Something is missing ....

Every year I take pride in seeing our team picture so I couldn't resist posting the pre-race one.
Once again Lottie wins Most Photogenic. 
We did it!  Again!  Thanks for the memories everyone! 
Rosie, hope we did you proud :)

Christian brings Rosie Ruiz FC to a spectacular finish!

We all have our last legs to run as we struggle to reach the beach, each is bittersweet, an end to the physical challenge yet one step closer to saying goodbye for another year. There is however no sweeter leg than the one that takes the team across the finish line and crystallizes the incredible effort and energy, spirit and humor, dedication and determination, laughter and comradarie that makes us the Rosie Ruiz Fan Club. Thank you Christian for being part of the team and taking us through another bittersweet ending!

Out of the mouth of babes...

Wow, I did not realized that Chris is now officially an "RTB 1000 Mile Club member" Congrats!
What a great relay you all had and under perfect weather conditions too. Reading these posts make me feel even more sorry to have missed this year's relay.
BTW, the video is terrific! Great pictures too!

I am glad to hear that the "mooood" rings helped to identify our runners this year! So, did Joe used the rings? :)

Karin, yes...Rosie Ruiz Fan Club guys are the cutest!!

Missing you all,

Nancy aka the butterfly runner.

Congratulations to Chris!!!

RTB 1000 Mile Club member!  You did it Chris!!  That's a lot of running ... and playing with Halloween and puppy stickers ... and wearing flower mood rings (BTW Nancy, they were a hit) ... so hope you like your medal

Rosie Ruiz Fan Club guys are the cutest!!

Taylor launches the Rosie Ruiz Fan Club towards the beach.

Alright, after completing another year of Reach the Beach 2012 and thoroughly enjoying myself "keep telling yourself that, Bruce, you idiot". It is time for me to try and live up to Erica's expectation that I am the team videographer. The first video that I will post is the now infamous Taylor Lew  running the first leg of the 2012 RTB and sending the Rosie Ruiz Fan Club into the 2012 history books! Stay tuned for more videos as I find time to put them together.

A Picture and Pre-Race Fueling Advice

Just in case you thought the Orange Line was the only one with a camera here you go!  Here is a shot of the Green Line at dinner in New Hampshire somewhere at what turned out to be a very good restaurant!

From front left to right:  Lisa, Karin, Taylor, Judson, Bruce and yours truly Matt.

At the time this picture was taken most of our orders had yet to arrive.  But let me tell you this about mine, next year I have to remember to avoid eating a salad during mealtime even if it does come with the pasta!  Ugh!  Never again.  Here is some free pre-race fueling advice:  Do not eat things that can potentially be turned into a high fiber bar with sufficient processing.  Now that is all I have to say on this topic.

Quick Thanks

Okay--I am back in Ithaca after a whirlwind trip to (and through) New Hampshire.  Just want to thank eleven great people for what was the best Reach the Beach yet for me.  Each year I think it can't get any better, but then it does.  I will try to write something more organized and thoughtful later, but for now just wanted to say thank you to all of Van One (the Green Line) for being so patient with us and so darn chipper and positive.  Bruce--thanks for filling the role of official photographer/videographer.  Also for being so calm all the time when our vans overlap somewhere.  You help keep things even.  Matt--thanks for being so on top of everything logistically and caring so much about all of us getting our much needed sleep.  You are good at keeping the BIG PICTURE in mind and it helps everything run more smoothly. It really is important.  Lisa--thanks for signing on for a second year even though you were cheated out of a leg last year.  It was so great to see you coming out of the darkness with a smile at the end of your second leg and then to see you sprint in at the end of your third leg--it was inspirational.  Judson, Karin, and Taylor--thank you for making such a huge sacrifice in terms of time and effort to even just make it to New Hampshire.  And then for being so genuinely kind and upbeat and accepting.  You are such an inspirational family.  I want to be like you.

And to my vanmates on the Orange Line:  thanks for making the 28 hours of Reach the Beach the most densely packed hours of my year, in terms of smiles and laughs per minute.  Being with you all makes even the pain of running when running is the very last thing you want to be doing acceptable.  Hell, more than acceptable--downright fun.  You make me want to be a better man.  (Okay, that last bit's not really true, but you DO make me want to be a faster runner--and a better friend.)  Thanks for another great ride, er, run.