WHAT IS A RAGNAR TRAIL EVENT?
It's a relay race
Replace batons with a high five or a sweaty chest bump, and this
relay works just like the one you ran in school with your three best
friends or three classmates who you were forced to team up with.
Ragnar Trail relays are the same concept. Runner one will run,
then handoff to runner two, who will handoff to runner three until
everyone on your team has run… three times.
It's all on trails
Think of the rock skipping you did as a kid, but on steroids. Ragnar
Trail Relays take place on single track trails, wide dirt paths and
everything in between. It’s a fun mix of running and hiking in some
of the most breathtaking parts of the country.
You'll run three loops, but not all at once
Your kilometres will add up, anywhere from 20 to 25km (double
that on an ultra-team). But, you don’t run that distance all at once.
You’ll run one loop, hand off to your teammate, relax for a few
hours, then run again. All your teammates will run the same three
loops, so you can compare notes after. The three loops are green
(hard), yellow (harder) and red (really freakin’ hard). Runner 1
will start by running the green loop, Runner 2 will run the yellow,
Runner 3 will run the red, then Runner 4 will start the order again
by running green until everyone has completed all three loops.
It's an overnight relay, which means you'll run in the dark
Ragnar Trail Relays in Australia begin Saturday morning and end
sometime Sunday. And yes, you and your teammates will keep
running through the night (teams typically take anywhere from
22 to 36 hours). As the sun sets on Saturday night, runners turn on
their headlamps and set off into the dark. And, it’s one of the best
parts of the race. You’ll see other runners out on the trail, you’ll
overcome your fear of the dark and you’ll fall in love with night
running. Then, you’ll head back to the Ragnar Village for a short
nap before your next run.
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The party is in Ragnar Village
Yes, this is a running race. But, you won’t be running the whole
time. You’ll spend plenty of your time in the Ragnar Village. The
Ragnar Village has everything from your team campsite to partner
tents to the bonfire and s’mores. While your seven teammates are
running, you’ll have the chance to grab some food, buy Ragnar
gear, watch a movie, hang out around the fire, catch a quick nap,
cheer for other runners, grab a drink, fill up your water bottle, take
part in small contests and enjoy the whole Ragnar Trail experience.
It's impossible without a team
What makes a Ragnar Trail relay unforgettable is the time
you spend conquering this challenge with your (new or old)
best friends and crossing the finish line together. It’s hard, but
achievable. You’ll leave with an awesome medal to brag about
your accomplishments and a million or more inside jokes.