Ooo that smell…

I cannot pick just one highlight of the weekend to share, and I cannot possibly share it all. The whole experience was simply amazing, exhausting, and fabulous. None of it would have been possible without 12 people committing to the cause, setting aside other demands, and lacing up to cover the mileage.

It goes without saying that there is a camaraderie that develops over time as a team comes together to work towards a single goal. It has to. For Aromatic Blend, that goal was no less than 200 miles away.

One thing that amazes me about the whole weekend, is the fact that I only knew 1 other person in my van at the beginning. By the end, however, we’d grown more comfortable with each other than many people who have known each other for years. We poked fun of each other, laughed out loud (and often), and offered each other support along the way — in our own unique way.

My legs of the run were each amazing in their own way. The 1st took me past horses, through the vineyards, and finished on a busy highway in Napa. I traveled along a reservoir in the dark part of the morning. Later, I ran mostly downhill through the redwoods, and along another highway — passing other runners one by one. It was awesome.

And when it was all said and done, we crossed the finish together (Vans 1 and 2), got our finishing medals, toasted to our success, and drug our weary butts homeward. Total run time = 29 hours 36 minutes.

As for the team name, just imagine the smell created by 12 sweaty runners who have grown comfortable enough with each other to let loose. After being all cooped up in a van for 30 hours, there is quite an aroma.