What Has Possessed Me?

This past weekend I participated in another running event -- the Ragnar Relay Del Sol.

Ragnar is a 204 mile relay race; 12 runners, 2 vans and anywhere from 3-8 miles per runner/per leg in a 48 hour window (36 legs total). It's a test of your physical strength and mental fortitude but it's mostly a fun experience shared with your van-mates.

This was actually my 2nd relay. I can't pinpoint the date (whether it was before I was married or after), but I ran a similar relay in California from Napa Valley to Santa Cruz. It was a great time, so I was excited at the idea of doing one again.

I was intially the #7 runner, which was the 1st runner in the second van, and my total mileage was 16 miles. However, one of our runners got really sick just days before the race and after a little shuffling and miles redistribution, I became the #12 runner. So, not only was I now running 18 total miles, I was the last runner and would be crossing the finish line for my team.

I was intially pretty wary of being the #7 runner, not because of the distances, but because of the timing. In this relay, your team is running all day and all through night, and based on the anticipated pace times, the 8 mile, second leg for the #7 runner was scheduled for 2 a.m. So, I guess I dodged a bullet there.

Each leg of the race is given a degree of difficulty: easy, moderate, hard and very hard. My mileage breakdown was 7.1 (very hard), 7.9 (very hard) and 3 (easy). I ran my first leg around 7:30 p.m. on Friday in pitch-black darkness, on a windy and very hilly dirt road. It was hard, but not very hard. I probably should have paced myself considering I had to run again in less than 12 hours, but was pleased with my 58:37 time.

After I finished and passed the baton (slap bracelet, rather) off to the lead runner in Van 1, our van had a few hours to rest before we resumed running at 1:30 a.m. We grabbed dinner (which sucked) and drove to the next major exchange (an area middle school) to try and get some sleep.

Seven people in one van (we had a volunteer driver), six of whom had run and hadn't showered, equalled a restless, stinky and uncomfortable evening. Having never participated in this event before, we didn't think to go into the middle school we were parked at, pay the $2 and spread out in the multipurpose room for some zzzz's like the other vans did. This was actually one of several lessons we learned in our time together. I think I may have slept for 45 minutes which made me really anxious when I thought about the 7.9 mile 'very hard' run ahead of me at approximately 7:30 a.m.

This relay is run through the desert, along highways and residential neighborhoods, so naturally, there is an element of risk. All safety information is provided and necessary precautions taken by the race organizers regarding safety for the event participants. There are strict rules, which bear penalties and disqualifications if they are not followed. For example, anyone running between 5:30 p.m. and 6:30 a.m. had to wear reflective vests, beacons and a headlamp, so they can be seen from the front and the rear. Additionally, anyone out of the van during this time frame, must also wear a reflective vest.

Reportedly, a young man got out of his team's van without his reflective vest and without looking or possibly misjudging the vehicle's speed, crossed the highway to give his teammate who was running some water. Sadly, his prognosis is poor and my thoughts are with his family.

My van-mate was allowed to finish her leg, but the remaining legs (20-24) were cancelled and the race rerouted.

The race would restart with the 3rd leg, which meant Van 1 was scheduled to start at 8 a.m., thus giving us a lot of time to rest. We ended up going to the house of a teammate in Van 1 to sleep and shower. Sore, but clean and rejuvenated, we started our last leg at 12:30 p.m.

I ran my 'easy' 3 miles in 26:26 and finished the race with my teammates running by my side.

I had a great time and intend to run this event again next year so I can run all three legs and have the complete Ragnar experience.

"Chuck Norris Goes Running"

Team #140

Ragnar Relay Del Sol 2010

"Chuck Norris is so fast, he can run around the world and punch himself in the back of the head."

"Chuck Norris can make water run uphill."