6 things I love and hate about RAGNAR Chicago
RAGNAR Chicago 2016 is this weekend! It’s one of the most exhausting, fun, and terrible weekends of the year for my teammates and me.
If you’ve done RAGNAR or another overnight relay race, you likely understand the love/hate relationship. If not, here are my top 3 favorite and least favorite parts of RAGNAR Chicago:
The loves:
1. The atmosphere: RAGNARians are a fun bunch. We love running, and we love spending time with other runners. Sure, some of us are out for blood – we call it a “kill” when we pass another runner on the course. But we also are supportive. Elite runners always make a point to say, “Good work” as they pass, and the friendly competition paired with genuine congeniality is something that sets running apart from other sports. Plus, the costumed runners can be ridiculously entertaining!
2. My teammates: I’ve been lucky enough to run with most of the ladies on my 12-person team for the past 3 years. When I was a newb, they accepted me as one of their own right away. Now, we have new newbs each year, and we welcome each of them with open, sweaty arms.
3. Chowing down: In an effort to stay awake for 30+ hours (except a few catnaps in the van), we throw our typically healthy diets out the window. I plan to subsist on bagels, peanut butter, and calorie-free sports drinks/water from Friday at 5:30 am to around 3:00 pm on Saturday. Then, bring on the beers and pizza at the after party!
The hates:
1. Not sleeping: I’m a gal who likes her sleep. But when you’re traveling with 5 other sweaty ladies in your van, there isn’t much room for stretching out to catch some Zs. So I tend to hammer down instant coffee instead and try to keep my resting B-face in check. We all love each other, and are pretty forgiving of each other’s attitudes during those less glamorous overnight hours.
2. Not showering: Some of the 36 baton exchange sites have showers – if you want to wait in line forever and potentially see a bunch of strangers naked. Neither of those things appeal to us, so we tend to tough it out with lots of hand sanitizer and baby wipes. But there is a bright side – that first shower after we get back to the hotel room Saturday night is the best shower. Ever.
3. Waiting to run: I’m lucky to be runner #1 of 12 this year. Last year, I was runner #12. That meant I had to wait many hours after our early morning start to lace up and run my first leg. The adrenaline is high in the morning, and it’s hard to keep that edge all day while you’re waiting to start. So this year, I get to go first – then wait forever to do my second and third legs 🙂
If you’re looking for a fun, challenging event, consider trying RAGNAR. It’s like a running vacation. An exhausting, exhilarating runcation. Follow #ontherunia to witness my team’s RAGNAR Chicago exploits on Twitter from June 10 – 11, 2016.