A guy named Dan Hill and his BYU roommate started the Wasatch Back relay race from Logan to Park City 10 years ago to fulfill his dad's dream. The name Ragnar comes from a Scandinavian wild man, or something like that. The Ragnar Wasatch Back Race runs from Logan to Park City along the mountain backs and crosses three summits. There are now 16 Ragnar races around North America.
Most teams comprise two vans with six runners each. There are a few Ultra teams that have just one van with six runners.
We are Van 2.
Here we go. Van 2 begins at Eden City Park (or is it Liberty Park?) and we start about 4:30 p.m. on Friday. Van 1 started in Logan about 9:30 a.m.
First we have to listen to all the rules, all the things we could be penalized for (not using an orange flag to cross a road to give a runner water, for example), and when to text 661RAGNAR1 (anytime we see someone else doing something they could be penalized for, or a tipped-over direction sign).
First, be clear that I had nothing to do with the name of the team. Yes, this is the team name. Everyone on the team is an Astle, is related to an Astle or is a friend of an Astle. Lest you take this wrong, they smell sweaty when they've been running for 30-plus hours. I think that's what it means.
The team members are:
Injury-Prone (hips, blisters, arches, knees, oldness...) Van 1: Amy Johnson, Barry Johnson, Cameron Johnson, Cody Johnson (Johnsons live in Arkansas and own the Horseshoe Canyon Ranch), Jennifer Murray, Sara Asay. I don't know their rotation, but I know Cameron is first and Amy is last, because these are the runners we pass the baton (slap bracelet) with.
Drug-Free Van 2 (in order of running): Jerrin Wood, Monica Morales, Jamie Austin, Jared Weaver, Sara Weaver, Sharidee Wood.
Hah, no one is named Astle. Oh, the Van 2 driver: Michael Astle. Van 1 has no driver.
Van 2 driver.
Three of the Van 2 team members.
Jerrin is off to do his first leg. Leg 7 (Van One did Legs 1 through 6). Easy. 4.7 miles. Elevation gain: 12 feet. Elevation loss: 191 feet.
Cruising right along.
First hand-off, to Monica.
And she's on her way. Leg 8. Easy. 2.6 miles. Elevation gain: 118 feet. Elevation loss: 23 feet.
Not shown: Jamie. Leg 9. Easy. 3.2 miles. Elevation gain: 50 feet. Elevation loss: 109 feet.
Jared's first run. Leg 10. Easy. 3.8 miles. Elevation gain: 96 feet. Elevation loss: 98 feet.
Jared-to-Sara first hand-off.
Sara's first run. Leg 11. We Hope You Know What You're Getting Into (no van support). That's what's printed in the guide where Easy, Moderate, Hard belong. 7.3 miles. Elevation gain: 1,830 feet. Elevation loss: 384 feet.
Seriously? She's smiling at the end of this horrible run up the Old Powder Mountain Road?
We meet up with Van 1 (Jennifer, Cameron and Amy here) at Powder Mountain Resort. We also eat dinner at the resort cafeteria: cheeseburgers, salads, chicken.
Sharidee finishes her first run. Hard. 2 miles. Elevation gain: 286 feet. Elevation loss: 256 feet.
And Van 1 is off to run the next six legs.
We drive to the next major exchange, where Van 1 will hand off to us again, at Echo Reservoir. This is our chance to sleep. Sara and I roll out sleeping bags on some lawn, and I sleep a good 45 minutes, what with all the people walking and talking, the police truck with its siren blaring and people shining their headlamps into our faces.
As you're running alone along some trail in the dark and you can't see any other runners or support vans, don't think about the sign on the (locked) restroom that says, "Warning, mountain lions have been spotted in this area."
Tutu Amy comes in for Van 1 with the hand off.
And Jerrin is on his way for this half of the team's second round. Leg 19. Moderate. 3.6 miles. Elevation gain: 662 feet. Elevation loss: 194 feet.
Not shown: Monica runs Leg 20. Moderate. 5.9 miles. Elevation gain: 20 feet. Elevation loss: 942 feet. This trail follows the path of the Donner Reid Party, which didn't end well, but Monica does fine.
Jamie heads out on her second leg. Leg 21. Very Hard. 11.6 miles. Elevation gain: 593 feet. Elevation loss: 297 feet. This is almost a half-marathon on a rail trail. "This trail is very rugged and rocky! Pay attention at night!" says the guide book.
Jamie hands off to Jared about 5:30 a.m. Saturday. 43 degrees Fahrenheit.
Jared on Leg 22. Hard. 7.5 miles. Elevation gain: 297 feet. Elevation loss: 78 feet.
Sara running her second leg along Rockport Reservoir. Leg 23. 5.5 miles. Moderate. Elevation gain: 429 feet. Elevation loss: 225 feet. This run is a pain the side.
Passing someone is called a "kill." The runners love to brag about their number of kills after a leg. Leg 24. 5.5 miles. Elevation gain: 429 feet. Elevation loss: 225 feet.
Sharidee is gloating over this kill.
Sharidee will hand off to Cameron of Van 1 at the fairgounds in Oakley.
We eat breakfast at the fairgrounds: One ice-cream scoop of scrambled eggs; two pancakes; two semicooked, semicold vegisausages and milk. $6, which goes to the family of a runner who was killed by a drunk driver at the Las Vegas Ragnar Relay.
Then we try to get some sleep.
Looking up from my bed (grass, too hot for a sleeping bag) next to a playground with very energetic kids. Sleep: 45 minutes, maybe.
These two find a grassy knoll under a small tree.
These are clean and plentiful at every stop. That's very important. Sometimes there is a line, but it moves quickly.
Amy finishes for Van 1 at the park next to Andrea and Jordan's house in Heber City.
Some people end the race before the finish line.
Most of the help comprises volunteers, and you get what you pay for.
Jerrin finishes his third and last leg and hands off to Monica. Leg 31. Easy. 4.1 miles. Elevation gain: 24 feet. Elevation loss: 144 feet.
Leg 32: Moderate. 5.5 miles. Elevation gain: 325 feet. Elevation loss: 47 feet.
Jamie hits the first half of the climb up Guardsman Pass. Leg 33. 4.4 miles. You've Got to Be Kidding Me! That's what it says. Elevation gain: 1,543 feet (all in the last 3 miles). Elevation loss: 33 feet.
Waiting for our runner to come by so we can provide support (cheers and a spray of water).
Jared takes on the second stretch of the road up to Guardsman Pass. Leg 34 "Ragnar." 4 miles. Very hard. Elevation gain: 1,698 feet. Elevation loss: 45 feet.
He's listening to music and dancing up the road. Literally.
While the other five runners wait in the van.
Jared hands off to Sara. He's not happy that she waits at the top of the exchange instead of the bottom. That adds about 50 feet to his very hard 4 miles. They'll kiss and make up.
Sara finishes Leg 35. 7.9 miles. Very hard. Elevation gain: 213 feet. Elevation loss: 2,391 feet. If you think going down is easier than going up, you may be right, but try dropping almost 2,400 feet in less than 8 miles and in less than an hour.
Sara hands off to Sharidee. Hooray, the last leg. Leg 36. Moderate. Elevation gain: 513 feet. Elevation loss: 472 feet. We thought this trail would go through neighborhoods, but no. It starts with a single switch-back up the face of a mountain to the southeast of Park City High School.
The full team finishes the race together, although they are a bit spread out. This is mostly Van 2 coming through.
The team ran Ragnar 2013 in about 33 hours, from 9:30 Friday morning to 6:30 Saturday evening. That's unofficial.
And this is mostly Van 1.
The unofficial official photo.
The official unofficial photo.
