Everyday Obstacle Course Racer: Ragnar Relay Cape Cod

Some of the team at the second big exchange, no sleep for most of us

So this past weekend has been jam packed with some of the most fun I have had in a long time. I joined a team with a bunch of my friends, and fellow New England Spahtens (seriously the best OCR team or group of people). I love this race, it is a relay race company, and they are typically about 200 miles long. To gauge when your team starts they get a mile time based on your 10k race pace. Our team took about a day and a half. We started in Hull and ended in Province Town. I lucked out with an awesome team, I could not imagine spending that much time in a van, in between runs, and on little sleep, with any other group. From the time when we got to the hotel, to the moment we unloaded the van, it was all laughs!


The teams decided to do chest bump with baton passing, more ragnar fun (Aaron and Jonna)

My friend (Cathy) doing a great job, in a scenic part of the race

Aaron finished the half leg, earning a medal for it, he destroyed that leg btw

The standard race is based on a 12 person team, with 2 vans of 6 runners. They divide the race into "legs" of varying miles. I was runner 8, and I did about 16 miles (I think). This race is unlike others in that you are encouraged to "kill" others during your race. A "kill" is when you pass another runner, and makes it way more fun, and adds a little excitement to your leg as well.

Kill count, color coded per leg!

To say that our van was over prepared is an understatement, we had waaaay more food than needed, but hey, it is better to have to much than too little! We supported our runners by check in on everybody during their legs, giving out water, or in my case a cookie, and a high 5, whatever it takes to give that extra push! Constant honking of the horn (during appropriate hours, teams did not stop running just because it was late!) or yelling out the window. One van even parked the van and danced for their runners, that was pretty cool! Ragnar's motto is "Run, Drive, Sleep?, Repeat" and that is what we did, well sort of, most of the team could not sleep much during the race. I on the other hand, crashed hard after my second leg, after my shower, and the team got to rest, I was first to pass out, and got an amazing 5 hours in the van. The whole over prepared thing was great, I didn't bring a blanket, but a friend brought some, also i forgot a towel, again, good thing a friend had me covered. This Is one of those things, that you really do for the experience, time does not matter if you do not want it to, what does matter you ask? FUN, and Friends, like I said, you are in close quarters them for about 2 days, and if you have the right team, it is 2 days in paradise! On the other hand, this can be a great tool to push each other past comfort zones. My team absolutely pushed some of our less confident runners, and then they blossomed! My friends that were going for time? Put up new P.R.s more than a few I believe, and on little or more than likely no sleep. Just another example of what can happen when you have a good team that pushes each other, sets the bar high, and gives it their all!

Second leg, at night, because BATMAN!

First leg, repping both Spahtens and RWB

Just after receiving my medal, after the team crossed the finish together

This is the team, the awesome team that I got to be a part of (photo thanks to Jesika Lee Da Silvia)

As for my leg #8 started off with a 8.1 mile run I got 11 kills, and that was a hilly run. My next run was 5.6 miles, at night I got 4 kills, and I forgot to turn on my blinking light on my back, luckily, my friends pulled over and turned it on for me (great team work). My final leg was 2.3 miles I got 2 kills, and man that last run was brutal, I pushed hard, and after all the miles, and running hard on hills, I slowed down more than desired.

The medals form together on the back!

All of this fun was planned by a friend, I was so pleased to join in on this team. My captain deserves an honorable mention. She managed a few teams this year and last, did all the logistics, and filled the teams with wonderful runners. All of her planning made for an absolutely wonderful time. And to show how much we car, one of my teammates entered her into a contest to win a free entry, to vote for Jess click here (thanks in advance)

Ariel view of the finish line

Some things to keep in mind for your ragnar experience

Keep organized whenever possible, you will be spending so much time in a van
Bring plenty of food and water
Pack clothes for each leg (in gallon sized ziplock bags, with a dryer sheet to minimize smell)
Have cash for gas, and all the snacks you may want (and for showers or whatever)
Pick good team mates, you will be in a van sweaty, gross and smelly, and you will have a whole bunch of down time for shenanigans
Tagging is a fun past time (team magnets you put on other vans, but slyly, not one can see you do it)

An awesome example of the humor in the form of a tag

Kills are encouraged, remember this is more about fun than time (they do not have prizes)
They have hilarious safety videos, seriously, they did a good job!
you will have some of the worst post race depression you have ever had on monday, its a thing, not just me, it went around my facebook news feed all day (even worse? I have a kickass race on saturday, I look forward to bonefrog! but still bummed, good thing I had harvard)