I went into Ragnar thinking my experience would be a helpful aspect of the 2 day relay event. But it wasn't my experience that led the way; it was my propensity to live up to the reputation I've been trying to build.
I'm sure everyone who runs has this thought, at one point or another.
I'm not a real runner. That begs the question then - what is a real runner? This is a thought I've struggled with since I was a teenager. I'm not fast. It's a hobby. It's how I lose/maintain weight. I've never been 'good'.
Well, that's not always true. When I was 14 I placed for my high school cross country team at regional then went on to the final race in Delaware. When I was 18 I got first place in my age group for my 2nd (post high school) 5k. I placed again when I was 23, then at 24. In my late 20s I started placing in 10Ks. I've placed more times than I can remember now.
The point being, this idea of 'not being good' has remained been in my head. What would happen if I changed my thinking?
#RAGNARDC 2016
Let's first discuss the awkward moment you meet 3 strangers (and one acquaintance) for the van pick up. And they're all women. And it's you and your husband.*
* side note - this was MUCH more awkward last year. I was un-phased this time around, but just try to imagine this from your perspective. For all I care I could end up in a van with martians, leprechauns, elfs and/or god knows what else. If they ran their designated race legs (segments) I would be a happy camper.
Of course I knew within 10 hours these ladies would be my new bffs (or at least, we'd have to pretend so to get through the next 36-48 hours). It's all smiles, hugs, laughter... mostly because these women had never done a Ragnar. You go through every emotion a human being can possibly feel within 2 days during Ragnar.
So, Joel (my husband), Heather, Jen, Julie, and Larissa joined forces.
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#Yabadabadoo Van 1. Within 10 minutes of exchanging hugs/names.
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I had just left work and got my hair done in some awesome side french braids that met as a bow in the back. It lasted through the entire event :)
Unbeknownst (until the day prior) to my husband and I, Ramada decided they were overbooked and 'cancelled' our hotel reservation. So as we made the trek to Cumberland, MD, for race check in, with a van full of brand new friends, we were also scrambling to locate a vacant room. So I found good ole
Charlie's Motel.
It was the only hotel with a vacancy within 30 minutes of the start. Maybe it was the country twang the hotel attendant had over the phone, or the fact he told me to meet him at the tavern to pick up my room key...but I knew this would be an interesting side story to the Ragnar adventure. Reviewers on Yelp also complained that 'Charlie didn't provide coffee in the rooms'. This was a HUGE problem for me, especially when we had to wake up around 3:30 AM on Friday.
Thursday Night
Check in was a breeze. We arrived at Rocky Gap Casino (race start) close to 9 PM. We filled out waivers, checked in our safety gear (head lamps, reflective vests, etc.), and watched a brief safety video on how not to get disqualified/ pulled off the course (apparently I missed some of this info :) ).
We all wanted to have dinner, a few beers, and get to know each other. However, the casino was not accommodating. After wasting an hour walking through each and every hallway and looking over menus with over priced entrees (and my husband wasted $40 on black jack) we gave up and decided on Chick Fila. Joel and I dropped the ladies off at Ramada Inn around 10:30. Pretty uneventful as pre race evenings go.
By now I was panicking about not have my morning brew. I had bought a small (4 cup) coffee maker just in case this situation occurred, but now I was in need of coffee and filters. So, at 10 PM, I was inside a Sheetz buying coffee, creamer, splenda, and creating make shift filters from large paper towels. I don't play around when it comes to pre race coffee.
About 20 minutes later we arrived at Charlies, the home of the Hurry Back Tavern...
I walked in to the bar and I was instantly teleport-ed to a 1970s' movie; the record stopped. Everyone turned around to gaze at these loathsome outsiders (me and Joel). A few gentlemen stood up to offer me their seats at the completely packed bar. This was the locals hangout. And, with $1.50 beers on tap, it was understandable. The woman who operated the motel also was the bar tender, cook, maid, and every other job title you could fit into a 2-person run motel. Charlie had already 'retired for the evening'. She assigned me my room number while pouring Joel and I double miller lites. This place was alright in my book.
The room wasn't much, but for $60 I didn't expect much. No bed bugs. But the crowd from the bar continued to rage on into the night. Loud pick up trucks were blaring music and I could hear shrill laughter from bar wenches well past 2 AM. When my alarm went off at 3:15 I was not prepared.
Friday Morning
Coffee was imperative. Coffee was also a disaster. I fumbled around in the dark while trying to fit over sized paper towels into a coffee pot the size a pickle jar. Whatever. I had my coffee, no mater how many coffee grinds were in my cup. I was running on less than 3.5 hours of sleep; that coffee was fucking awesome.
We drove to Ramada, picked up the girls, and re-packed the van. This was it - no more beds, hot showers, or home cooked meals until Saturday night.
Since I had taken over the passenger seat (and Joel was the 'driver'), I was given the title of 'safety officer' (which is just as ridiculous as it sounds). I could 'issue safety infractions', but really who is that big of a dick ? Not me.
Julie was our first runner. With a start time of 5:45, she had to suit up in a reflective vest, head lamp, and blinking buttons. It was cold and dark, but that didn't stop any of the Ragnar competitors from having a good time.
*Side note - This was Julie's first real running event! She had walked a few 5Ks beforehand, but never anything like this! So hats off to her for taking on the challenge of a lifetime.
Julie had a 5 mile run through the trails surrounding the lake at Rocky Gap. Beautiful course! She finished, but not without a brag-worthy injury. Those trails in the dark are dangerous!
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| Larissa on Leg 2 |
After Larissa left exchange 1, I had to start mentally preparing for my leg (run). Originally I was going to run leg 6, and Joel would do leg 3. But, after looking at the course descriptions, we swapped our first run. Leg 3 was deemed the most difficult run of Ragnar DC. With a nearly 1300 foot climb which covered the better part of 8 miles, Joel decided I was better equipped to handle the challenge. And I wasn't complaining. Leg 3 came with it's own finisher's medal; I love the bling. And it was good preparation for the #BRM.
Of course, while waiting for Larissa at exchange 2, I started to have those anticipatory butterflies that cause painful adrenaline to flood your veins. I started listening (blaring) to headphones to get mentally prepared.
When I saw Larissa approaching, I took off like a thief in the night. Here I come mountain - fuck yeah!!!*
* Side note: When ever you cross the street to make an exchange, one of your team members must carry 2 huge orange flags, indicating to other racers, on coming cars, wild animals etc. that you are crossing a busy road. In my haste, I forgot this rule. As a racer, that is not good. As a safety officer, well, you should lose your position. Someone apparently yelled ' 22! 22!' to indicate team 22 (us) would receive a safety infraction. We never actually did receive the official warning, though. Thank God.
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Safety violation in action (about to cross the road)
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I ran hard. Let me tell you - I don't think I've ever gone out of the gate like I did for this run. My muscles clench up just remembering it. Less than a mile in the climb started on a long stretch of highway. I remember feeling on top of the world as I passed multiple people already walking. The top kept getting further away, but I was bound and determined to keep moving forward.
It was at this point other runners (not my team members) began to gawk and cheer at me. A van pulled up beside me, and after awhile I realized they were trying to talk to me from the window.
" you're fucking awesome!!!"
"Number 22!!!"
I put my arms up and high fived a few girls with their windows down. This was beyond real, and it was the boost I needed to keep from walking.
People who were parked across the highway began to cheer me on too. I was a spectacle, passing literally over a dozen people. The course veered right, and once I got across the street I saw an even steeper climb. Around 3.5 miles in I began to walk. But power walk. I was STILL passing everyone in my path. I bent over and swung my arms like I had Parkinsons.
Around mile 4, when the road narrowed, I felt a van behind me. Most vans would honk, or just pass, this one didn't. Ugh. My team found me during the most difficult part of the run.
I saw Joel and the girls and said hello, and they waited behind as I reached the top of the steepest hill. Then it was time to show off - I took off again down the mountain as they cheered and (I assume) took photos.
The remaining 4 miles were a mix of up and down hills that were designed to jostle a runner's innards; it was ROUGH. That being said, I kicked that mountain's ass, and I was only passed by one elite (male) runner during the entire leg.
There are no words to capture my pride over this. I forced my body to do an incredibly hard run, and I overcame myself. You never forget that emotional rush of astonishment and bliss.
Things get a little blurry here. I met Jen at the exchange and she took off. We had to quickly get in the van so we could meet for Heather's exchange up ahead. I mastered the skill of changing my soaking wet clothes underneath a towel, and managed to get in a long sleeve shirt and sweats (heaven).
After waiting for about 15 min, we saw Jen coming up to the exchange. Heather left the starting point, but it was unclear where the next exchange was. Her run was all on the trail, with no areas for vans or runners to gather; everyone had to keep moving. Because of the road conditions, the exchange was roughly a mile long. It was up to runner 6 (Joel) to decide where he wanted to begin his leg. His run could vary from 5.5 to almost 7 miles (or so we were told). Of course, Joel wanted to do closer to the 5 mile run.
At this point I took over the driver position. A lack of trail markings left all of us in the dark as to where we would drop Joel off. The road was narrow, which complicated the exchange for all vans and race participants. After enduring evil glares from frustrated drivers and runners, I found (what appeared to be) a space on the side of trail/road where we could safely make the runner exchange.
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Heather approach the van
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Joel began the run there. After we all collected ourselves, and the trail was clear, I began driving the van down to the next exchange. About .75 of a mile or so down the road, we saw the official 'exchange 5 begins here' sign. Whoops.*
* Side note: Joel began his run around 1.5 miles before he had wanted to. Instead of running 5.5 - 6 miles, he ran 7.5 miles ( more than he had an over 2 years). Don't designate me as the driver. Heather, who was supposed to run just over 4 miles, ran just shy of 3.
The next exchange, exchange 6, was a major mile stone for the event. This is where we met Van 2 of Yabadabadoo for the first time. This is where, once Joel finished, we would be 'off the road' for 6 legs, which allowed us to eat, rest, and shower if we wanted. This exchange was great because they were also handing out Dunkin Doughnuts green teas and iced coffees (heaven).
I finally met up with Kenny, Jeff, Lindsey, Jessica, and Karen. They were all refreshed, as they had the luxury of sleeping in well past 3:30 AM :) I exchanged more, albeit, sweaty hugs with my new best friends.
I finally saw Joel approaching the exchange, where Karen would start the runs for Van 2.
I am so proud of him for running the extra distance!* It was time for Van 2 to get on the road, and time for Van 1 to get some grub.
*Side Note: If you look closely at his shorts, something may seem off....
Lunch
We pulled off the highway some 20 minutes up the road for lunch. It was a quaint MD town. The food was nothing to write about (at least I didn't think so), but the conversation was.
Thanks to Jen, I now know what a 'whores' bath' is. And since you only had to wash a few vital parts of the body, this was the plan for Ragnar, I suppose :-)
As we were paying for our lunches up front, another group of Ragnar participants came in. They recognized me from running leg 3 ( they were one of the vans that had cheered me on).
One of the girls asked me if I was on an ultra team (an ultra consists of 6 total members, not 12, and only 1 van, not 2). When I told her I wasn't, she exclaimed " Well you could be! You run like you are!"
This brings me back to my initial thoughts...who could I be if I didn't define my limits? Maybe I could run 6 instead of only 3 legs. Hell,that's it, next year I'm running the damn ultra.
I smiled really hard when I received their praise; they were the most important compliments I'd received in a long time. If I had had more time, I would've mentioned my blog, or that I was a Blue Ridge Marathon ambassador, but we were in a hurry.
School
We drove the van to exchange 12, where we would wait for Van 2 to complete their 6 runs. Exchange 12 was held at a high school. Showers were $1, and spaghetti dinners were $6. I decided against both, and instead helped Joel set up our mini tent so I could get some rest.
Surprisingly, I fell asleep within 30 minutes of lounging half in/ half out of the tent. We were on a grassy hillside in the parking lot. The temps were mild, in the low 70s, and the exhaustion of the day caught up with me. I slept for the better part of an hour, before waking up to my teammates packing their bags and coolers - van 2 would be at the exchange within the hour.
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| Sights of Ragnar |
Friday Night
We waited at the exchange for Jeff to make the hand off to Julie. Once again, we all were wearing reflective gear and lights ( as mandatory). Around 7:30 Julie began leg 13. Van 1 said farewell to Van 2, and we began our second round of runs that would last late into the night.
Ragnar at night is a different animal. I again relied heavily on caffeine to prepare me for the evening ahead.
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Looking festive with a pumpkin latte
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With each exchange I could feel my energy waning. Joel and I reverted back to our initial running placement, which meant I would be last for Van 1. They anticipated my start time somewhere after midnight. I continued to drink coffee and diet coke until I had pee at ever exchange.
Runners all blurred together in lines of red blinking lights on the roads. I thought I was way too tired to be driving, let alone preparing to run. But I watched each of my teammates victoriously cross their finish lines, and I knew I'd have to maintain my stamina for my portion.
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| Joel getting ready for leg 15 |
I waited at exchange 17 for Heather to come through. It was slightly after midnight, and the temperature had dropped the mid 50s. I felt that panic again; the nervous ache of debilitating fear. I reminded myself that next year I was going to an ultra (laughable at that moment) and this was nothing in comparison. Then I saw the moon...
I suddenly felt a peace, and it wasn't so cold anymore. I reminded myself that I was a viking warrior who could handle anything this course threw my way, like the bad ass I was. And I did.
Leg 18 was only 3.5 miles. However, leg 18 was straight up, then straight down, a steep mountain. After midnight, this felt much higher than the run I completed that prior morning. I had done leg 18 last year, so I knew what to expect. Last year I had walked the majority of it, barely completing the run without having a heart attack.
This year, however, I was prepared. When Heather came through the exchange I again took off down the road like a track star. The first half of a mile was flat, then the climb began. I wasn't going to kid myself here; I was walking this bad boy. But I wasn't taking a leisurely stroll. Once again I took my crazy man hiking stance; bent over, arms flaring, legs marching.
I saw more lights up ahead and I knew I closing in on other race participants. I was power walking the shit out of that hill. I passed 3 people within the first 10 minutes . The hill had no end (and in the dark this was literal; you couldn't see more than 10 feet in front of your shoes). My calves burned with battery acid, but I refused to slow down. Once I reached the top it was all downhill. A long, steep decline. I let my body naturally glide down the hill. Running became effortless . As I continued to pass other runners, I wondered why they weren't doing the same. Going down hill is really a matter of trusting your body not to fall. Granted, in the dark that can be difficult. But I was so hungry and tired I didn't care. I just wanted to reach the bottom.
As you can see, Ragnar on Ragnar, I made a vast improvement for this leg of the race!
At the bottom of the hill was the Creamery, or exchange 18. I came through the exchange around 12:40 AM to let Van 2 take back over. This is where I met Carrie, who joined our team last minute due to a drop out. She literally met 11 strangers in the middle of the night to complete 2/3 of a Ragnar. Rockstar status!!
We all got soggy fries and horrible sandwiches or fajitas at the exchange. Whatever, I was starving.
Around 1:20 we hit the road in search of 'Adventure Park', or exchange 24, where we could crash for a few hours before sunrise. While Van 2 was on the road all for the next 5-6 hours, we all set up tents and air mattresses under the stars at the camp ground.
Although, since this was a major exchange point, the non-soothing sounds of cheering teammates, accidental car alarms from people who had just driven their rented vans for the first time, and lively conversations made a sleep an improbable possibility. I still managed to get almost 3 hours of shut eye, though. Around 6:30 AM we all received a message that Jeff would coming through the exchange in just over an hour.
Saturday
It's like waking up with the worst hang over, except you didn't drink. You didn't even eat very much. You slept on a hard ground in cold air for a few hours. It's the ' pre-sick' feeling. That's the Saturday morning of a Ragnar. The exchange had a 'coffee' station, but the coffee was out. The porta potties had a line around the parking lot. Fruit and nut bars were not going to cut it.
I was less cheerful meeting up with Van 2 around 7 AM than I had been the day before. They had just pulled an all nighter running, so I assume they understood. As soon and Jeff made it to the exchange and Julie began leg 25, my van was ready to go to McDonalds.
We stocked up on breakfast sandwiches and coffees. Most everyone had a shorter run this morning; 2 miles, 3 miles, almost 5. I had a 9 mile run downtown for leg 30 to finish the race for Van 1. I did this same run last year, so knew the challenge I faced. Mostly flat, but a few killer sized hills at the beginning and end of the course. Whatever, I was ready to get it over with.
I became envious as I watched each team member finish their last run - they were all done!!! Julie finished her run with tears in her eyes - her first Ragnar. Hell her first real racing event! I watched friends hug each other at final exchanges. Husbands and wives exchange kisses. It's all emotional, and it's all a part of what makes this such a powerful event. If you haven't done a Ragnar you need to sign up right now.
Joel finished his last 3 miles, then Jen, then we waited for Heather. Exchange 29 was at another school parking lot. With only hours of sleep and little nutritional sustenance, I tried to use positive self talk to mentally prepare for my remaining miles. Heather called us. She had actually taken a wrong turn, and added about a mile to her run ( in all fairness, she deserved it for cutting her run short the day prior :) ).
I was ready to be done. 9 miles and it was over. Heather came through the exchange and I was off. I tried to mentally pace myself, but it was impossible. Within .25 miles of the leg the rolling hills started. My legs were like springs from the previous runs so I climbed these neighborhood hills with ease.
This was a pretty run; it crossed through several trails and by bodies of water. Around mile 3 I started pacing with a guy ahead of me. He and I passed each other multiple times over the next few miles. When I was behind him he would periodically check back to see where I was. Together we passed 20 or so runners; I made it a personal goal to stay with him.
I also liked this run because they set out water stops approximately every 2-3 miles, which was a life saver considering the heat was rising and the sun was unrelenting. About 1.5 miles from my final exchange I came to another daunting hill. This was in a residential area, and the hill went straight up. I caved, and began my power walk for one final time. It was here that the gentleman I had been pacing with decided to become a gazelle and leave me behind. I didn't see him again.
The 1 mile to go sign was at the top of the hill. The last mile went through the city; sidewalks, buses, and coffee shops illuminated my path to the finish. The run finished on a large decline, where I met Karen through the exchange.
And that was it. Van 1 was done!!! For comparison purposes, here is my Ragnar year on year stats:
Once again, I vastly improved my overall pace on a challenging leg with minimal sleep. #Rockstarstatus
I was so proud of my team in these photos. We rocked the Ragnar this year! I would gladly run with any one of these ladies again.
Once we got in the car, I opened a (well deserved) beer, and we drove to the Lifetime Fitness to use the shower facilities and luxurious locker rooms. Taking a shower was magical; I felt like I was in a hot springs bath, lit by rainbows, and fairies were handing me soap and shampoo. I took the longest shower of my life that afternoon.
After Party
After unpacking the van and reorganizing all of our race gear, the team piled in for a ride to the finish line in DC. Julie brought champagne, and we began the celebration in route to Gorden Birsch.
Kenny, Lindsey, Jessica, Karen, and Cassie met us at the restaurant. Jeff was still running his last leg (11 miles) and he was going to text us when he was a mile from the finish. I looked over the menu and asked for ' the biggest beer' they had. I was not disappointed :-)
Finish Line
Ragnar also happened to be held during a binge-drinking event in downtown DC (not post Ragnar festivities). The number of drunk people was astonishing...and wildly entertaining. One drunk girl insisted on hugging every member of our team ( she liked the orange tutus) and said she wanted to take us all home. We passed...but she probably would have done it.
Jeff texted us when he was a mile out, and my team waited on the bridge for him to cross over. We were all going to run the last .10 miles together. We were surrounded by other teams also waiting for their final runner to come through. The event carried the sensation of ' we are all in this together'; we were all part of the unique Ragnar family.
When Jeff came across the bridge we all took our positions. Running in flip flops was surprisingly difficult, especially when you already had sore ankles and feet, and you just drank the equivalent of 4 beers. But, as a team, we crossed the final finish line together.
After our final photos, we enjoyed free post race pizza and had a couple more beers at the after party tent. It was great to finally sit down as an entire team and discuss our ambitions, past race accomplishments, and get to know more about each other then just our running pace/stride.
I told all of my team members about this blog (and I know this is a very late post, but hey, I was on vacation from life) and they seemed interested in reading. I hope to stay in contact with everyone- I really hope we all do another Ragnar (and potentially sign up for that Ultra with some of them).
That is the beauty of Ragnar - I now have a new set of friends after only 36-40 hours of suffering.
Like I said, don't think about it. Just sign up. Ragnar is one of the best, most unique, running experiences you can be a part of.
And if you've made it this far....
BRMFRIENDS
Yup, that is my first discount code for the Blue Ridge Marathon - 15% off any of the races (full marathon, half, or the 10K). I will be posting more information on social media in the upcoming months about this event - so please keep following.
Cheers everyone - Happy running!!
