Navigating the Wasatch Back Ragnar Course

Wasatch Back Ragnar Relay June 2009 #8

The Ragnar race notebook contains instructions and maps of each leg of the race. We soon learned to depend on those course descriptions and maps to successfully navigate to the next exchange point. Annie was good at orienting the maps and providing navigation instructions. Sometimes Steve used his GPS navigation to make sure we were still on course. We all took turns studying the maps, checking our course and figuring out how to navigate off the running course so we could drive fast enough to arrive at the exchange point in time to start the next runner.

It took some time for us to trust each other. As we worked together and supported one another we started bonding as a team. It took on meaning to finish one's leg and run it with everything you had. At first it was a little awkward having to change clothing in the tight space of the truck and providing a privacy shield by turning my back. We told jokes and at first I felt nervous about saying something offensive. It didn't take long though when some of the jokes told were so off the wall, that we felt comfortable to be ourselves. Professionalism has it's place but it soon became known we were no longer in the office!

I tried to be present at the exchange points as much as possible. It reminded me of waiting in line at Disneyland for the next ride. There was always excitement in the air as runners finished a leg and another finally got a turn to run. It was always a good idea to visit a honey pot often to make sure you didn't have to make a dash into the bushes!

We always made sure to have some words of encouragement for each other. It kept morale high and it was fun to see the smiles and friendship start to form.

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