This coming Thursday, I am headed out to McDowell Mountain Regional Park to set up my Ragnar Relay Team's campsite at the Ragnar Village. This will be my first Ragnar Trail relay run. I cannot tell you how excited I am for this new challenge. I am planning to spend the night at the campsite Thursday night with a couple of my teammates. We will wake up the next morning to welcome the rest of our eight runners to the Village.
The Ragnar Village is the center of the Ragnar Trail Relay. Each of the three trail loop begins and ends in the Ragnar Village. Therefore it is the starting line, the finish line, and the exchange point. After my teammate finishes their loop they will be coming back to the support of our team and the adulation of the teams around us. This is very different than a normal adventure relay where your team is split into two vans and you hardly get to see the other half of your team let alone the rest of the teams. We will truly be one team at this race.
McDowell Mountain Regional Park where the race is being held is only 15 miles from my home. The park sits in the lower Verde River basin and comprises 21,099 acres in the northeast Phoenix Valley. While it is hard to imagine elevation here in Phoenix, the park actually rises to 3,000 feet along the western boundary at the base of the McDowell Mountains. What I am really looking forward to is the spectacular views of the surrounding mountain ranges. I am hoping that while I am out on the trail running I might get to see deer, javelina, many birds, or even coyotes. Luckily it is getting too cold for the rattlers to be out. So I don't have to worry about that.
In this race each runner runs all three of the loops on the course in a round robin fashion. The three loops are the Shallmo Wash Trail (Green - 4.1 miles), T-Bone Ridge (Yellow - 4.7 miles) and the Pemberton Trail (Red Trail - 6.6 miles). All three trails are challenging. I am runner number 3 for this race. This means that I will run the trails starting with red, followed by yellow and then finishing with green. I wanted to get the longest run out of the way early and in daylight. This way I can run the shorter loops at a good pace in the evening and sunrise hours.
Here is how the race website describes the three loops:
Green Loop - Shallmo Wash Trail - 4.1 Miles (Easy). Flat-ish, fast-ish, and super fun to run—who says it isn’t easy being Green? Green loop starts off with the Red loop, splitting off just short of a mile to take you along the lower Scenic trail. The first half of this loop offers a climb so subtle, you’ll swear you’re on flat ground. After meeting up briefly with Red again, Green takes off down a brand new trail paralleling Shallmo Wash. Speedsters will have fun bombing down this loop, while the rest of us can sit back, relax, and enjoy the gentle rollers all the way back into the Village.
Yellow Loop - T-Bone Ridge - 4.7 Miles (Hard). This year, Yellow starts off with a climb back up over T-Bone Ridge. Intense but short, the view from the top of the Ridge is your first reward; we recommend taking a second to take it all in. After a quick scramble down the back of the Ridge, you’re next rewarded with 2.5 miles of fantastic single-track trail. It’s just hard enough to keep your brain and feet happy. Your final reward? You’re almost done! For the last bit of the loop, you join up with Red for a speedy finish back into the village.
Red Loop - Pemberton Trail - 6.6 Miles (Hard). At 6.6 miles, Pemberton is the longest of the three trails. After splitting from Green, the Red loop takes you on a single track climb through the saguaros to the summit of the Scenic Trail. It’s challenging, but that’s what makes it great! From the top, you’ll enjoy a gorgeous panoramic view of the mountains. After descending the Scenic Trail, you’ll converge on to the Pemberton Trail, briefly meeting up with Green again. After Green splits off to the left, you head straight ahead for the water station (it’s the only one on the loop, so fill up!). From there, you’ll continue down Pemberton, eventually leaving the trail to cut down a sandy wash. The wash is tough, and may feel longer than it is, but you’ll be back on trail before you know it, meeting up with Yellow for a final push in to the Village.
What I am most looking forward to is joining two things that I love to do - camp and run. I get to use all of the camping knowledge I have amassed while part of the Boy Scout program. Plus I get to use my running skills on a new and unique type of course. This race will challenge me in new ways and allow me to get out of my comfort zone. I have learned that if you don't challenge yourself regularly you can't change or grow. I am sure at some point during the race I will ask myself "what have I gotten myself into?" The only answer to that question is that life begins at the end of my comfort zone.
Oct. 12 – 5.20 miles (47:31, 9:08 pace)
Oct. 13 – 6.20 miles (57:24, 9:15 pace)
Oct. 15 – 6.30 miles (59:28, 9:26 pace)
Oct. 16 – 5.50 miles (56:45, 10:19 pace) - Hill Repeats
Oct. 17 – 7.10 miles (1:02:25, 8:47 pace)
Oct. 18 – 7.10 miles (1:16:43, 10:48 pace)
Oct. 19 – 5.20 miles (47:21, 9:07 pace)
Oct. 20 – 6.20 miles (56:47, 9:09 pace)
Oct. 22 – 6.20 miles (58:35, 9:27 pace)
Oct. 23 – 5.50 miles (57:38, 10:29 pace) - Hill Repeats
Oct. 24 – 6.20 miles (1:16:25, 12:20 pace) - Trail Run
Oct. 25 – 4.10 miles (36:48, 8:58 pace)
Oct. 26 – 6.20 miles (54:51, 8:51 pace)
Oct. 27 – 6.20 miles (57:12, 9:14 pace)
Oct. 29 – 6.20 miles (58:47, 9:29 pace)
Oct. 30 – 5.20 miles (52:55, 10:11 pace) - Hill Repeats
Oct. 31 – 8.10 miles (1:10:42, 8:2944 pace)
Nov. 1 – 7.20 miles (1:07:38, 9:24 pace)
Total Miles: 109.9 miles
2015 Total Miles: 1,634.6 miles
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