I had the first opportunity to run the infamous relay race called Ragnar. Alene had already ran it a couple of times before. I am not big into running, mostly because I'm "big", but I finally committed to doing it. My only downfall was that my procrastination kicked in (as it usually does) and I failed to jump at the opportunity to select the route I would run. All of the routes with less mileage were snapped up quickly so I ended up with around 18 miles total. My first two runs were roughly 8 miles each and my third run was around 2 miles. This is all ran in around two days.
Each team consists of 12 people with 6 people in each van. While van #1 is running, van #2 is waiting at an exchange point for van #1 to finish, then while van #2 runs, van #1 is "resting" at the next exchange point. Each van has 3 separate segments to run until they all finish on the last 200 yards with the last runner at the finish line.
I spent a good amount of time training for this. The only other time I trained harder for something like this was when I played high school football. I wanted to take it serious and it was amazing how eventually I was running 7-8 miles with no major issues. Getting to that point was tough (lots of tight muscles, foot issues, etc.) but I felt good about it.
My first run went great. The first mile or so was pretty steadily going uphill, but then it dropped dramatically down a very loose dirt road where you had to actually stay slower so you won't slip when you planted your foot. After about 2 miles of running downhill, it was all flat running on a road for another 4-5 miles to the exchange point. I was always the last runner in our group so it was fun to see the entire other van there cheering me on as well.
My second run was brutal. It was in the dark and it was about 8.5 miles. The first 3 miles or so was relatively flat, but then it climbed up over 1000 feet and I was beat. It was so frustrating having to almost "give up" and walk a few of those climbs (I would still maintain that "running" look, but I might as well have been walking). I found a burst of energy toward the end at the exchange, then stumbled back to our truck where most of the team was asleep and collapsed. From there we drove to a major hub at a high school where you could park your vehicle and get a couple hours of sleep, buy some pancakes, then get moving onto the next exchange point. I think Alene and I slept about 1-2 hours is all, then it was up to eat and moving on.
My third run was brutal, even though it was only 2 miles. It wasn't the terrain (completely flat), but it was the fact that my body was SO sore. However once I got about half way into the run I was warmed up and on a good pace to finish off my run. I was such a relieve to hand off and I could only think about Van #2 and how they still had to finish their runs.
Not sure I'd do it again, but I'd definitely recommend it to anyone interested because it's such a fun experience.
Van #1 at the starting line
Alene and I at the starting line
Our "van"
Alene exchanging with Stephanie
Stephanie exchanging with Chris
Zheny, exchanging with Calle
Alene getting some water to Calle. She had a brutally steep run up this dusty, dirty road
Me, exchanging with Calle
Catching some Z's next to the sidewalk after our first run
Matt & Mike from Van #2 exchanging
Mike, finishing off Van #2's run and exchanging with Alene
Alene working her way down from Powder Mountain ski resort
Stephanie running her second leg
The ladies of Van #1 at an exchange point
Zhenya on her 2nd run
Alene finishing her last run around 6am the next day
Waiting to get Chris some water, we took a group picture above Jordanelle reservoir
Me, finishing my last run
Grabbing a bite to eat at the Wasatch Brew pub while Van #1 finishes their last leg (we almost felt guilty)
Cheering on and running in with Mike on the last 200 yards of the race
Team photo
Champions (in our own minds)
Van # 1
Our cool participation medals
Each team consists of 12 people with 6 people in each van. While van #1 is running, van #2 is waiting at an exchange point for van #1 to finish, then while van #2 runs, van #1 is "resting" at the next exchange point. Each van has 3 separate segments to run until they all finish on the last 200 yards with the last runner at the finish line.
I spent a good amount of time training for this. The only other time I trained harder for something like this was when I played high school football. I wanted to take it serious and it was amazing how eventually I was running 7-8 miles with no major issues. Getting to that point was tough (lots of tight muscles, foot issues, etc.) but I felt good about it.
My first run went great. The first mile or so was pretty steadily going uphill, but then it dropped dramatically down a very loose dirt road where you had to actually stay slower so you won't slip when you planted your foot. After about 2 miles of running downhill, it was all flat running on a road for another 4-5 miles to the exchange point. I was always the last runner in our group so it was fun to see the entire other van there cheering me on as well.
My second run was brutal. It was in the dark and it was about 8.5 miles. The first 3 miles or so was relatively flat, but then it climbed up over 1000 feet and I was beat. It was so frustrating having to almost "give up" and walk a few of those climbs (I would still maintain that "running" look, but I might as well have been walking). I found a burst of energy toward the end at the exchange, then stumbled back to our truck where most of the team was asleep and collapsed. From there we drove to a major hub at a high school where you could park your vehicle and get a couple hours of sleep, buy some pancakes, then get moving onto the next exchange point. I think Alene and I slept about 1-2 hours is all, then it was up to eat and moving on.
My third run was brutal, even though it was only 2 miles. It wasn't the terrain (completely flat), but it was the fact that my body was SO sore. However once I got about half way into the run I was warmed up and on a good pace to finish off my run. I was such a relieve to hand off and I could only think about Van #2 and how they still had to finish their runs.
Not sure I'd do it again, but I'd definitely recommend it to anyone interested because it's such a fun experience.
Van #1 at the starting line
Alene and I at the starting line
Our "van"
Alene exchanging with Stephanie
Stephanie exchanging with Chris
Zheny, exchanging with Calle
Alene getting some water to Calle. She had a brutally steep run up this dusty, dirty road
Me, exchanging with Calle
Catching some Z's next to the sidewalk after our first run
Matt & Mike from Van #2 exchanging
Mike, finishing off Van #2's run and exchanging with Alene
Alene working her way down from Powder Mountain ski resort
Stephanie running her second leg
The ladies of Van #1 at an exchange point
Zhenya on her 2nd run
Alene finishing her last run around 6am the next day
Waiting to get Chris some water, we took a group picture above Jordanelle reservoir
Me, finishing my last run
Grabbing a bite to eat at the Wasatch Brew pub while Van #1 finishes their last leg (we almost felt guilty)
Cheering on and running in with Mike on the last 200 yards of the race
Team photo
Champions (in our own minds)
Van # 1
Our cool participation medals
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