General Discussion Triathlon Talk » Ragnar Relay Wasatch Back : Official Thread Rss Feed  
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2014-02-17 11:25 PM

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Subject: Ragnar Relay Wasatch Back : Official Thread

First timer, here!  Anyone got any tips, advise etc.  



Edited by jeffnboise 2014-02-17 11:26 PM


2014-02-21 4:35 PM
in reply to: jeffnboise

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Subject: RE: Ragnar Relay Wasatch Back : Official Thread
I ran it a few years ago. Assuming everything is the same this year, here are a few random thoughts:

Make sure you have your vehicles lined up well in advance. Every 15 passenger rental van within several hundred miles will be spoken for months before the race

Get a trailer hitch cargo tray for items that you don't need immediate & constant access to. The inside of your van will get very full, very quickly.

There is one restaurant in the Eden Valley. It will be overwhelmed. Do not plan on eating there

The first "Ragnar Leg" gets extremely hot and dusty (cars travel up and down a dirt road next to the runners) - make sure that your runner for that stage has water with him/her

Make sure that you have a plan for the handoff points (van 1 to van 2, and vice versa). You spend a lot of time with no cell coverage, and as the race goes on and fatigue and sleep deprivation pile on, tempers can flare.

Have tums/rolaids/etc. on hand - gastric distress happens

Pack some quick-up sun shades. You will probably find yourself trying to catch a few ZZs at one of the transition points in broad daylight (interior of the Van gets hot, and shade can disappear quickly)

Pack some blankets. You will probably find yourself trying to catch a few ZZs at one of the transition points late at night or early in the AM (it gets cold in the hills)

Be ready for contingencies. One or more of your teammates may find themselves unable to run when the time comes.

Probably not an issue anymore, but get yourself to the finish area as early as you can. I wasn't able to cross the line with my team due to the traffic jam at the Canyons parking lot (finish was subsequently moved)

Have fun. Unless you're running to win, you're out there to have a good time. Roll with things, don't worry if one of your teammates has to walk, and rest assured that you will remember this for a LONG time to come
2014-02-28 6:17 PM
in reply to: jeffnboise

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Subject: RE: Ragnar Relay Wasatch Back : Official Thread
I've ran 5 Ragnars - Wasatch Back x2, Vegas, Colorado, and Florida Keys. They are all different, and they are all fun (for the most part), but Wasatch Back is definitely THE BEST (probably because it was the original and is in it's 11th year).

A 15-passenger van is nice, but I really like an SUV with a Yakima on the top and a rear rack to hold a cooler and a dry box. Even a minivan would work well. I've seen people use an extended-cab pickup (yikes!).

Instead of having lots of plastic waters bottles, we use a 5-gallon bottle with a pump top - makes it easy to mix everyone's drink just they way they like it.

Many teams have costumes and themes - I've never been on a team that goes quite that crazy, but at the very least you should decorate your van with some window markers - you'll feel out of place with a plain van. Noise makers, water guns, cow bells.....

Plan for the weather. Check the forecast a couple days in advance. Night in the mountains gets pretty cool to cold. In 2011 there was still a LOT of snow over the passes.

The finish line and last leg has been modified so that there shouldn't be a problem with the whole team finishing together.

Look at the RagMag so you know where there are things like showers and sleeping areas. Some major exchanges will have food, though we've never had a problem finding a restaurant. And, there's always someone in the van who brought enough food to feed a small army....

Train running at night. I'm amazed at the people who have never used their reflective vests or headlamps before their night run. You need to know what it feels like to have bright headlights coming at you (most of the legs are on small two-lane highways). My favorite part of Ragnar is running in the middle of the night.

That's what come to mind right now. Basically, just go have fun!


2014-05-28 1:18 PM
in reply to: ApplePie

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Subject: RE: Ragnar Relay Wasatch Back : Official Thread

Ok, So Ragnar is one month away.  I'm in van two, runner #9 (leg 9-2.9 Easy, leg 21-11.6 Hard and leg 33-4.4 VERY Hard).  I'm looking forward to the experience.  Good Luck, to all runners. 

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