Ragnar Chicago was my second foray into the Ragnar Relay Series. If you recall, I did the Florida Keys event in January 2013 and it was hot as hell. FL Keys was a 12 person team. Chicago was a 6 person team. Through these two events, I’ve learned a couple things and I’d feel remiss if I didn’t share.
1. The most fun you’ll have at Ragnar is probably going to be decorating the van.
2. The most exciting part is probably going to be the start line.
3. The team you start with will most likely not be the same as the one that crosses the finish line.
4. Make sure you have a solid team. I would suggest the following teammates:
a) one runner who could probably run the entire distance herself, if necessary.
b) a super experienced runner who has done the course before and knows where to find the smores.
c) a rock of a person. Solid as can be, one who won’t get agitated easily and if she does, she’ll manage to fake it stay calm until the panic passes.
d) a jokester, preferably one with ADD because apparently people with ADD don’t need to sleep.
e) a captain, cuz they need to zap someone’s credit card when the flags get lost.
5) Ragnar is a LONG event. You will get tired. It doesn’t matter if you are running 3 legs or 8 legs, exhaustion will set in and so will the bitchiness.
6) Sleeping in a van is impossible, no matter how tired you may be or how well intentioned your teammates are about making you rest.
7) Sometimes you will refuse to get out of the van, even if someone needs water, even if there are free smores, even if there are naked men flaunting themselves, even if …..
8) No matter how many miles you run, no matter how many times you say you will “never run again”, no matter how tired you get …. all those negative memories fade when you cross the finish and have that free beer in your hand.
** Ragnar – Part I – What I learned ** Amanda – TooTallFritz **
TooTallFritz 
I have my first Non-Trail Ragnar in October and I am looking forward to the different experience.
Ahhhh I want to read your whole Ragnar story! How many more parts will there be???? Also I thought you ran Ragnar Chicago before with You Just Got Chicked?
I was registered to run the ultra with “You Just Got Chicked” but tore the tendon in my foot five days before. 😢
I’ll do one more part for Ragnar CHI. Just wanted to put up a teaser. 😜
I’ve never done a Ragnar, but I’m curious about them. I just don’t know if my actual legs could handle all the downtime in between running legs.
TTF…looks like you learned well! I guess a bunch of “badass babes” confined in a van and each running 40 or so total miles over a series of legs in 36-hr with little or no sleep…would expect things to get a little “ragged” in dealing with one another. The team was 6 and 5 finished? Where did that 6th babe go? Or did you drop her off at the side of the road somewhere in nowhere land? LOL. Sounds pretty miserable thing to do…but if the finish is worth the agony of getting there then……
I am still so much in awe of your team finishing the race. I can’t wait to read more!
You are one bada$$ girl!! An ultra team for Ragnar! 🙂 I thought the same thing as Maggie about the team “You Just Got Chicked”. Can’t wait to read your recap.
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