from the hotel

Getting my 'stache ready for the finish

We arrived at the finish line, and a little while later, we saw Aristi!  Kelsey and I waved our safety flags, and the whole team raced across the finish line.  We popped the corks on the champagne and celebrated our victory.  It wasn't always pretty, but it was SO MUCH FUN, and we all did it together.

#doubletrouble has double medals

Van 2 decided to go back to the hotel, and the rest of us hung out on the beach and drank our free beers to celebrate.  I've never actually attended a post-race party for Ragnar, and I must say, they are pretty chill.  I enjoyed the beer.  And the key lime margarita I bought from the Southernmost beach bar.

Southernmost house

Brett & I, double-fisting like CHAMPS

Your moonshine is not welcome here

Key lime margarita = YUM

I'm not going to bore you with the details of the rest of my time in Key West... let's just say that I bought a shot from a stripper, went to the Hemingway house, and ate key lime pie.  I was so sad to leave Key West on Sunday afternoon.  Not to worry - I am already planning on a return trip!

Helloooooo, Cuba!