This past weekend I had the pleasure of being part of Team Nuun Hydration at the Ragnar Trail Relay just outside of Zion National Park in Utah. Before I dive into the race, I wanted to start this post by saying that even though race conditions were less then ideal, the Ragnar Trail staff did an amazing job keeping all of the runners informed and having staff out on the course when times got rough. Because of them I am looking forward to another Trail Relay with full confidence that they are looking out for all of our safety.
Trail map from the Ragnar Relay page
Charlie and I committed to running this race a few months ago, because we took a road trip to Zion shortly after we first started dating, and could not wait to go back. We had no idea that in between committing to the race and running the race that we would be engaged, and that I would be living in San Francisco, and he would still be in Truckee, throwing a small wrench in how we were getting to the race. Our friend Johnny was also arriving from London that day and wanted to join us for the crazy adventure. We headed out of the Bay Area Thursday after I got off a crazy day at work, and stayed the night in beautiful Barstow California in a $50 motel. We had not anticipated a time change crossing into Utah (silly us!) and ended up arriving at the race only a half hour before our team start at 3:30. It was super windy out and the forecast was for 100% rain around midnight, but everyone was in great spirits at the start. Because we were last to arrive, we were runner 7 and 8, which gave us plenty of time to set up our tent and get situated before our first legs, which were bound to be in the dark. We met all of our wonderful teammates: Rira, Catey, Bry, Megan, Sean, and Holly, and shared fun facts about ourselves.
Everyone waiting to see their team pop up on the screen indicating their runner is 1/4 mile away
After the first runners came in for our team we had some idea of what we were in for: rocky single track, sandy trails, good climbs, and potential views. We were also at about 6000 ft, so the elevation was a factor for almost everyone. I was starting to get excited because it sounded like excellent trails! I spent most of the evening hanging at the Nuun tent talking to people about how awesome Nuun is and swapping trail running stories. Before I knew it was my turn to head out on the 3.1mi green loop which descended into Jones Gulch and back up the other side. It was pitch black, but luckily I just replaced the batteries in my Spot headlamp so the 90 lumens were at full blast!
The initial green loop trails were smooth and wove between trees. I passed a few people on this section before we started descending. The trail very quickly got rocky, and there was a ditch/drainage in the middle of the path that I kept jumping around. There was one guy hanging off my shoulder, undoubtably watching my footwork, because he was doing the same moves. Normally I don’t mind people behind me, their headlights usually help. But this guy had a handheld light and it kept swinging in crazy directions. I tried to pick up my pace, but the amount I could see ahead vs the rocks on the trail were a slightly limiting factor. Before I knew it we were reascending up to camp. I’m kind of glad that it was dark because I could not see the amount of uphill, so I just kept running. All three loops meet up 0.75 mi from the finish and go up a bitch of a climb. It was a number of switchbacks that almost everyone walked some piece of before heading back into camp. The whole loop took me about 32 minutes, but I’m not sure because my Garmin died part way through. After I finished I chowed down some dinner, waited for Charlie to finish the yellow loop, then we snuggled up in the tent for a few hours of sleep.
The rain started around midnight, and I had a 3:30am alarm since I had estimated I would start running my second leg around 4:30. I woke up to pounding rain on my tent, and once I found my teammates realized that our runner 5, Bry, had just left and Holly, runner 6 had yet to leave. So I waited with Holly, warming by the fire, and wished her good luck as she left at 4:40. Bry and everyone else coming through the finish told me that the trails were like ice skating rinks. The nice trails I had run on a mere hours before, were clay. Which means that when it rains they cannot absorb much water and they turn into slides. I figured that the 4.2mi loop would take Holly an hour, so I hung by the warm fire until 5:45, then found a place in the transition tent to await my turn.
Team Nuun Hydration
It was right around then that the snow started. Yes, SNOW. Apparently highly unusual for this time of year in Zion. I figured once it got light in an hour the snow might turn to rain, but it kept coming down. Runners were coming in with snow build up on their hats and shoulders, shivering from the cold. Everyone was being advised to run with a buddy if possible, or begin doubling up the runners so that you were not out alone.
Huddling by the fire for warmth
This is where the Ragnar staff began doing an amazing job. They deployed more staff to all the trails to help runners, and began looking at revising the red loop (the 8.1 that I was supposed to do next). They were trying to keep the race as safe as possible despite the weather conditions. They also did a great job keeping everyone in the transition tent informed. They were allowing teams to turn in their bibs essentially putting their time on hold, in order to wait out the weather or find their next runner. Once I overheard this and heard how unsafe the trails conditions were I made a decision for myself that I was going to wait until daylight to run, and hopefully convince one of my teammates who had to run red to run with me.
The snow did not relent. By the time 6:30 rolled around and it was starting to get light out, Holly was still out on the course. I texted Megan asking if we could have a team meeting. In my head I was thinking there was no way I wanted to go out and tun 8mi, much less then run 4.2 a few miles later. When Holly came in, the first thing she said is there was no way she was going back out there and no way she would let our two pregnant teammates go out there. She walked almost the entire loop, like many other runners out there. As we headed to the team meeting by the fire, with snow still coming down, all I could think was, maybe we can just DNF. This is the first race I’ve actually wanted to DNF. Fortunately my team was in unanimous agreement and we decided to DNF. Lo and behold a half hour later the whole race is called off, and no more runners are allowed to head out on the course.
Snow on the prius. Luckily the concrete roads were clear
I found this was my hardcore limit. I’ve never really reached a time when running that I absolutely could not be convinced to continue. I’ve run 18 miles in the pouring rain, trail run in the snow, been hailed on, and every time I finished my run. So what I realized is that my limit is when I have no hot shower or warm bed and unlimited amounts of clothes t put on after my freezing adventures. I knew that if I headed out on my red loop and came back freezing and wet, my best bet to get warm again was to sit by the fire and put on the few remaining warm clothes I had, or go sit in my car with the heat on. Then I would still have another leg. So I’ve determined that I love running in harsh conditions, it gives me some thrill, but I love it as long as I have a warm shower and a warm place to return to.
Our awesome brunch spot in Vegas had a cool ceiling
As we packed up the car, we saw many exhausted runners coming in, and I was relieved that my team was in agreement about our decision to DNF. Since Johnny, Charlie and I headed out of Zion by 8am, we decided to make the long drive back to the Bay Area in one go rather then sleep halfway. We figured 2hr rotations would leave each of us enough time to nap. We stopped in Vegas for a breakfast buffet that kept us pretty full all day. We finally made it back home at 9:30 after hitting traffic in Gilroy. We made some salad (I was seriously lacking veggies the last few days) and mac’n’cheese, drank a delicious beer and headed to bed. I slept for an astounding 12 hours, more then I’ve slept at once in a while.
Despite all the difficult weather and the long drive, I am already plotting my next Ragnar Trail race, potentially Vail Lake since it is the closest one to me. I also really want to do Zion next year, but this time take off a day or two on each side of the race so we can go hike in Zion and Bryce.
Beautiful clouds and rays of sunshine on the way home
Edible Urban Architecture 