Thursday, April 17, 2014

Ragnar Packing List

I'm starting to get excited for the Cape Cod Ragnar Relay coming up in around a month on May 9 and 10. I've been doing as much running as I can while balancing recovering my calf so that I can be ready to run my legs. 

The Ragnar Relay is a two-day race. Teams of twelve take turns running legs over the course of the 48 or so hours of the relay. Everyone take three legs and has time off after each leg. I'll be running legs of 5 miles - 5 miles - 3 miles. I'm happy with these distances as they are in my ability but still will prove a challenge. Running 13 miles in a couple of days is no joke. 


Because of the structure of Ragnar, packing is key. I have to plan the clothing I'll be wearing, the food I'll be eating, the toiletries I'll need, and the supplies for sleeping. I want to be able to recover as much as possible between when I run and have comfortable clothing to relax in. At the same time, I need to bring all my running gear and safety supplies. I'll also need to make sure that I am eating the right food to fuel my running and recovery, something that I think will be quite difficult considering I'll be running my legs at around 5:00 a.m., 4:30 p.m., and 1:00 a.m.

I've put together a packing list that I hope helps keep me organized. If you'd like to use the list, here's a version I've posted on Google Drive.

Ragnar Packing List
Item Quantity Notes
Running Clothing
Shorts/Capris 1 (day leg)
Tights 2 (night legs)
Tech T-shirt (short sleeves) 1 (day leg)
Tech T-shirt (long sleeves) 2 (night legs)
Sports Bra 3
Running socks 3
Running Sneakers 1
Hat, gloves, jacket/raincoat 1 (optional)
Compression socks 1 (optional)
Headband 4
Relaxing Clothing
Pajamas 1
Underwear 5
Bra 3
Extra socks 4
Flip flops 1
Yoga pants 1
Jeans 1
T-shirts 2
Fleece/sweatshirt 2
Running Accessories
Headlamp 1 (2 per van)
Reflective Vest 1 (6 per van)
Blinking light 1 2 (per van)
GPS watch 1
Headphones 1
iPhone 1
Water bottle 1
Massage ball 1
Personal Items
License 1
Debit card and $40 cash 1
Cell charger 1
Car charger 1
Sleeping bag 1
Pillow 1
Ear plugs 1
Sleeping mask 1
Hygiene Items
Deodorant 1
Toothbrush, floss, and paste 1
Shower gel, shampoo, conditioner 1
Styling product 1
Chapstick 1
Vaseline / Body Glide 1
Lotion 1
Ibuprofen 2 (doses)
Medicine for indigestion 2 (doses)
Hand sanitizer 1
Towel, washcloth 1
Action Wipes 15
Sun block 1
Van Items
Ragnar Bible 1
Leg maps 1
Team contact information 1
Garbage bags 1
Ziplock bags (large) 6
Paper towels 2 (rolls)
Flashlight 2
Tissues 1 (box)
Food and Beverage
Kind Bars / Larabars 5
Peanut butter 5 (packets)
Whole grain bread 1
GU (with caffeine) 3
Mixed nuts 1 (container)
Jerky 1
Dried Fruit flats 1 (box)

Of course this list is fit to my personal preferences. You might want to bring other food and beverage items. For example, if it's going to be hot when you race (or if you just like it) you might want to bring an electrolyte mix.

Also, I did not include all of the van items that I'm sure we'll need. Again, for example, I'm sure we'll want to bring a cooler to store drinks and food plus items for decoration. This list just indicates the items that I personally want to contribute to the van for the entire group to use.

Fingers crossed that I can get some good training in before May 9 and have a great Ragnar experience!

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