I have finished my runs at the Ragnar and I am worn out. Several months ago when completing a run with my Nike Running App, I noticed that I had a strange number of miles completed. Was it a sign? Knowing that the number 666 has some devilish connotations I was momentarily disturbed. Could it be me? Yep, I am the beastly runner or you can refer to me as the “beast” when I run. (Sorry I digress.)

Carolyn has let me know that she has had four loops to run–two 8.4 mile loops, a 3.1 mile loop, and a 4.1 mile loop. Me, I’m just looking to get looped after my three runs and the last being the worst. We make our way back to the camp and get our stuff loaded up and ready for the exciting finish which is still some hours away. After that is all said and done, we head back to the main camp and we notice one of our runners standing outside of the ambulance–Lynn, and we see Lanie climbing in the ambulance. I’m thinking oh my, it must be Karen and so we go over and Lynn explains that Karen completed her 8.4 mile loop in the hot sun and is now on oxygen and iv’s. She has had an asthma attack and thank goodness she will be ok. Just another minor setback on our road to recovery.

Nicole and Cherise have to run before Lynn will finish up with a grueling 8.4 mile run in the hottest part of the day–2:00. We hang out for awhile under the mess tent and decide to sample some other craft beers and these are better than the stout from the night before. I’ve got my iPhone recharged from the charging station and I’m following the Sun Devils as they take on Notre Dame. I’m excited they are winning and winning big as halftime begins. I go back to my runs on the Nike Running App and a strange thing pops up on my app, it has calculated my total miles run using the app and out comes the number 1777. Weird, is it my lucky day or what? Will I get lucky? Should I play the lottery, will the Sun Devils win? Is it another sign? Strange but sort of ironic. Them 7’s have to mean something. No planning, it just happened that way.

Max, Nichole, and Cherise have left the scene since they have weddings to attend and will not be able to run across the finish line for the grand finale. We will finish with five now that Karen is back on her feet again. The time is a rolling and I’m getting anxious to get to our hotel and rest up but Caitlin has contacted me and she wants us to go hang out after the game. So I go get me another free Monster milkshake protein energy drink and guzzle it. I’m feeling charged up. Lynn lets us know she is on the final stretch and we go out to join her and the five of us cross the finish line in a flash. Ok, maybe more like a crawl but we are told that we are Ragnarians. I’m just feeling like a used up dish rag but we are done! We have finished in just less than 26 hours.

Our medals are given to us and it is picture taking time. The official pictures have not been sent but we get a few on Lanie’s iPhone. We are ready to hit the road and we do with a vengeance. ASU here we come.

Radio is tuned, Carolyn is resting and the game becomes most interesting. I love listening in on the radio. It is fun as the Tim Healey and Jeff Van Raaphorst are calling the game and a 31 point lead has evaporated down to 3. I can hardly take it and driving is just becoming an irritant as we wind our way towards the stadium and the new Residence Inn http://www.marriott.com/hotels/travel/phxtd-residence-inn-tempe-downtown-university/ across from the stadium. Roads are closed but the Devils are on a rampage and the score three td’s in a matter of minutes and I’m trying to stay focused on driving but my joy level has increased rapidly after some very tense moments.

The game ends, ASU beats Notre Dame and Carolyn are in a holding pattern trying to get to our hotel. We end up battling the revelers as they poor out into the streets but we manage to get into the parking garage and we are home sweet home for the evening. (yeah right)

Caitlin is hurrying us up but we get our room on the highest floor (floor 11) in the SE corner and looks out on Sun Devil Stadium–sweet room. The Notre Dame faithful are everywhere and Carolyn buys a Red Bull so she can get out on the streets. Showered and dressed we head out to meet up with Caitlin and Bryan and their friends for a little post game celebrating. We meet up with Caitlin and Bryan and all these 20 something types and proceed to tear it up. We start at a hole in the wall type of tavern The C.S.A. SunBa http://www.casa-sunba.com and meet Bryan’s friend who does some Walter White impersonations and who also does a bit of Jessie from Breaking Bad and he was too funny–Nick Friend. Nicole and Siobhan who will be in the wedding are there and I meet my son for the evening–Joe.

Being hungry, Slices is in order so in we go. http://www.slicespizzajoint.com/index.php Several pieces later we head to el Hefe and of course there is a huge line to get to the place as that is the thing to do. Joe proceeds to hop over the barrier when security is not looking and the rest of us just stand in line. One of the bouncers comes up and motions for our group to to step out of line and we are escorted to a side entrance and into the el Hefe. Why, I guess because we must have looked pretty or we looked pretty hip. http://elhefetempe.com We have a ball and Nicole’s Joe and I play off this father/son thing and the crowd believes it. I should point out that Joe is about 8 inches taller than me and a very stout guy but we play it out. Carolyn and I become are the oldest anywhere in site but we are accepted and have a blast. Some 20 something guy buys Carolyn a drink which saves us money. Yes! Score one for us.

We started this journey exhausted but we are running on Red Bull, Monster, and adrenaline. After Joe gets tossed for picking some guy up and hoisting him into the bar over the barrier, (I tried to intervene as his adopted father–it didn’t work) we head to The Handlebar http://handlebaraz.com and hang out for awhile. We are wearing out but still hungry so we go get a sandwich from Corleone’s http://corleones.net/mill-ave.html and back to the hotel for needed sleep. It is 10:30 and the adventure must come to an end.

I think Caitlin and Bryan and their friends enjoyed having Carolyn and I around. We proved that we could hang in there on such little sleep. Us old AARP types just didn’t act our age so strike one up for us. It was a great ending to a Ragnar weekend! We have to end with Bruce Springsteen, so Carolyn here goes:

Someday girl I don’t know when 
We’re gonna get to that place 
Where we really wanna go 
And we’ll walk in the sun 
But till then tramps like us 
Baby we were born to run 
Oh honey, tramps like us
Baby we were born to run 
Come on with me, tramps like us
Baby we were born to run