L to R Mark, Scott Brown, Glade and Laurie Smith, Jill Brown, me,Jerel Campbell, Mary Ann Wells, Boyce Campbell, Kristine Garner, Charlotte Bain, and April Marchant. Dave (Kristine's husband) went with us also. He drove us their was supposed to run, but couldn't because he injured his collar bone a few weeks before.
The Red Rock Relay began Thurs. Sept 9th with us driving to Cedar City, Utah. That night we were able to stay with Kristine Garner's parents. To say that her mother made a feast for us feels like an understatement. She made at least 4 or 5 kinds of pasta, salad, rolls and vegetables. We then went to check in and get some things from the store to get ready for the race.
Friday morning: we woke up early and our van made it to the starting line which was at Brian Head. Mark was the 1st runner. He had to take the ski lift up the mountain and run down 3 miles. I rode up there with him and then I rode down while he was running. This was probably my favorite part of the race. Mark and I had the best time looking at the scenery, laughing and joking. I guess it was to calm nervousness. I remember If its love by Train playing in the background and it seemed like it all just fit in. I didn't mention that it was freezing. I don't think I could warm til I ran 4 hours later.
Mark made it to the bottom with no problem and Scott Brown was off. I think to run about 5 miles. Scott's run was called El Diablo. Someone had on their van that they took on El Diablo to the woodshed. Scott said El Diablo took him to the woodshed and cut him in pieces. It was a hard run. We were gasping from our van when we saw what he had to run. He's an experienced runner. But our little old team from AZ wasn't used to running in that high elevation plus hills. The first part of the race kicked us in our hineys. I was the last runner before our other van took off. My 1st run wasn't hard, except I wasn't used to the elevation. I felt like I couldn't breathe the whole time. I coughed and coughed after I was done and took a nap. I looked like a complete wimp to my team, because I walked. I was glad to hear that the other team had a hard time too. All of them had been running for awhile, they were experienced also. Our van went back and rested while the other van was taking its turn. We were due to start running around 5 or 6 that night. We all had a better run the second time. Mark ran at 7 at night and kicked it. He was done fast. I ran at about 10:30pm. I think I ran faster at night because for one I couldn't see much and it was a little spooky running at night on the highway. We had a blinking V vest. Everyone seem to make a comment as I ran down the highway. Good Job blinky they said.
We were able to sleep after I was done. They had everyone sleeping at an LDS church. The only thing that was uncomfortable was we couldn't get cleaned up. I think I'm the one that stunk up the van that night. We slept about 3 or 4 hours that night and then it was time for Mark to move to the other van and April to move to the one I was in. Mark was the last runner. We were off on our 3rd run. My last run was only 2 miles I thought it would be a piece of cake. It wasn't it was all hills. At least it was only 2 miles. We got done and were able to take showers and rest up. Thank Goodness I was exhausted. Everyone else was too, of course. After our van rested we got up and got ready to go to the end of the race to run across together. Like I said before Mark was the last runner and had to run 7.5 miles. The end of the race was in St. George, it was extremely hot and the terrain was bad. Beautiful terrain , but extreme hills for running. Some of the people in our other van were having the worst runs of their lives. Like I said before they had run marathons and a bunch of other races. So if they were having trouble I knew it was miserable out there. I began to be worried about Mark. We would see runners running up this extreme hill and some of them looked like they were struggling with heat exhaustion. We finally saw Mark and all of us in the van began to cry. Because yes he look hot and exhausted but he was still kicking it. I kept crying because it felt like I hadn't seen him forever and I really missed him. In reality it had only been 10 hours. I couldn't wait to see him though. I waited for him down a little lower than the other people so I could run in with him.
A cute poem April put together. A lot of it's inside jokes that we made up along the way.
Memories of our Red Rock Run; the Joy we Felt, the Friends, the Fun
Got a call to go and run; excited ‘cause it sounded fun.
Chose three legs, but was that all?; could do ten, I had the gall!
In two cars we made our way; to Kristine’s mom’s where we would stay.
Mark was first, to start the race; he had to set a jet fast pace.
He started and finished and never felt stressed; not even pushed to his limit, he passed his first relay test.
We saw marked up vans, with sayings cute; window words, that were a gosh darn hoot.
There was one car that had a bride; she wore a veil, with a sense of pride.
Why did she run on her wedding day; was it to keep her groom away?
Yvette we spotted, when she came near; she was the one moving like a panther… a gazelle… Or, was it a deer?
She ran through the night, surprised at her speed; “A walk in the park,” she said. “It was easy indeed.”
Second leg, no time for rest; time to make me do my best.
Felt so tired. Wanted to die; couldn’t right then, had to ‘kill’ that guy.
He was in front. Chased him down; Passed him by. He was just a clown.
Had a tutu round his waist; must have dressed wrong in his haste.
Passed him by, it felt just great; of this I think we all relate.
Boyce had a unique running style; but weren’t his arms tired after only one mile?
He showed off to make his wife proud; why didn’t he run like that for us? We wanted to be wowed.
Je’rel, Jere’l it is only your name; you should think about making it a store bought game.
Run away mom’s, cousins that fart; there were all kinds of runners that ran with great heart.
Jill arrived early at the van; her cheetah-like run, not in the plan.
Scrambled fast, the next runner to go; next time you speed Jill, give us warning, let us know.
A trip to Cedar Break, to see the great view; if we had caught pneumonia, a lawyer we’d sue.
Dave had been broken, though he functioned quite well; but don’t you all wonder, how he put up with our smell.
MaryAnn always forgot to wear her shoes; how ‘bout a reminder put right on the news?
At her last hill, she made a fuss; looking up, she asked, “Are they
seri-ous?”
Oh no, a hill, it looks so steep; I think I’d rather go to sleep. (Kristine)
She cried and cried when on the last hill; wanted to stop, but pressed on still.
Kristine you’re our hero, you’re like a guy; why can’t we be like you…passing everyone by?
Scott went to the ‘woodshed’ and got his butt kicked; El Diablo is evil, poor Scott he had tricked.
Other runners, they boasted of besting the hill; Scott told the truth… Diablo 100, Scott and everyone else… nil.
We loved the cowbell Charlotte ‘brang’; it made us move when’er it rang
Her feet were fast, they set her pace; did they think she was trying to win the whole race?
Did not sleep much, in the van; felt like a rock, inside a kicking-can.
Not ready to tackle the final run; felt so tired, had to be done?
Laurie was angry when she came to her hill; the one who told her to go up, she wanted to kill.
He made her turn left, she wanted to go right; good thing she was too beat to get in a fight.
In the dark, April ran through the night; at least the wild animals were out of her sight.
Was that the finish?, she knew it must be; when she saw Dave’s vest, the one with the blinking ‘V’.
Dave, our mom, you pushed us through; we were your kids, your running crew.
You tied our shoes and gave us drink; you are just as important as the ‘Missing Link’.
Beacon, timekeeper, chauffer too; all talents of yours, to name a few.
After the race, we were so sore; could barely shop the Tai Pan store.
Went to Texas Roadhouse, when we were done; even though we were sore, it was really quite fun.
We learned Glade makes doughnuts, only serving the bad; doesn’t want us to know what we could have all had.
On to the “trondo” we all did go; it wasn’t a condo, we all did know.
At the rec center to rest and relax; until we found out we were getting the
axe.
A man in zip-up, one-piece suit; came to give us the heave-ho boot
“Tow the line, I’m on to you.”; “I’m king of my house and this place too.”
“I didn’t do it,” we all declared; only because, we were super scared.
He locked the gate, up on the stairs; he looked at us with angry glares.
Our ice cream trapped, out of the bounds: we needed it to put on the fattening pounds.
We sent in Mark, to get our stuff; he ran the last leg, we knew he was tough.
He snuck and slithered to the food; always watching out for that mean old dude.
On the last day, we went to church; for one young soul, we all did search.
An 80 year-old deacon, gray hair on all; very strange to us, even the sign on the wall.
“Hearing Aids available”, hmm… wonder why; is this a future we can’t deny?
They liked us there, we all just knew; we doubled their numbers to more than a few.
The aches, the pains, on us they crept; and worsened right after we all had slept
It wasn’t easy, we all felt bad; maybe our running is only a fad.
On to our homes we made our way; no bathroom stops, we couldn’t delay.
We talked about, the fun we had; the race we did, it wasn’t that bad?
Are we yet ready to put on our shoes; to hit the pavement and pay our dues?
Of course we’ll go… it’ll be a ball; we’ll be there whenever we get the call.
Who said it?
“Teach your kids to lie strategically?”
“Cops go out daily into the desert to search for bodies.”
“What the hill?”
“Oh my hill?”
“I cried. I walked. I cried because I walked.”
“I love rice cakes.!”
“El Diablo took me out to the woodshed and taught me a lesson.”
“I’m slung over.”
“Give me my third stripe now.”
“How can I sneak out of my next two runs?”
“The TRONDO”
And for the final and most telling quote of all…
“The things we said were all just bunk; pay no heed, we were all just slunk
