Where do the days go? It's already halfway through October?
Phew, I've been pretty remiss about writing here. Truth be told Ragnar was a huge stressful monster until everything came together and then it was an absolute blast! We were planning things right up until about 11 PM the night before the race and we had to be up a little after 1 AM to start the drive down to Albany, so maybe I'm still recovering from all that crazy.
The
Ragnar Relay is a series of ~200 mile relay races that can be found across the country. The relay teams have 12 members and each member runs 3 times over the course of 200 miles. Each runner ends up running about 18 miles each. The race starts in the morning, continues through the day, into the night and then the next day until you are done.
We originally planned on bringing two teams of 12 people to the race, but in the end we had to cut one team (lots of people dropped out...). The people that ended up doing the race were awesome and we all had such an amazing time. We were team No(rth) Fear. And fearless we were!
The race started VERY early in the morning in Saratoga Springs (near Albany, NY). The first van of 6 team members had to be ready to go by 7:15 AM.
Van 1:
1) Alexis
2) Kristine (me)
3) Katie M.
4) Katie T.
5) Katie N.
6 Jacki
(Yup, 3/6 of us were named Katie.)
We were on the road by 2:15 AM. Along the way, just north of Long Lake, NY we saw a MOOSE running on the road! They are really funny to watch running. It eventually ran off the road and up a trail head on the side of the road. It was one of those moments when you hardly believe something actually happened because it was so cliche.
We arrived at the race at around 5:45 AM. It was still dark, there was a heavy wet dew, and it was pretty cold! The time worked out pretty perfectly because we had just enough time to check in, do a safety briefing, go potty, get geared up (during "night" hours you all had to be wearing reflective vests), and get our first runner, Alexis, ready to start.
Once Alexis started we headed to a convenient store for some coffee and breakfast. Since I was running second, and have a weak stomach, I ate things that I had packed and had some Gatorade. My peanut butter sandwich went down really well. I was pretty hungry from being up most of the night.
We went to the first exchange point and waited for Alexis to finish her leg. Then we snapped the relay bracelet from her wrist to mine and I was off!
I think it would have been a beautiful run except that the fog hung so heavily over the lake that I could only barely see the edge of the lake as I ran along it. I did get to do some house watching. There were some very beautiful homes along the lake and it was a very pleasant run.
I'm not a very good morning runner. I don't have energy in the morning like I seem to have at night. It was NOT an easy run for me by any means but I kept telling myself I was there to have fun and that it was a RACE so I ran as hard as I could and got it done. I was pretty happy to slap the bracelet onto Katie M's wrist when I was done and off she went!
The morning continued with us getting to all of the exchange points on time for the exchanges to happen without a hitch. By the end of my run the day had warmed up and the fog had lifted almost completely. By the end of Jacki's run it was HOT out.
We met up with the next group of runners and got them all set to start the next set of legs. At the major exchange point between legs 6 and 7 (major exchange because it was the exchange between the two halves of the team) we made sure that runner 7 (Blaire) was REALLY all set to go. It was VERY hot at this point and his run listed as "9.4 miles very hard". I was really relieved to see that he was planning on running with a Camelbac hydration pack.
I also scored a free Bondi Band! Good thing I've run a marathon so I can wear this little baby.
Van 2:
7) Blaire
8) Mark
9) Eliza
10) Tom (the hubs)
11) Sam
12) Amanda
Once the second van took over we regrouped and had some much-needed lunch! A food truck was selling pulled pork sandwiches and we all bought one and sat in the shade for a while and ate. Next up for our plans were to go to the next exchange point,
Million Dollar Beach on Lake George, and get some showers, rest, and more food before we had to start running again.
The showers were just warm enough, the beach area just comfy enough, and the scenery so peaceful that I slipped into a quick and much needed nap laying in the sun in my sleeping bag. It was an absolutely beautiful afternoon and the resting runners all looked very happy to be resting at the beach. I had some very tasty french fries for dinner with lots of salt and felt pretty good as we started getting ready to exchange with the second van for our next set of runs.
It was night running time and we strapped on our
reflective vests. I also added the
blinking tail light and
head lamp (required safety equipment for the race). I was so pumped for my run. I love running just after dinner and I was ready to give it my all.
My second run went REALLY well. I felt awesome. I chugged up hills and pumped down them as fast as I could. I LOVE downhill.
There were only two negatives about this run. The first was that I had about 6" of road to run on for most of the run. Sometimes I was right up against a wall and then there was the traffic right next to me. Thankfully there were lots of other runners out. Safety in numbers right? Also, the last MILE of my run was straight uphill...
I had told myself I would not walk a step and try to keep running during the relay, and so far it had seem me through quite a few hills that I just pushed myself up, but I just could not sustain that kind of push for that long. My power walk was getting to be much faster than my sad attempt at running. I even passed a guy while I was walking!
I was completely dead when I got to the exchange point. My team looked at me as I doubled over gasping like a fish out of water. I'm pretty sure the only thing I was able to say was, "I'm OK and a strangled four letter word" for emphasis. The people in the crowd giggled because apparently that's about what all of the other runners had been saying as they came in for the exchange. HA! Soaked with sweat but chilling quickly, I changed in the dark behind the vehicle into my next running outfit before we left for the next exchange. I realized about 12 hours later that I had grabbed the wrong tights and accidentally put the pair on that I had already worn during the first leg... HA!!!
We continued our legs and exchanges and ended up at Ticondaroga High School. The other team took over around 11:30 PM and we ate some school food buffet. Not too great, but I was so hungry I tried to get as much as I could down. I spent some time feeling pretty sick from running and not eating normally. I took a bunch of Immodium and also an Aleeve to help with muscle aches. Finally, set on getting up at around 4:15 AM and leaving at 4:30 for the next major exchange and our last set of runs, I found a spot on the gym floor and slept quite well for a few hours. It was too early to get any breakfast anywhere so I ate my second packed peanut butter sandwich on the way to our exchange with Van 2. It was cold and foggy and there was a thick wet feeling in the air. We were in the woods for these legs and houses were not as close together here.
We dropped Alexis off in the dark and then went to wait at the next exchange point. I wrapped up in a blanket and waited. The dawn came before I started running and I didn't have to wear my "night" gear, which was good because my forehead hurt from wearing the headlamp the night before. So at about 7:30 I started off for a short run that was listed as "easy".
I felt like lead and my eyes were itchy from lack of sleep. The beginning of the run was hilly and I was really drained. I just kept thinking about my team and how awesome everyone had been doing and that I had to just keep plugging away and not let them down. After the first mile or so the terrain leveled out and I ran on a very flat stretch of highway with a nice luxuriously wide shoulder. Then glory of all glories the road sloped down, and it just kept going down, and then down and down. I kicked my legs into gear and let myself be pulled down the road. I was making up for how horribly I had done in the first couple miles!
The very last part of the run was uphill, but short so I was able to hold it together and finish strong and I was SOOOOO happy that I was done! The girls had stopped for coffee and snacks while I was running and Jacki offered me a half eaten corn bread muffin and Katie M's half drank coffee and it was seriously the most delicious breakfast ever.
I can't explain to you the feeling of happiness and gratitude and peace when you are done with your last leg in this relay. It was "fun" to watch each of us be nervous for our last legs because we were tired and hungry and worried we wouldn't be awesome and then to see each of us come back from another successful and final leg with a HUGE smile on our faces.
Jacki was the last runner in our group and it was seriously SO hot again with full sun. Her last leg was a 7.9 mile very hard leg. She was nervous and that got me nervous especially as our van drove along the road she would have to run as we made our way to the next exchange point. I knew she was a strong runner and would be fine, but the heat had me worried. We got the next van ready to take over when she got there and waited in the sun hoping everything would be fine. (cell phone service was really spotty for most of the race because of the mountains) I had a time in my mind when someone would drive back looking for her if she didn't show up. Then I got a phone call and when I looked and it was Jacki calling my stomach fell. Well, wouldn't you know it, she was just calling to make sure Blaire and the next team were ready to go because she was faster than she thought she would be and she was almost there!!! Talk about an unnecessary heart attack.
Then our group was done and the second group took over and we would see them again at the finish line. We headed to Lake Placid cheering for runners and enjoying the beautiful afternoon and views of the mountains and streams as we went.
Sadly, at one point, we came up on a runner being attended by paramedics. It really was very hot once again and our second team did not have an easy time in the heat. Thankfully we all stayed hydrated and made it through just fine.
Our plan for Lake Placid was to find a pizza place and go nuts eating slices and enjoying the sunshine. We found a great place with outdoor seating right when we came into town. We ordered 5 pizzas and a calzone and we all went to town eating our first decent meal in what felt like forever.
When we were done we headed over to the finish line area and waited for the second group of our team to come and to run the finish line together.
I'm so proud of our team and how well we did. We finished 197 miles in 33 hours on VERY little sleep and spotty food/water (note to self, next time bring TONS of water). This was the most fun I have had in a very long time.
Check out this sweet bling!
If you are considering a Ragnar Relay I highly suggest doing it! You will not be disappointed.
Thanks for reading!
