Ragnar Northwest Passage | Race Recap COntinued | To-Do for Next Year

... or whenever I decide to throw myself into the throes of the madness that Ragnar is.After I detailed my experience in recap 1, I got to thinking about how different of an experience this could be every time I participate. The team, the  different legs, the events - it all makes a difference and can quash any prior expectations I originally had going into the whole thing.

That being said, there are definitely a few bullet points I want to remember for my next Ragnar. While they may or may not end up happening (like should I decide to just forget drinking water or pack all. the. snacks. wait, that will never happen), at least I will feel a little less anxious and more prepared about running at 4am.

  
1. Packing! Pack all my running outfits in separate Ziplock gallon-sized bags, with the leg map printed out with them. This worked out great, and I was incredibly thankful for an easy pull-out-the-outfit-without-looking move, as well as having a place to put my sweaty, stanky clothes that I had just ran in. While there was nothing that I didn't bring that made my time any less great, there were a couple items I wish I had brought:

• Warm clothes for the night runs - leggings, sweats, or a sweatshirt. I brought a zip-up, but  ended up having to borrow my friend's thick leggings as well, since it was pretty chilly. 
• A bag for all the swag! Mine ended up being shoved under the seat in front of me in an extremely disorganized fashion. Minor detail, yes, but I wanted my free Cliff shot blocks to be well-contained so I know exactly where to hunt them down the exact second I need them! #Ragnarspoiledbrat

Other than that, I think I did a pretty good job of appropriately packing. Baby wipes were a definite lifesaver.

2. Expect ZERO sleep. I had thought I would at least get a few hours, but that definitely did not happen. I got a solid one, which turned out to be fine since my adrenaline and the aforementioned shot blocks were running in my veins, making me an un-sleepable mess anyway.

3. Embrace the finish line. At this point, our whole time was sorta just "over it." I think had we all been closer friends, we would have been more into the fun finish line vibe of "let's get the pizza and beer and hang out and recap for hours," but maybe not. It's a long 2 days, so maybe this one just isn't bound to happen. We did manage to grab out medals (duh), more swag, and a legit Ragnar team picture.

4. Get everyone's contact information. More specifically, their phone numbers so that everyone can stay connected with whomever. This was something we should have done, and learned a lesson when one teammate was supposed to text another when I was finished running leg 12 to let them know to meet us, but accidentally fell asleep instead. Total first world problems, true, but it was a whole TWENTY MINUTES OFF OUR TIME! J/k, it was fine. Just another thing to take care of for next time.

5. Stay hydrated and nutritioned. This sounds like a dummy, but after having our captain visit the hospital for dehydration it's worth tucking away as a future reminder. While it may not even be hot out, your still running and putting your body through different habits that you probably aren't too accustomed to. The best thing to do is make sure it gets the water it requires (and lots of it) and good nutrients that won't make you feel like poo. I honestly felt like I was eating the whole dang time, but not once did I feel sick. The body runs on fuel, fuel that is what is going to help you woman-handle those three legs like a champ.

Speaking of woman-handle...it's important to wear a wrestling singlet while running Ragnar. #buyasmallertankyouidiot

I hope this little series was of some assistance to you future Ragnarians! I truly had a great time, and the Northwest Passage route was drop-dead gorgeous. Feel free to drop me a line with any questions!