Prepper’s Delight – Time for Ragnar Planning!

The last time we participated in the Ragnar Relay, we faced the logistical challenge of getting the entire team across the country to Florida, acquiring supplies and vans there, running the race, then getting everyone and everything back home safe and sound.  Thanks to the exceptional help of my family (Mom, Uncle Doug, Jim, and Leigh, I’m looking at you!), everything went smoothly, and we all had a fantastic time.  Check out the Archive posts from February (over there on the right side of the page) to read about the Ragnar Florida Keys adventure – I just did (again)!

Team Bearizona, represent!

In case anyone is unfamiliar with the Ragnar series of events, they’re relays held across the country* where a group of 12 buddies gets together and takes turn logging around 200 miles of running from one point to another.  I’ve done our hometown Ragnar Del Sol twice, Ragnar Las Vegas once, and this past February, Ragnar Florida Keys.  I love the Ragnar events, and honestly, for me, solving the logistical challenges are part of the appeal.  If you know me at all, you know that there are few things that bring me more joy than organizing, including planning and packing.** 

My friend Chandra bought me this list pad as a Christmas gift a few years back –

And it wasn’t even a gag gift.

She knew how much I would love it.

Last year, Ragnar branched off a bit to include not just road running but also trail runs in its litany of relays.  Since we love trail running, we decided to take the plunge and start a team for the second annual Ragnar McDowell Mountain trail event, which is coming up next weekend, November 7^th-8^th.   By this point, we’ve done so many Ragnars that we have the majority of our gear and food list set, with only minor changes made for each new locale and any different members of the team.  

While Ragnar Trail will have some things fundamentally the same as the road version, several elements will be different.  For example, instead of being a point to point route, the course is a series of trail loops that all come back to the same start/finish point; thus, instead of driving between exchanges to catch your runners in 12 passenger vans, the entire team (8 people instead of 12) camps in what the race calls “Ragnar Village,” and everyone chills there while waiting for their turn with the baton. 

Step 1 in prepping for this race involved ditching the vans and GPS system for tents, tarps, lanterns, and other camping supplies.  Step 2, closely related to Step 1, involved figuring out how to decorate the campsite; although it may seem easier to decorate a tent and canopy than a van, we’ve gotten pretty good at van decorations – so good, in fact, that we won best van during the Florida event:

Yes, I know this may be the most commonly used picture on my website.***

That is because I love it.

I think the biggest change from prior relays to this one will be the atmosphere; when you have 12 people split up into 2 vans, one van is resting while the other van is running.  Thus, while you get to know your van-mates REALLY well****, you don’t necessarily interact with the other half of the team that much.  Since this relay involves one person running while the other 7 sit around and eat S’Mores*****, I have a feeling we’ll all have a chance to really hang out with each other, and I’m looking forward to this.  According to our Ragnar Trail veteran, Murph (Sara Murphy), there’s a lot of downtime, so actual sleeping has the potential to happen as well.  I am also looking forward to this.  Also, did I mention S’Mores?  I do like a good S’More.

Currently, the plan is for Chris, Murph, and I to head to McDowell Mountain on Thursday evening, the day before the race begins, to set up our tents and gear in a leisurely manner – according to Murph, trying to get to the event, set up all the campsite gear, then go run all on the same day was frantic last year – then camp overnight.  The rest of the team will be joining us on Friday morning around 10am, since our official run start time is noon.

We’re Team Rag’Merica this year, so if you’ll be at McDowell, keep an eye out for us!

Rag’Merica!  Freak yeah!

Updates will be up on the blog once I get back home and to a functional computer, so stay tuned!

Later!

Amy

* And now in Canada, I think.  Oui, internationale!

** These few things include Chris and chocolate.  Sometimes, friends, family, and the dogs are included in this list, but not always.  It’s not that I don’t love those guys, I just really, really love organizing things.

*** Other than my Billy Eichner javalina.

**** When you see people at their absolute grossest – smelly, sleep deprived, and so on – you either become really close friends or never speak to them again. 

***** The wisdom of eating S’Mores then going for a 4 mile trail run will be tested.  It may be found wanting.  They also allow you to drink beer at this Ragnar during the event instead of just afterward.  The wisdom of doing this may also be found wanting.