Most people don't know the breakdown of a Ragnar Relay, I will try and explain it really quick. This may get long...first off every team has 12 people on it. The members are numbered 1-12 and we go in numerical order passing a baton, ounce number 12 gets done he passes the baton to number 1 and it starts over. The team is split up into 2 groups runners 1-6 and runners 7-12. Each group of 6 is in one van. Half of the team can eat/sleep while the other half is driving next to their team as they run. Everyone runs 3 legs, all different lengths due to where they can fit in exchange places, where you give the baton to the next runner. All these exchange places had to be big enough for parking/10+ bathrooms/room for water stations. It goes 2 days and 1 night non-stop!!!
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| Ragnar tattoo |
My husband was leg 10 & I was leg 11.
Kades legs were -3.1 miles easy
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| 1st leg |
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| 2nd leg, night run |
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| 3rd leg |
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| right after we finished our LAST leg. |
Kade did amazing!!! He PRed on his 10k, which was in the dark & perfect 50 degrees. I was so worried about him because he didn't get very many long runs in before the race. His longest run was 8 miles and they suggested long runs up to the total amount of miles, so your body is use to high mileage. The course discription said his last 2 legs were down hill, but that 10k in the middle ended up having a lot of hills. But he rocked it and his adrenaline helped his pace significantly. He got 2 blisters and I figure it was because he didn't have 2 pairs of shoes to traid off during legs, like I did. He only hobbled for 2 days after the race was over, which ppl at work gave him a hard time about, haha. He is already talking about next years Ragnar, his runners high, how he is itching to run, and how I might have created a monster. I'm thrilled of course because my fear was that he would hurt a lot, and he would vow to never run again. I vow to never run again in the middle of any race I do...it hurts...sometimes a lot.
My legs were -4.4 miles moderate
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| showing off our tattoos! |
I was happy that I got the easiest leg for my last, I knew I would be stiff and tired after my 10 miler. My first leg was so hot that it was probably my most difficult leg, plus HILLS, I got sick from the heat and I ate dinner that night but was unable to stomach much for the next 24 hours.
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| handing off the baton on my 1st leg |
I probably slept the least out of our van next to the driver. Most people were able to sleep while the van was moving and following our team, I wasn't. I only slept twice out on the grass in the sleeping bag. Once while it was 90 degrees and sunny. I now know why my husband had so much fun, it was a mix between camping and sports, haha. I feel like after this I could go camping and survive sleeping on the ground, if you are tired it is doable. My 10 mile leg was the one I was the most nervous for. But there were hardly any hills and it was mostly on gravel. I assume the gravel gave it a harder rating, but I run on the gravel all the time over here, so it was great. It was a trail run and it was around the beautiful Echo Lake.
Half of it was in the dark and I got to watch the sun rise around the lake. Talk about beautiful - one run that will be forever hard to beat.
My last leg was fast and furious...my fastest mile yet 10:30
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| Yay, I'm DONE! |
By the end I was so tired. I was so ready to go home. I missed my babies soooo much, and I'm still not sure I will do it again next year. But give me a few months and I will forget the bad. Our van was amazing, I laughted so hard and had so much fun visiting and sweating with my team. It is definitely a great experience, and adventure, and something we will have to save some $$$ up for if we plan on it again.
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| our medals are a puzzle! |
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| All running into the finish together! |
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| Yes, we did it! |
Some random things - the most difficult thing about a Ragnar next to no sleep and multiple races is the waiting. You feel like you are constantly waiting for 2 days and a night. If we do it again at least I will be prepared for the endless waiting. -I have never had to use a porterpotty so much in my life, you get to where you are scanning for them at EVERY exchange. -people weren't as smelly as I feared - and you don't need as much food as you think, but double the water. Now, some more random pictures.
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| shopping |
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| riding in the big van. |
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| showing off our team shirts, that was our name, when in doubt run it out. |
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| our van! |
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| showing off that medal |
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| we did it, together. |
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| The whole dozen, that we didn't see much of, and I don't even know all their names. |
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| strangers, turned friends. |
This weekend taught me that I am way more mentally tough than I give myself credit for! I can now call myself a ragnarian & check that off my bucket list.
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| jump for joy, we are DONE! |
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