Well, I'm not running yet, but I will be soon. This Summer i am going to continue the, now yearly tradition, of running through the mountains like a crazy person. For those of you who have never experienced the phenomenon of the Wasatch Back Ragnar Relay, let me enlighten you. The Ragnar is not just a race, it is an EXPERIENCE. The race takes teams on a route that is nearly 180 miles starting in Logan and ending in Park City. There is nothing like it. A regular team will have two vehicles and twelve runners. Each runner takes a set of three legs that may range from a total 12-18 miles. (legs are anywhere from 3 to 9 miles each) I think that the average time to run it takes about 24-30 hours. (16 or 17 hours for some of the cross country teams)
Last year I think that there were 650 teams that ran the race. 650 x12=7800 people running day and night through farming valleys, over mountain passes and past lakes and reservoirs. The non-stop flow of people running through the middle of nowhere is a sight to behold. One person from each team is always running. Last year my legs of the race went as follows. 7:00 pm - 3 1/2 miles, eat and rest a little until 3:30 am - 9 miles, eat and try to get a little more rest then 11:00 am 3 1/2 miles up the steepest hill ever. I was WORN OUT but felt amazing.
It is amazing to see the determination of beginners who are struggling to remember why they signed up in the first place and see the excitement in their faces as they finish each leg (sometimes more dead than alive). It is inspiring to see the seasoned runners fly past (me) and dissappear into the night. But most of all it is an awesome experience to see all of the teams cheering each other on and having your team yell and honk and cheer for you as they hand you water and make sure that you are ok.
The Ragnar is an awesome goal if you are needing some motivation to get back in shape, and a fun challenge if you are already an awesome runner. The Ragnar has something for everyone.
Currently some of my friends and I are trying to finish putting together a team by the end of January. If you are interested please let me know.
