American Odyssey Relay. 2012.

Some serious epicnesss of epicness in this race.

First, you need to find eleven other people.  Five others, if you're crazy.

Then you spend several months planning things like van rentals, who's bringing what equipment, etc.

Oh, and there's training.

It all leads up to this:

At the first major exchange and affixing the Thor Kitten ears. 

Waiting for van 1.  

Team spirit is a big deal.

I'm honestly not sure how this is so out of order, but this was our van's last runner, finishing up his first run.

The "clean" version of the van.

Van 1's last runner coming off of a KILLER hill.
So killer, they give this runner a pint of beer at the top.

Runner number two for our van, and I was a leeeetle nervous. 

My nervousness is proportionate to the amount of bravado I have.

And I'm off.  With a nice little push from Runner 1.
Also, my arm is not missing from the elbow down.  I'm flexing with my hand in my sleeve - because it was cold. 

Ha, my backside is just really not picture worthy...

Thumbs up... running rocks...

Nice view for the Thor Kitty!

Oh, btw - did I mention my first run was 1.5 miles uphill (900 foot elevation gain)
Then 4.5 miles downhill?
Legs = thrashed.
And I still had two legs left.

The other ladies of the van!  We're still friends!  

Preeeettttteeee much.

Two of the guys in our van said "screw sleeping upright" and went outside.
It was a weeee bit chilly, but they looked like they got comfy enough for their purposes.
I really wish there were some way to have taken a picture of the other four of us in the van.
"T" was in the front passenger seat, with it fully reclined.
"J" was in the second row, driver side, captain seat, with it fully reclined
"TB" slept on the back row seat.
Which leaves me.
I  slept on the floor of the minivan. Somehow curled around the chairs and bags.
If it hadn't been for the previous 30ish hours of awakeness,
It never would have happened.
But those three hours of sleep were some of the most glorious hours of sleep.
Ever.

Other AOR casualties runners.

Some members of van 1 left after they finished all their running.
Sad...
But we made it.
All 200 miles. 

Thank you, SIL, for this amazing logo/mascot.
So you know, we received MANY compliments on it.
The Thor Kittens wouldn't have been the same without this guy. 

It was a great time.  Hard. Exhausting. Exhilirating. Mind numbing. Epic. Awesome.
I could go on with the adjectives, but I won't.  Let's just say that I had a fantastic time.  I want to do another and another and another and another... You get the point.
This isn't a normal race.
Thank goodness I'm not a normal kind of person.