After writing about both Miami to Key West Ragnar Relay Race, the Colorado Ragnar Race, the Wild West Relay, the Palmetto 200 and the Race to Kinvara, I’ve gotten a lot of responses that you can’t wait to do a relay and a number of invitations to join you for other races, which is so tempting!!
The truth is I think 1 relay a year is probably my limit for crazy madness.
You need to be ready to go all out to have a truly amazing Ragnar relay team, checkout my 7 tips for a legendary relay! I’ve now done 5 and each time learned a bit more to make it fabulous. The tips below apply to all relays and I hope answer your questions so you can go from nervous to prepared! 
Since so many of you said you want to do one, but are nervous, I thought I throw out some of the basics to help you understand what to expect at a relay race and what you need to know in advance.
Race Logistics
How long is a relay race?
You can do a marathon relay which is usually 3 runners for 26.2 miles run during the same time as the regular marathon. But here we’re focused on the standard multi-day races which are usually 180-200 miles.
How many runners are in a relay race?
The standard team is 12 runners divided in to 2 vans. However, if you want to push your boundaries you can run it as an Ultra and do it with just 6 runners.
How do you find enough runners?
Honestly I have done a couple relays that were largely friends I met through Instagram and the blog! We all love running and it was a great reason to get together! Otherwise ask friends, ask their friends or there’s a section on the Ragnar site where teams who need a runner can post…so if you’re interested and can’t find enough folks, do check it out!
Additional Ragnar Planning Tips:
- You must have a very organized team captain, who is willing to harangue people that haven’t paid or need to take care of other items.
- You will need to rent vans or cram in to 2 mini vans if some of you have them…they will smell and really need to be washed afterwards.
- You will need to secure hotel rooms for the night the race finishes.. nights in between you sleep in the van or on the ground.
- It can easily run $300 for the experience and that’s without flights.
- You will need a reflective vest for every runner, minimum 4 headlamps and 4 blinkie lights
- You will need to find 2-3 volunteers or pay extra
- You will then need to figure out how to pick up or drop off those volunteers so they can enjoy the post race fun
- You won’t know your start time until a few weeks prior to the race, so you may want to plan hotel rooms the night before the race near the start
What Your Team Atmosphere Will Be Like
The thing that makes a Ragnar Relay so amazing is your team and the energy of the teams you’ll meet throughout the race. Don’t just grab the closest runner, think through your teammates to create an atmosphere of fun!
- You will be in very close quarters for a couple days
- You will smell
- You will not really sleep
- You don’t need to know them in advance, you will get to know them
- You will need to remember all your sophomoric humor and let go of any concerns about how you look…be stupid, have fun.
- You should get matching outfits, it really makes things way more fun in pictures and allows other teams to identify you
Relay Race Must Know’s
A few things that get overlooked as you’re thinking just about getting there and training for your 3 legs of the race.
- If someone gets hurt, someone else will get to pick up their legs of the race.
- You will get to run in some of the most amazing places. Places you would never run otherwise…the middle of nowhere Colorado with wild horses at midnight?!
- Someone will be running at 2AM, it may not be fun or it may be freaking awesome with the right mindset.
- You will start based on your teams expected finish time, meaning the slower your average team pace, the earlier you start and of course the longer you are out there.
- The support van will stop every couple miles to get in and out cheering for your runner… this is what will actually make your legs hurt.
Ragnar Team Names
One of the hardest and yet most fun parts of the Ragnar experience is everything that you create with your team. I DIE every year seeing some of the vans roll by with hilarious names or the team shirts that so accurately represent us runners.
- Who Run The World
- Just Here for the Food
- Will Run For (insert any food)
- Run Loco
- Run. Eat. No Sleep. Repeat.
- Yogging Club
- Fast and Furious
- We Paid for This
- Run Nuts
- Baby Got Track
- Whiskey Business
- Turtles and Hares
- Running’s A Beach
- Chuck Norris Never Ran a Relay
- Running Winded
- Taco Bout Running
Honestly the punnier you can get the better!! Why not make other teams laugh and enjoy this crazy experience just a little bit more!
Any tips you’d add from your experience?
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Great advice! Thanks for sharing! I would love to do a Relay once, but am a bit worried about the not sleeping part of it. :)
This is great advice. My friends and I are signing up for the Ragnar in Md. this coming September. I'm passing on the link to them all!
Thanks for this post! I have been thinking of doing one and you answered many of my questions. It definitely sounds like a lot of fun!
Great write up on the ins and outs of relay running. I def can't wait to do my next one but I agree, once a year is plenty!
I seriously wish we had one around here so the travel costs would be lower because it just looks like a crazy amount of fun. Thanks for sharing!!!
It sounds like crazy tiring fun. I'm not sure I have enough energy for it though!
i'm thinking of doing one so thanks for the "what to know" post. it still sounds like fun
i have seen so many reports from these types of races, but this is the clearest as far as expectations go. thanks!
I did AOR a couple of years ago and would love to do another relay. That said… I'd love to do a relay if someone else does the planning & I can just show up to run! :) It definitely takes a lot of work organizing!
We have a relay here that is a one day event, huge hills and a giant climb in elevation. I'm hoping to meet enough people through my running group to have a team this year.
I'm all for relay races (I used to run 4x400m and 4x100m in track and field), but close quarters, smell, and running when you should be sleeping have deterred me from trying these so far…
Good recap on what to expect! I loved both of my Ragnar Relay experiences. I didn't know any of the ladies on my team the first time and it was a great experience. It's amazing how little sleep you discover that you need!
I love that you did this relay! I am such a fan of the team experience and love relays, but Ragnar looks like a different beast! I fun beast, but a different one!I am still enjoying the fabulous Sahale snacks! YUM!!!
That sounds soooo cool!
Thanks for sharing the dirty details!!
thanks for sharing this. I have yet to participate in one. It's in my bucket list. =)
Thanks for the advice! I am doing the Chicago Ragnar, and was surprised about having to find volunteers!
Sounds like fun. I did a marathon relay but nothing like an ultra relay.
Great list! Ragnar is on my to-do list this year. I am not on a team yet, but I'll be checking out the open spots =)
I've done a couple of relays (okay – the same one twice) and it was incredible fun. It was hard work and hot but the camaraderie on the bus was incredible.
I've never done a relay race…maybe I will have to try one! Thanks
Yup this sounds exactly right! I did my first relay last year and was surprised at how much it cost to do – once you added everything up. But honestly it was a BLAST! And I would do it again in a heartbeat!
This is definitely a good sound start for anyone willing to try their hand at organizing a relay.
Thanks for your tips! Someone organized or participated in the Roparun?It's held every year and teams run from France to The Netherlands or vice versa.
getting ready to do my first long distance relay. Thanks for the tips and details!