Ragnar Relay

I participated in the Ragnar Relay this past weekend with some friends that I knew from Tucson. It was so much fun! It was one of those experiences which in the middle of it, you are thinking "why did I do this again?" but was very rewarding afterwards. Here is my account followed by most of the pictures taken with my camera.

My team consisted of 12 people. Van #1 was: Tyler and Becky Goodrich, Camry Tucker, Dani Clark, Sam Jarvis (Spencer's brother), and Chad Ensign. Van #2: Spencer and Sharon Jarvis, Camille Degomez, Ilkka Aura (Eevi's dad), Eevi Grossarth, and me. Van #1 left early Friday morning to get to the start line in Prescott and I met my van around 7:30. We drove up to the start line to see our team begin the long journey! Because our van didn't have to begin our run for a few hours, we stopped in downtown Prescott to eat lunch in a park and then walked around town for a little bit. We then drove to exchange 6 to meet our team and begin our run. We originally were assigned a set run (I was runner 11) so although my team was just beginning and I was anticipating and excited to do my run, I didn't run until a few hours after my van started. Throughout the race we would drive half way through a leg to cheer on our current runner and then drive on to the next exchange point for the hand off. My first run which was 8.5 miles didn't start until 6:45pm on Friday which was disappointing since it was getting dark and I missed the gorgeous desert view during my run. It was also on a dirt road which the darkness didn't help. My runs just didn't "feel good" like I was hoping but I did okay and was able to run faster than my predicted 10 minute mile pace.

After our my van's first leg was completed we drove to Exchange 18 to await our teams arrival so we could start leg 2. While waiting we could pay $2 to go into an elementary school to sleep if we wanted. It was well worth the money. Although I didn't sleep well or very much, it was just nice to have a place where we could be warm, lie down and rest, and have real bathrooms and sinks to use. Unfortunately, the race took an unexpected turn at this point. Ahead of us in the race a boy was hit by a car which put a delay and a damper to the excitement of the race. Because of this, they re-routed us to exchange 24 to continue from there. That took away my van's second leg which was disappointing. I think that the relay administrators just wanted to get the race over with and so they became a little more lax which was actually nice. All of our team wanted to have an opportunity to run 3 times so we just mixed it up completely. Because of this we doubled up on some of the legs and I ended up running legs 11, 28, and 31 which totaled to about 15 miles.

My favorite leg was my last. I was actually dreading it because my quads were already so sore and it was 3.7 miles in Fountain hills which included 2 really steep hills. As I was running 5 minutes into the race, a very tall man had been keeping about the same pace as me so I started to talk with him. We stayed with each other for the rest of the leg which totally helped me complete it without hating it! In fact, I even liked it. His name was Jim and he saved me! It was really rewarding.

Overall, and looking back, it was tons of fun and completely exhausting (especially since we didn't get hardly any sleep). Thanks to my fellow teammates, our van drivers (Becky and Spencer's dads- couldn't have done it without them!), my mom and dad for watching James during the race, and to Phil for supporting me through all the training. What an experience! If an opportunity to run a relay were to arise again in the future, I think I would definitely consider.

Our team right before the race started

Tyler off to a good start

Van #2 at starting line with Ragnar shirts

Lunch in Prescott

Ilkka's first(and tough) leg with Eevi giving water

Right before my first leg

Before my leg with Spencer, Sharon and Ilkka

Eevi before her first leg

Handing off to Eevi




Eevi glad to be done with leg one

Before leg 2 with Becky, Dani, Camille, and Camry

Camille and Eevi

Running with Jim on my last leg

Glad to be done with my portion! Jim in background with his "sumo wrestler" teammate!

Ilkka posing in front of beautiful desert!

Spencer completing last leg and being welcomed by teammates!

Ilkka handing off to Sharon

Sharon handing off to Camille

Camille off to a good start

Eevi anxiously awaiting her last leg

And Eevi is off! We are almost there!

Eevi coming in to the finish line

Most of our team at finish line! Congrats to everyone! A job well done!