Ragnar Wasatch Back 2014

In June my wife and I had the opportunity to run the Ragnar Wasatch Back Relay.  If you don't know much about Ragnar it's a relay race that last two days.  A team of 12 runners go a total distance of 197 miles from Logan to Park City through mountain passes and small towns.  Each runner takes a turn running three sections of the route that vary in distance.  The difficulty varies from running three miles on a paved road through a nice little towns, to running uphill on a mountain trails in the dark for 10 or more miles.  It was a great experience and one that I hope I'll be able to do again in the future.  

I wanted to share my experience running Ragnar because it was so fun and I felt so accomplished I thought it noteworthy to write about.  Not to say that anything I have written about on this blog thus far has been noteworthy.

I've never considered myself a runner so when I thought about doing Ragnar I knew it was going to be a completely new experience.  After my wife and I laid our money down the whole thing felt really last minute.  We secured a spot on a team in the beginning of May so we knew we only had a little less than two months to prepare.  This fact made me nervous and was a huge motivator to get out and exercise.  I don't consider myself terribly out of shape but my cardiovascular capacity definitely wasn't up to par.  Luckily for me my wife just so happens to be a personal trainer so I was able to get on a training schedule that eased me into it.  

Training

We really focused on getting my body used to running for extended periods of time.  The first week we started running for a total of 30 minutes with splitting up minutes with 30 seconds jogging and 30 seconds walking.  This was pretty easy for me so we adjusted to make it more difficult.  By week four I was up to running three miles comfortably.  The first week of June we did the West Jordan Linda Buttars Memorial 5k.  It was a good opportunity to build my confidence about running races.  However, I still felt anxious I wasn't up to the fitness level I needed to be.  Each Ragnar runner is assigned a number that signifies which section of the race he will be.  I was runner five so my first leg was the most difficult of all my sections.  Avon pass entails running seven and a half miles up hill the whole way on a dirt road.  All through training this challenge was in the back of my head which contributed a lot to my anxiety.  The last two weeks I really pushed hard to at least run seven and a half miles on flat pavement.  I thought if I could accomplish that distance, I would have some mental ammo for Avon pass.  I would have done more hill training but like I said at the beginning it was all sort of last minute.  One week before the race I completed a distance just over eight miles.  The week before the race I was advised by my wife and others to not run at all, to just take it easy.  So I spent the week leading up to the race being excited and anxious.

Below are some photos of our training and the Linda Buttars Run.

Not bad.

Awe, so cute.

Starting line of the Linda Buttars.

She's a super star

What a babe!

This is my mom.

Running the Draper Corner Canyon Trail System to get some hills under our belts.

Jordan River Parkway.

On the night before the race our whole team met at Pei Wei in Bountiful to get our team shirts, talk about logistics and get to know everyone.  Once everyone ordered and sat down we were instructed about what to pack, food to bring, sleeping arrangements, and race etiquette.  We were told to pack a new set of clothes for each section of our race to change into.  Pack a light sleeping bag because the van fills up quickly with everyone's gear.  It was a stress reliever to meet everyone and get some advice before the big trip.  

The next morning we woke up at 5:30 to be in Bountiful by 6:00 to meet the rest of our team and load our gear.  By 6:30 we were on the road to Logan.  When we arrived at USU the parking lot was packed with cars people everywhere.  I got my first taste of the Ragnar culture.  Vans and SUV's were decorated with chalk paint, teams were dressed in matching costumes.  I felt like I was at a high school football game.  Our team quickly checked in and received our mandatory safety training.  The starting line was just up the hill on the track field.  We received our official Ragnar shirts and a bunch of other free stuff from the sponsors.  

This shirt has brought so much joy to my life.

We checked in with a race officiator to let them know we wanted to start on the next wave.  Within fifteen minutes our first runner was off and we had officially start the race.  What a blast!

This is our team vehicle.  Ours wasn't as creative as others but it did the job.

I wanted the people to really know what I was there for.

Just in case.

The start of our race.

They really do a great job dressing the place up.

Go team 781!

Another picture of the starting line.

Checking in.

It filled up fast

A neat little play on words.

One thing I learned quickly from the very start is how quickly everything moces.  As soon as our first runner started we immediately left to go meet him at the 2 mile marker to supply water.  At the first exchange where the baton was passed onto our second runner, the first runner had little time to cool down and stretch.  This exchange pattern turned out to be one of the most difficult challenges of the relay.  

Offering water support.

As the race went on I became more anxious about my first section because it was the most difficult of all sections.  Avon Pass is a gruesome 7.5 mile run all up hill and dirt road.  If you notice in the pictures above the skies were cloudy and it rained off and on the whole morning.  I was glad it rained because it kept the dust down but also worried the mud would slow me down or even worse cause injury from sliding.  

The First Leg

The moment of truth finally came and it was my turn to tackle Avon Pass.  My plan of attack was to take it slow with a light jog and go for distance not time.  I noticed the trail had dried up a little so it wasn't as slippery as I anticipated.  The temperature was cool so it was actually kind of pleasant to run.  I was feeling pretty good.  By the fourth mile I was starting to feel some fatigue and started to become difficult with blisters starting to form.  Every couple of miles my team supplied me with water, energy shots, and much needed encouragement.  The last two miles were brutal, I was tired and my legs were burning but I was determined to keep a steady pace.  All of my fellow runners were feeling the same way and were definitely showing it.  Other teams were kind enough to offer support and encouragement to everyone during the last stretch.  I was glad to see the last mile marker and I will admit I walked most of it.  Despite the last mile overall I was very pleased with my performance.  I had completed the hard one and the rest were 4 milers through towns on pavement.  No prob.

One Mile to Go

At the top of Avon Pass.  Beautiful!

This is shot of Paradise farmland.  Just pretty country livin

When I got to the exchange my wife was waiting there ready to receive me and the baton for her section.  There were a lot of vehicles at the top causing some delay so I had a few extra minutes to walk around stretch, but not nearly enough.  The van scooped me up and we headed off to support my wife on her run.  While sitting in the van I knew I wasn't in a good situation because my my muscles were starting to cool and get tight.  My right knee began giving me the first signs of pain.  Along the way I took every opportunity to get out and stretch but there simply wasn't enough time and place to do a thorough stretch.  At the end of her run our team had completed our first run and we were excited to rest and prepare for the next stretch.

We took some much needed rest and grabbed a bite to eat at a local sandwich shop in Morgan.  Then headed up to Beaver Mountain where our next run would begin.  Upon arrival we figured we had at least three hours before starting our next series.  The wife and I took the opportunity to take a look at the festivities and vendors. At this point I was struggling to walk without pain, walking down stairs was especially painful.  My IT band was tight and and my legs were really sore.  I tried to roll out my muscle and stretch but it seemed everything I did made the pain more intense.  To make matters worse the keys to our vehicle got locked inside, so we were essentially stranded.  We had to think fast because time was running out before our next run.  Luckily the resort staff had equipment to retrieve our keys and were eventually saved by the kindness of a humble cart driver.  In the nick of time we send our first runner on our second series without a moment to spare.

Back into the vehicle we went to meet at our next exchange point.  Upon arriving I got out to look for a bathroom and the pain in my knee was next to unbearable.  I couldn't walk without pain and you can just forget about doing any kind of running.  I was really worried about my next run.

At about midnight it was my turn to run again and there was little improvement with my knee.  One of my team mates was kind enough to fix me with some of his KT runners tape which is supposed to help alleviate the pressure of the muscles.  At first I thought it sounded like a bunch of witch craft but I believe it help me just enough to get me through my second run.  I say run, but I was only able to walk the long 4.5 miles in the dark by myself.  The only thing that got me through it was listening to the soothing voice of David Sedaris over my phone's speaker reading one of his book entitled, Naked.  Hilarious!  This was a lowest point of my experience because I felt beaten physically and because of that my spirits were low.  After the long hour and forty minute walk I completed my second run exhausted.  During the whole car ride I fell in and out of sleep.  By the end of my wife's run I had had it and I was done.

This is the night exchange on my second run.

We rolled up to the next major exchange at about 3:30 am.  I had to use the bathroom really bad but couldn't bring myself to search for one due to complete exhaustion.  I grabbed my sleeping bag and pillow, stumbled to an open space of dewy cold grass and laid down for the night.  To my benefit and with the help of some anti inflammatory medication I was out like a light.  

We probably got about four hours sleep that night and I felt like a million bucks the next morning.  I don't know why but I felt like I had received eight hours.  We spent the morning eating, stretching, and cleaning ourselves up as best we could because we knew we had another long day ahead of us.  My IT band had finally loosened up and my knee pain had somewhat gone away.  

Saturday offered new challenges for us as far as climate changes.  It was a typical summer day in Utah hot, dry, with a strong wind.  My last leg was the easiest of my three because it was only 3.9 miles, half way was downhill, and it was through the streets of Heber.  I'm sorry to bring up my knee so much but it was a huge challenge to overcome.  My plan of attack was to take it easy with a light jog to see what I could handle.  The pain was slight and as I started to run and the my muscles warmed up the pain eventually went away and was able to get up to a good pace.  I even passed a few people during the second half of the leg.  At the last mile marker I started to feel a little dizzy and light headed.  My guess is because dehydration and heat exhaustion was starting to set in.  I drank a gulp and poured the rest on my head and prayed that I would pass out in the gutter.  My wife once again met me at the exchange and I took her by the waist and dipped her and gave a big kiss.  The crowd loved it.  An old man shouted, "now that's how you pass the baton!"  I gave him a nod then followed my team to our last major exchange.  

Me at the start of my last run.  Feeling confident.  And looking handsome.

It was my wife's easiest run at only 2 miles so we decided to skip van support and go to the finish.  When she came around the corner we shared a moment of relief in knowing that as far as running it was over.  We had done it.  We completed Ragnar!  

It is finished.

Some of our team mates at the finish.

With nothing left to do but wait for our second van to finish their last run we decided to go out to lunch at Cafe Rio in Park City.  At our team meeting we were advised to eat light, just enough to get rid of hunger pains.  We had to be burning over 3000 calories each day so I was pretty hungry by the end.  Usually after eating at Cafe Rio I'm pretty full but this time I was ready for round two after eating my meal.  With time to burn we decided to park near the finish line at local church to get some shut eye.  Once again we got our sleeping bags and claimed a space of grass on the front lawn of the church.  After a couple of hours of sleep we headed up to Park City High School to meet out team coming across the finish line.  The scene was a lot more hustle and bustle with people and vendors everywhere.  It's tradition for the team to run across the finish line with the last runner.  As our last runner came around the corner she was met with cheers of encouragement from us and spectators.  We joined up with her and did the best we could to stumble across the finish line.  I felt accomplished at that moment crossing the finish line, like I had overcome a difficult challenge and met it with courage and stamina.  The feeling left me inspired to meet life challenges with a renewed sense courage, and with the desire to complete similar races and even do Ragnar again in the future.  It was a great experience and one that I would highly recommend to anyone.

Me and my soul mate livin it up at the finish line.

I wanted to thank everyone for your prayers and encouragement during training and the race.  I'd also like to thank Ragnar for a well organized race.  Thanks to you for reading I hope it was entertaining as well as educational.

Sincerely your friend,

Bryce Thomas