This past weekend was an awesome adventure. My husband was one on a team of 12 running the Ragnar Relay Florida Keys. The race starts in Miami, and runs day and night across the state of Florida to Key West. A team member is running at all times. Each team of 12 breaks down into (usually) 2 vans of 6. I volunteered to be a van driver. I wanted to be there for the adventure, but I am not a distance runner yet.

We actually ended up with a team of 9 and a team of 12. The team of 9 kind of handled themselves. My design company made cute T-Shirts in – of course – Key Lime Green, with tropical, Buffet-influenced artwork and the team name, “Why Don’t we Get Drunk and Run?!”

Here are some tips if you attempt a Ragnar Relay for yourself:

1. We had a binder in the van. This included all rules, maps, etc. Maps were available for the driver (and thank Goodness for Google Maps on my phone because the directions are shifty and unclear) as well as tear-out copies of maps of each leg for each runner to  carry with them just in case. The binder also had a pocket for receipts, a Sharpie, scratch paper and contact info for everyone in both vans. I pre-programmed them into my cell before we left home. The scrap paper became our impromptu Ragnar Pictionary game.

2. I had a small bag with all of those things you think you MIGHT need when out for a run, or when out camping. Sunscreen, lip balm, slipper socks, safety pins, toenail clippers, ponytail holders, candy, clothespins, tissues, ibuprofen, etc. I told everyone in the van if at any time they thought, “Gosh I wish I had my—!” to ask me if I brought it. Many of these items came in handy. Maybe even the disposable panties.

3. If you are lucky enough to get a few hours to rest while the other half of your team is running, make sure you have a dark eye mask and earplugs on hand. They are so cheap and might mean the difference between 20 minutes of sleep or 2 hours of sleep. Each major exchange point during the race is like a Wal Mart parking lot. Traffic, loud noises, funky people, bright lights – not the best place for a 4 hour power rest. My husband and I pitched a tent with sleeping bags on a baseball field, and my earplugs helped me tune out the other teams, cheering team members, a backhoe on the road, traffic, my cell phone, van doors slamming – pretty much everything except the rooster that crowed before 5am.

4. Bring lots of snacks. We had time to stop for lunch at IHOP, which was nice, and some meals were available at exchange points, but if you want to be able to poop or if you have allergies or are a finicky eater – plan to be eating on the road while other team mates are running. Granola bars, bananas, trail mix, tons of WATER, more water, cereal, PBJ’s and M&Ms are good choices. Although we craved pizza and one teammate did stop for a cheeseburger, it usually haunts you later. There will always be hot pizza in the world and you can certainly last 36 hours without it.

5. Have a bit of cash on hand. Some stops had pasta, coffee, showers and other items for sale. One lucky stop had free s’mores with little fire pits. It’s the first time I have seen chocolate swirled marshmallows, but I did not try one. I opted for a peanut butter cup instead.

6. Change clothes and bring baby wipes. You may run 9 miles and then sit in a van for 4 hours afterwards. You’ll feel gross. Baby wipes make for a quick, fake shower and can be used on all body parts. They can also wipe up van spills if needed or clean up runny noses. An extra 2 pairs of running shorts, socks and underwear can usually fit in a small plastic bag and will be well worth the space. But don’t overpack. There usually isn’t room for tons of stuff. We had a 7 people in a 12-person van and it was tight. They just don’t have a lot of leg room, trunk space, or cup holders.

7. Assign a photographer. Although I snapped pics here and there with my cell, it was nice knowing one guy with a kick@ss camera would be emailing me a CD of a zillion photos documenting our fun later. That took some pressure off.

8. Safety is important. Close to 300 teams were driving big vans they weren’t used to on small roads during all hours of the day. On the whole, people were polite and patient when it came to helping vans park and maneuver. The Ragnar Relay team provided orange flags to use when crossing the street. We used ours liberally. Brian even made some funny dance moves and earned the name “Safety Boy” with his. You also need to have a headlamp, tail light and reflective vest for night time running. Saucony’s new line of reflective gear has little LED lights that recharge by USB!! No shit!!

9. Have fun. No really, just chill a little bit. No one wants to be in the van of tense, rude people. Just stop and breathe.

10. Stretch and drink water. It just might keep your next leg of the race from sucking.

One of the best parts of the Ragnar Relay are the friends you make during the race. I was not very close with anyone in my van (except my husband). I had a few aquaintances, and 3 total strangers – but we’ve all shared a great experience now and will remember it for a long time. One of my van-mates was Lindsay, and it was so great to spend time with her IRL after talking online for a couple years.

We had one minor injury when a runner fell on some large gravel at night in the dark. Luckily, she was much more interested in getting pics of blood for Facebook than she was in bandages or crying. But our 2 first aid kits came in handy. First Aid booths were not on hand as often as you might think.

The one team we kept seeing throughout the race that we were determined to beat, and did, was “11 Women Running Wild and 1 Lucky Guy”. They ran in cheetah print tu-tus and had pink and cheetah flags on their SUV. We really wanted to kick their butts, thought they had beat us, and a few hours after we crossed the finish line, enjoyed beers, hung out on the beach, and then started heading back to our hotel, we saw them still awaiting their final finishing runner.

One team that cracked me up was the Super Naked Super Heroes. They ran in small, tight running clothes and superhero capes. One of their women had a full Robin (from Batman) outfit that she ran in. They were cool. Team ARGH! was dressed as pirates, and shouted things like “Ahoy exchange 4, prepare to be boarded!” They were full of spirit. The team we avoided was the Karma Klowns. Freaky clown face paint streaked from 36 hours of sweat – need  I say more?

If you ever end up in Key West, get a giant chocolate chip cookie from Kermit’s Key West Key Lime Shoppe. You’ll be glad you did!

Photos coming soon.