Just coming off the weekend from running the Ragnar Relay Los Angeles… If I can use one to describe it, it would have to be “wow” and even then that’s too much of an understatement. Here’s the rundown.

The Race: The Ragnar course was 200.9 miles starting in Ventura and ending in Dana Point. A team consisting of 12 runners and two vans typically runs the race. Each team member is assigned a position as a runner (runner 1-12) and is required to run in correct numerical rotation per each leg of the race. The logistics and rules to do the race are incredible complex (there’s a 60 page book called a “race bible” that you are required to read before doing the race). This was Ragnar’s second year in LA and they had 282 teams participate.

The course was scenic and the execution of the logistics (per the planning of the Ragnar Relay people, especially director Steven ) was highly impressive. It was an open road race that was surprisingly easy to navigate through (all things considered). Having a GPS and an iPhone and a few people who were all native to various parts of Southern California also helped a TON.

Our Race: My team (#132 Sugitorias) ended up experiencing as much as you could expect when it comes to executing a large complex plan with a group of people. Long story short: we were losing runners and team members left and right from January up till two weeks out. When it came to race day, our 12-person team with night pacer went to a 10 person team without any night leg support in the blink of an eye. The morning of the race, I woke up at 7AM to a text from our team captain (meaning that I got 2 hours of sleep) that one of the girls who was supposed to report in had gotten into a car accident and was suffering a mild concussion. We lost another runner once the race was under when she had a severe asthma attack in the beginning of her race.

The captain of the team ended up seeing to her and finished her leg of the course while “chick-ing” 8 people along the way. This ended up setting the mood for the next 24 hours: just get it done no matter what. We weren’t about to let a smaller team stop us from finishing what we’ve been planning (or trying to plan) for the past 5 months. We completed the relay with only 10 runners, 2 vans, 1 driver, and a two jars of economy-sized nuts (trail mix).

My Race: The part of the course that I was most afraid of and had been training my mind and pace for was Leg 19: the 7.0 mile leg at 2AM from the Santa Monica Pier into the very beginning of Dockweiler Beach. By the time Saturday 1AM rolled around, I had already experienced my first leg of the course somewhere in Thousand Oaks. That leg didn’t go so well… it was hot, at high elevation, my allergies acted up (my van nicknamed me Snuffleupagus) and I had puked on the course trying to down water half-way into my leg.  I had about 3 hours of sleep total and to top it all off: this was my first time wearing a running skirt. (Not exactly the tough chick running persona I usually go for.)

I remember running through Venice beach at 2 in the morning thinking to myself, “This is it, I’m actually doing it… I’m actually doing
it!!!” I’d look at the Garmin borrowed from one of my teammates (10:30-10:45 average pace) once I got into my 4th mile and felt fine I knew the entire remaining portion of the relay would be a cakewalk. I dodged through the bums in Venice Beach, saw the ocean water reflect the light of my headlamp in Marina Del Rey and heard the ocean waves crash onto the beach as I bolted towards the chute of the exchange in Dockweiler Beach – it was truly an amazing experience. My three legs of the course (18.6 miles total > 5.5, 7, 6.1) were done at a negative
splits and for the last 6.1 I had completely demolished my 10K PR time.  (I know I’m SHOCKED about it too.)

Team rankings have yet to be posted, but performance-wise our team was beyond incredible (meaning everyone went above and beyond either their distance or projected pace to get it done). Final thoughts? I can’t wait to do it again next year! I would recommend this experience to anyone who is a hardcore runner that thrives off pushing yourself to find out what you’re really made of. I made some incredible friends along the way and got to know some truly impressive athletes in my van. I also got to eat at Jack in the Box at 11pm on a Friday night – something that I would NEVER do unless I had really good reason to (fueling my body up because my life and team depended on it). Can you say bonus?!