1 Pre-race prep at 6am...duct taping pants into boots, decorating shirts, face paint, etc. I was going to be thrilled if we managed to get all 12 to the starting line, not to mention finish the race together!
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3 Leo found us hot pink bandanas with skulls on them...
4 Sun is coming up - time to motor to the start!
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6 Coming up with nicknames - FAST!
7 The "before" shot...
8 One more pee!
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10 And it begins! We're off on a good pace, only to be slowed down by a huge bottleneck at the first obstacle. We had to climb through a wooden window about 4ft off the ground. Not hard, but a little slippery by then!
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13 Lovin the goggles! Those will come in handy later!
14 Laurie had to swim this part - it was pretty deep!!!
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16 Nice morning for a slug through the mud!
17 Counting off to be sure we're all together.
18 Look at that mud! Oh man!
19 We did it!
20 So many smiles for such a messy time! This is Diane, our swimsuit model.
21 And Cathi, our nurse, ready for anything!
22 This was after the slide - a climb up, then down a wooden slide into a pool of mud. Some of us took a header! That's Cathi, Joy (our stud triathlete and former sherriff), and me, I think...
23 Time to admire the other "outfits"...
24 This is why Nate was at every turn to catch us on camera - Laurie is his lovely wife (on left in red). She had "Little Miss Sunshine" inscribed on the back of her tank top.
25 That's Leo waving!
26 Wow - about 1/2 mi from the end and we're still together!!!
27 The soles on Heather's boots were falling off about 1/4 mi from the finish line.
28 Laurie led the way through the dunnel, yelling "DUCK WALK!" back to us so our knees wouldn't get too beat up. Good thinkin'!
29 Cathi, our Army nurse anesthetist.
30 Cheri...our pinch-hitter who thankfully joined our motley crew only 48 hrs before the start.
31 I think that's Sherry ... a little hard to tell with the mud!
32 I think that's Alli emerging next...
33 Yep, that was me :)
34 Heather emerging...
35 Heather - our "baby" at 20 yrs old.
36 Heather's mom, Heidi!
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38 Leo!
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40 We leave no (wo)man behind :)
41 Go Leo, with friend Amy behind her. Amy had flown in from Virginia less than 12 hrs ago by this time. What a trooper!
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44 Cindy off to a great start!
45 And still smiling!
46 Catie having some fun while mom runs...
47 Coming up to the finish. We had to stick together - not easy when you're slippery!!!
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49 We were such a wide team that we tried to run at an angle so others could get by if need be.
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51 Oh well...the heck with it! Let's take up the whole chute!
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53 One of my favorite shots!
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56 Captains move off to the right to remove timing chips.
57 Cindy and Cheri, who was our pinch-hitter! She filled in for a teammate who had just found out she is pregnant. Cheri joined our team 48 hrs before the race!
58 Agent Leo having a great time!
59 Go Heidi!
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61 Cindy, Cheri, Cathi, Alli, Joy
62 Amy, Heather, Leo, Diane, Cindy, Cheri
63 Heidi and Laurie, Amy and Heather
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65 Come on, kiss me! Sam wouldn't come near me for a while...
66 Dave relented, though. Nice guy!
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70 I love this shot of Laurie. This is my dear friend who doesn't like to be dirty. (!)
71 Our great race crew, Pete, mom, Dave, Sammy and Ang visiting from WA!
72 Nate - our race photographer, somehow he made it to every corner with Catie in tow!
73 The "warrior" pose...
74 Lindsey, Bridget and Catie relax in the sun while the moms clean up.
75 Amy's foot. The casualties could have been far worse. We did well!
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78 Cindy and Alli celebrate holding the team together! Thanks fellow Captain - well done!
79 Ang dared to get near me! Thanks for timing your visit to be a part of this!
80 Talking to SSGT Weyland after the race - she was writing a story about us. Laurie found her in the frey by noticing her nice camera :)
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83 "Agent A" :)
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87 That is a happy Amy! Man, rowers are crazy people :)
88 Thanks for being there, hubby! Dave got up early after a long week just to be sure I had everything as I walked out the door. What a great guy!
89 Sammy wearing his cammies for the event.
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91 Leo's husband Brendan and daughter Greta (7 months old).
92 Good times...looking forward to the next event already. Love ya, ladies!!!
