Tips for running your first Ragnar Relay

Got a Ragnar Relay marked down on the calendar for this year? Running a relay with friends is a great way to shake up the routine and divert from your typical road race. This year, the famous Ragnar brand is returning to Canadian soil with many Canadian runners ready to explore the course from Toronto to Niagara Falls over Victoria Day Weekend this month. If this year’s relay is your first, we have a few tips to keep in mind to ensure that you and your team members make it to the finish.

Ready for the Reebok Ragnar Relay Niagara race? Explore the course here. In your prep time, keep these tips in mind:

Pack the right snacks. If you’re running a relay, chances are that you’re spending a lot of time in the car between your assigned legs of the race. Relays are not like your typical race where you run, finish and then get straight to the recovery meal. Instead, you run, get picked up in the van and wait for team members to do their portion. At a Ragnar event, you can expect a full 24 hours of racing time. You’re going to need healthy and filling (but travel-friendly) foods to keep you going. Think trail mix, granola bars, extra water, fruits crackers, etc.

Know your paces in kilometres AND in miles. Who are you running with? Oftentimes in events like these, not everyone on the team uses the same metric to measure their paces. For the sake of keeping communication clear, know your paces in both kilometres and miles. It may be a Canadian event, but many Canadian runners still track in miles. By knowing everyone’s predicted pace, the team will ensure showing up on time for the hand-off.

Don’t forget the first aid kit. Bumps, bruises, scratches and especially blisters are common among runners– especially during a Ragnar. Come race day, these minor injuries can get in the way without proper care. A loose toenail or a blood blister or tiny scratch might need a band aid to keep you comfortable during the run. Bring a safety kit might sound extra cautious… until you need it.

Sleep when you can. During a Ragnar Relay, everyone will run at least one stretch in the night. When running a 24-hour race, the golden rule is to get sleep when you can. Even reclining and taking time to relax when you feel like you’re not tired can pay off later on. Running three stretches of a relay within a 24-hour time-span is exhausting enough… recover whenever possible.

Having more changes of clothes than you think you need. You’re going to need more clothes than you think. Think about it: you have three runs plus a day of hanging out in the car. Plus, you need extra in case it rains. During a Ragnar Relay, it’s best to keep as fresh as possible. As a general rule, pack more than you would for other races. 

Proper pump up music is a must. When fussing over getting all the technicalities– where is the hand off, what distances am I running, how will I spot my team member, when does the race require my to wear my headlamp– it can be easy to overlook the simple things like proper motivation. Here’s the thing about the Ragnar: at some point it will test your mental endurance. And patience. At that point, you’re going to need something to pick yourself up. Oftentimes, the right music does the trick. Have it ready for that low point.

Driving to switch runners? Don’t delay. So your runner isn’t due at the hand off for another hour and 20 minutes. It’s smart to get there ASAP. You never know when there’s going to be traffic, how long it’s going to take the next runner to get ready or whether or not your runner will happen to hack off minutes off his or her time. Don’t dally and end up late. That ruins the whole point of having each member run fast in the first place.