RONR

Whahoooo, it was finally race weekend! Walsh Engineering decided to sponsor it's employees and family members to run the River of No Return Endurance Race. So fun! It was quite an adventure training and running the actually race! Ten Walsh people started, and ten finished!

The race was in Challis, so Mark, Bailey, and I went up the day before to camp. After we picked up our packets, we drove to Bayhorse Lake to hike. We found ribbons, so we ended up hiking some of the 108K trail.

Bayhorse Lake

Hiking to loosen up our legs.

Hahaha, she was like an old grandpa sitting there eating saltines and doing her crossword puzzle!

 All of the Walsh people were running the 29K (which ended up being a 30K). That's a great turn out considering how tough this course is!

Bailey, Tricia, Mark

Team Walsh at the starting line!

 Luckily Mark, Bailey, and I had come to Challis a few weeks earlier and did the first part of the course. I'm so glad we knew what to expect. The first 4.5 miles were basically straight up the side of a mountain. Once I realized that, I changed my training a little bit and started power walking big hills once a week. It helped a lot! After the big climb, we had a steep 2 mile downhill, and then the climbing started again. The course was 18.75 miles of either big uphills or big downhills. I'm not sure if there was any flat part on it. It made for some awesome views, but it beat up our legs pretty good!

Half way up the first big climb.

Mark and I have totally opposite strengths when we run. I'm better on the uphills, and he kicks my butt on the downhills. So, we aren't generally together, but we always finish our runs at about the same time.  So, we did see each other a few times on the course, but we never actually ran together. 

This view right here is what saved me! I was so done with climbing. I actually wasn't sure that my body could do much more uphill. Right when I saw this, I knew I had made it to the top, and the rest of the course was pretty much downhill into town. I took a deep breath, took a second to enjoy the view, and that's all I needed to refocus and be able to enjoy the last 6ish miles.

So pretty!

Mark finishing!

Yay!

 Bailey has been training for her half ironman, so she wasn't able to train for this race. She has mostly been biking, swimming, and running shorter distances. The longest run she did was a 10 miler the week before on our camping trip. So we had no idea how she'd do. Well, she ended up kicking some butt! She was the 4th female overall, and first in her age group. She wants to train for it next year and see how she can do. 

Yay Bailey!

I was out there just to enjoy myself, so it was a pleasant surprise when I found out I won the master's division (40 and up). 

Three Walsh employees made it on the podium. Niels also won his age division! Walsh represented really well!

#TEAMWALSH
Kyle, Niels, Joe, Kirt, Lesa, Kurt, Nate, Bailey, Tricia, Mark

Walsh Results:

Niels Mitchell- 3:23 (1st in division)

Bailey Varvel- 3:53 (1st in division)

Nate Seaver- 4:16

Tricia Varvel- 4:23 (1st in masters)

Joe Mitchell- 4:28

 (Would have been a lot faster but he fell really hard, and took a wrong turn. He needs a do-over.)

Mark Varvel- 4:29

(He beat his goal time even with the extra couple miles)

Kirt Marlow- 4:50

Kyle Fransis- 5:05

Kurt Scott- 5:35

Lisa Marlow- 5:51

(She also took a wrong turn)

 #TEAMWALSH