Ragnar Report, Part One

Well, I survived the Ragnar Relay!

Friday morning I was really starting to wonder if I was truly up for the race, but I was still very excited. It was something new, and the event that I had been training for and planning for and stressing over had finally arrived. Lots of butterflies Friday morning. I ate a little, but the nervous queasiness kind of kept me from overdoing it. Which was a good thing, I guess. Nobody would have wanted me to throw up on the way to the starting exchange.

Half of our team ("Van 1") had left at the unholy hour of 3:45am on Friday to be in Wickenburg for the official start of the race. I was assigned to "Van 2" (none of us were actually in vans) so we didn't have to show up until about 11am in Tonopah. Fortunately, we made it there on time and with everybody who was supposed to show up. (Cross two big worries off my list.) I went to check us in, only to find that one runner had not brought a safety vest and they would not let us check in! I think right about then was one of the worst moments of the whole race for me. The check in guy told me there was no way we could check in without vests for every single runner, and that they were only selling extras at the start line. In Wickenburg.

Oh crap!!!!

Fortunately, we were able to borrow a vest for Karen and get checked in. Thank goodness. It would have really been awful to have Van 1 show up and have to tell them, "Sorry, folks, you're on your own for the whole race!"

Ragnar Lesson #1: DO NOT FORGET YOUR SAFETY VEST! (And for captains-- do not assume that just because everyone has been told multiple times that they need a vest that everyone will remember.)

I enjoyed the first part of the race quite a bit. We only got to chat with our friends from Van 1 for about a minute before we had to take off to make it to the next exchange to be ready for our runner. It was beautiful weather-- not too hot, not too sunny, not too cold. Perfect for running! But as the day wore on I began to realize that being the runner in the last position had some definite drawbacks. Everyone else was getting their first running leg over with, and I just had more and more time to get nervous about my own. Ick!

Panic moment number two came during Ish's first leg-- he was runner #9. His leg had been changed just the week before the race to a horrifically long 9.2 miles. As we started driving ahead of him to go to the next exchange we saw that his entire 9 miles was uphill. Not super steep, but it was never-ending. Oh dear. At the next exchange we waited and waited, checking our watches frequently. At first we didn't worry too much when we passed his projected time to come in. After all, it was uphill. Natural for him to be slower.

In the meantime, the rest of us got entertained (or grossed out) by the men around us. First were the guys waiting near us who were having an absolutely filthy conversation. I won't repeat it here, but it did remind me that I was not in Kansas anymore (i.e. the land of mature men who would never talk like that, especially around women). Then we got entertained by a runner waiting for his turn in nothing but little green shorty shorts. That made us giggle a little. But at least this military dude at least had a passable physique for what he was wearing. Soon thereafter, we were stunned to see a middle-aged man with a very middle-aged body sporting Captain America underpants, tube socks, and his running shoes. Nothing else.

!!!!

(At the time I was so keyed up from nerves and adrenaline that I ended up with almost hysterical giggles, even snorting as I tried to stop.)

Ragnar Lesson #2: Costumes are fun and all, but there are limits, people! (And the more tired you get, the less funny you find them. More about that later.)

Anyway, back to Ish and his run of death. When he was 30 minutes past his projected time I was really starting to worry. I was not at all worried about our team coming in slow, but I was terrified that something had happened to him. We were just debating whether someone should drive back and see if he was OK when he finally limped into view. He made it, but he was developing some major blisters.

Ragnar Lesson #3: Never, ever wear brand new running shoes for a long distance race. (Poor Ish!)

Right after Ish came my sister Amy's turn. She had to continue the same uphill stretch for 8.4 miles. As we left her behind and made the drive to the next exchange I was counting my blessings the entire time. You see, up until a few days before the race, this was supposed to be my first leg. I owe you big time, Amy!!!

Amy did spectacularly well on that difficult leg. Lexi followed her, and Lexi did great too! But all through Lexi's leg I was a basket case. I was so worried about not being ready when she got there. Right when we got to the exchange I tackled the porta potty line and then went to wait at the handoff point. Way early. When it started to get close to the time that Lexi was supposed to come in, I was starting to debate heading back to go to the bathroom again. I had had plenty to drink so I would be hydrated, after all. But while I was waiting, no less than four runners came in and had to wait for their handoff because the other runner was not there. So I decided that I couldn't risk waiting in line again.

Ragnar Lesson #4: Always pee again right before your leg, even if you think that you will be late for your runner. Your runner can wait, but your bladder might not.

Needless to say, I spent the whole 2nd half of my leg hoping against hope that I could keep from wetting my pants. Not exactly pleasant. Other than that, my run went really well. I ran 5.9 miles, with the first mile or so being uphill. Once I got past the uphill part it wasn't so bad. The sun set during my leg, and I ran most of it in the dark. I actually did really well, averaging a 10:00 minute mile for the leg. But I must admit, I had never been so grateful to see a finish line approach. Up to that point, anyway. I thought my hardest leg was behind me.

Yeah, right!

To be continued. . . .