Day 7: Barstow, CA, to Las Vegas, NV (Saturday, June 21)
Distance traveled: 110 miles
Personal running distance today: 10 miles
Total personal miles to-date: 60 miles
Today's dedications: Ivy Benton and Sue Beth Wade
My running buddy: Taylor and Bree
Weather: Hot, sunny, 80s/90s
The alarms went off this morning at 4:15, but we were on a mission. We were determined to ALL get done with our miles early enough to caravan to Vegas together. Needless to say, the thought of being in Vegas on a Saturday night with a rest day tomorrow motivated us all.
For today, the leg leaders and directors came up with a plan to ensure that everyone will be able to finish all their miles before it got scorching hot outside. Instead of having Team 1 start at the host and run immediately while Team 2 drives to the halfway point, we decided to have both teams run the same first leg from the host. We did about 23 miles out and back so that each of our team members could run 10 miles. We started running at about 5:30 a.m. when the sun was already up.
Distance traveled: 110 miles
Personal running distance today: 10 miles
Total personal miles to-date: 60 miles
Today's dedications: Ivy Benton and Sue Beth Wade
My running buddy: Taylor and Bree
Weather: Hot, sunny, 80s/90s
The alarms went off this morning at 4:15, but we were on a mission. We were determined to ALL get done with our miles early enough to caravan to Vegas together. Needless to say, the thought of being in Vegas on a Saturday night with a rest day tomorrow motivated us all.
For today, the leg leaders and directors came up with a plan to ensure that everyone will be able to finish all their miles before it got scorching hot outside. Instead of having Team 1 start at the host and run immediately while Team 2 drives to the halfway point, we decided to have both teams run the same first leg from the host. We did about 23 miles out and back so that each of our team members could run 10 miles. We started running at about 5:30 a.m. when the sun was already up.
The first few miles were glorious because it wasn't a million degrees out yet, and the sun wasn't too strong. I ran with Taylor and Bree today because the 3 of us have been having a few aches and pains from yesterday (my hip is still bothering me), so we were able to keep a slow and steady pace together. Taylor's knee started bothering her after we had done 6 miles, so she took a break while Bree and I finished the other miles.
The day progressed pretty quickly since we were all on the same route. As the morning went on, it got hotter and hotter. It was already in the upper 80s by 10 or 11 a.m. Bree and I got to the very last 2 miles of our day. We were running in a city, turned a corner and were faced with a MASSIVE long uphill stretch. At this point, it was in the 90s, we had already run about 9 miles and were pretty thirsty and exhausted. I was so proud that we accomplished it together, though, so that we were both able to get all 10 miles in.
Afterward, we made a pit stop for coffee before we drove to Vegas. It was a 3 hour drive from where our team miles ended, so we settled in for a bit of a drive. My van had a ton of fun along the way playing games and rocking out to music. The entire team stopped at the Nevada state line and snapped some photos because we were SO EXCITED to FINALLY cross our first state line! A week in California seemed to last forever, so we can't wait to see what adventures are ahead.
The day progressed pretty quickly since we were all on the same route. As the morning went on, it got hotter and hotter. It was already in the upper 80s by 10 or 11 a.m. Bree and I got to the very last 2 miles of our day. We were running in a city, turned a corner and were faced with a MASSIVE long uphill stretch. At this point, it was in the 90s, we had already run about 9 miles and were pretty thirsty and exhausted. I was so proud that we accomplished it together, though, so that we were both able to get all 10 miles in.
Afterward, we made a pit stop for coffee before we drove to Vegas. It was a 3 hour drive from where our team miles ended, so we settled in for a bit of a drive. My van had a ton of fun along the way playing games and rocking out to music. The entire team stopped at the Nevada state line and snapped some photos because we were SO EXCITED to FINALLY cross our first state line! A week in California seemed to last forever, so we can't wait to see what adventures are ahead.
We arrived at the Henderson fire department just outside of Vegas that afternoon and everyone got showered. We were also really excited because our teammate Patty's family was generous enough to donate some money so we could get a nice team dinner while in Vegas on our rest day. We went out to dinner tonight to the Grand Cafe. I had huevos rancheros and a Guinness...it sounds like they don't go together at all (and they probably don't), but it was such a delicious meal.
Afterwards, we all went to the Strip in Vegas! We did a little sight-seeing before half of the group headed home to go to bed. The other half stayed on the Strip to get a taste of Saturday night in Sin City.
Afterwards, we all went to the Strip in Vegas! We did a little sight-seeing before half of the group headed home to go to bed. The other half stayed on the Strip to get a taste of Saturday night in Sin City.
We casino-hopped between Caesar's Palace and the Bellagio. The entire time, I couldn't help but think that I was living out "The Hangover" in real life...minus the roofies and stealing a tiger and finding a baby and all those other wild adventures, of course. It was so cool to experience it all.
We all had a couple fruity drinks and tried our hand at the slot machines, but everyone came out with less in their pockets than we started with. It was still a great time! We got back to the fire department at about 1:30 for bed.
Day 8: REST DAY - Las Vegas, NV (Sunday, June 22)
Weather: Sunny, 90s
Today was our first rest day that we could actually sleep in for. I snoozed until about 9 a.m. and it was glorious. When we woke up, we sent out some teammates to try and find food donations, which took quite a while. Everyone was running errands throughout the day to Walmart or other places that they might need supplies from. Right now, it's just after 3 p.m. and a lot of the team is hanging out in the fire department eating food and watching the USA/Portugal World Cup game on a huge screen TV. Unfortunately, the U.S. is down right now, but I BELIEVE THAT WE WILL WIN.
Tonight we've got dinner donated to us at IHOP at 5:00, then just preparing for tomorrow. We're heading to Hurricane, Utah, tomorrow and will add another state to our list. The city is pretty small, so we don't know what to expect, plus we know that the temperatures will be hot, hot, hot again on our way there. I'm hoping we'll all make it in one piece and will be able to go see Zion National Park!
Run happy,
Natalie
Day 8: REST DAY - Las Vegas, NV (Sunday, June 22)
Weather: Sunny, 90s
Today was our first rest day that we could actually sleep in for. I snoozed until about 9 a.m. and it was glorious. When we woke up, we sent out some teammates to try and find food donations, which took quite a while. Everyone was running errands throughout the day to Walmart or other places that they might need supplies from. Right now, it's just after 3 p.m. and a lot of the team is hanging out in the fire department eating food and watching the USA/Portugal World Cup game on a huge screen TV. Unfortunately, the U.S. is down right now, but I BELIEVE THAT WE WILL WIN.
Tonight we've got dinner donated to us at IHOP at 5:00, then just preparing for tomorrow. We're heading to Hurricane, Utah, tomorrow and will add another state to our list. The city is pretty small, so we don't know what to expect, plus we know that the temperatures will be hot, hot, hot again on our way there. I'm hoping we'll all make it in one piece and will be able to go see Zion National Park!
Run happy,
Natalie