So, you've been asked to join a relay race and now you're freaking out because you have no idea what to pack.
No problem. Here is your easy how-to-pack guide.
A few assumptions:
There is limited space in the van and you are sharing it with several other runners
You want to compact everything you can into as little a bundle as possible
You want to be able to find what you need without removing everything from your bag
You will want most of your stuff packed away but will need ready access to a few personal things (phone, wallet, snacks, water, etc.)
The solution? Plastic bags. Lots and lots of clear plastic bags. I use the gallon size freezer bags because they are stronger and won't tear. Grab those, a black sharpie, and get organized.
And it all looks like this.
These gallon sized bags are for the running clothes you will wear each leg.
These bags are for other items I will explain below.
Same, more items you will need.
This is what I will wear for my first leg. When I finish running and change clothes, I will put these sweaty clothes back into this bag and seal it up. That helps keep the van smelling clean and fresh instead of like an old locker room.
This is what I will wear on leg 2. That is typically a night run, so I want to make sure I am as visible as possible.
This is what I will wear on my third leg.
And here they are, all packed tightly in plastic bags and ready to go. I can easily find each bag and be ready to go without looking for my shorts, shirt, or socks.
This is one of the cold weather bags. It has my sweatpants and a long-sleeve tech shirt. I don't expect to need this to run, but I want to have it just in case the weather changes and I need to be warmer.
This is my second cold weather bag. I have a light-weight hoodie and a beanie in here. I wouldn't run in this, but I will probably want to put it on when I am out supporting my other teammates on their night legs.
This is all the gear I will need at night. I have a safety vest, headlamps, and rear blinky lights so I will be as visible as possible to other runners, team vans, and cars just passing by.
The towel and washcloth (in its own smaller bag) so I can wash up after each leg.
This is my run gear. It's my Road ID, my Halo headband, safety pins for my big, snacks in case I am hungry before I go out, and a safety vest custom-altered by my husband for my iPhone 6. I wear it every single leg, even during the day. It makes me more visible to drivers and it's super convenient to just pin my race bib on one time and wear the same vest all three times.
Here's the same run gear packed tightly into the bag. I also pack an extra pair of earbuds in this bag so I am not scrambling around to find them when it comes time to run.
And here's everything packed into my gym bag and ready to go. My running shoes fit in here, too. Packing the bags tightly means I can get away with a smaller bag.
My First-Aid kit. Don't leave home without it.
These items are for my personal bag. I have my phone charger, extra reading glasses, sunglasses, a ball cap, and an extra headlamp. That comes in handy when I am trying to read a map or the Relay Guidebook at night and don't want to blind the driver with the overhead light.
This is my refillable water bottle. We carry a 5-gallon bottle with a pump on top, so we can all use personal bottles instead of buying cases of disposable water bottles. Plus, it's easy to see at a glance which bottle is which since they all look a little different.
I also pack a small toiletry bag with just the basics. No one wants to ride next to a stinky runner.
Here's the personal bag, packed and ready. Because it's small, I can keep this bag near me in the van and have all that I need. My other bigger bag can go in the back of the van or underneath the seats and be out of everyone's way.
Have you seen this video, yet? A guy gets a chance to play on stage with his musical idol and walks away with an amazing experience. See for yourself:
There are so many lessons here, and all of them are important. Even life-changing.
Imagine
When he knew he was going to attend the forum with Billy Joel, he envisioned the chance to join him for the song. There really wasn't any reason to expect it to happen, but the chance was there. And that was enough.
Prepare
Despite no real chance of this happening, the guy spent time practicing the song on the keyboard. If his moment presented itself, he wanted to be ready.
Ask
Against the odds, he was presented the opportunity to ask Billy Joel to sing with him. So he did. And what happened? Billy Joel said, "okay."
Deliver
And deliver, he did. He did everything he could to make this moment happen, and when it did, he played his heart out.
Some people will watch this and think, "oh, he's so lucky." Sure, there's an element of luck involved. I mean, not everyone there at the forum had the chance to ask a question. But this is an example of luck meeting preparedness. His earlier planning and his willingness to take a risk combined to deliver an amazing reward.
And it's not just a moment with a superstar. Each of us can make our own magic moments. We just need to imagine, prepare, ask, and deliver.
For me, running my first Ragnar Relay Race was a magic moment. When I first started working out, I had absolutely no expectation of being part of a 200 mile relay team. But I did imagine myself running faster and farther in the future. I had faith that I would get better if I just kept at it. And I did. I prepared myself for whatever was to come by running the miles, day after day and week after week. And months later, I stumbled across the RagnarRelaySeries website and asked, "what is this all about?" Then, with the right connection (thanks, Denise and Lisa!), I stepped up and took a leap of faith. I joined a team, showed up, and delivered.
And since that experience, running has taken me across the country, introduced me to (literally) hundreds of amazing people, and allowed me take part in relays, long-distance runs, obstacle courses, and crazy physical challenges.
It all started when I imagined something big for myself, because possible when I prepared, became a reality when I asked, and a success when I delivered. I made my own magic moment.
So, what of you? What will be YOUR next magic moment?
Week twelve is now behind me and the summer heat seems to have really found its way to San Diego. Far from it being the end of the season, the days feel hotter than June and July. But still I run.
Saturday, September 8th, was the end of week 12 of my Summer of Run Challenge.
I ran all seven days.
I ran at least one 10-minute mile each day.
I ran more than 15 miles for the week.
Here's how it happened:
And the challenge recap so far:
The heat continued through the week, with some of the hottest days of the summer so far. And I intended to finish the week with a single mile on Saturday, but as you may have already read here, I changed that to a three mile run, instead.
I had expected to feel totally "over it" by this point in the challenge, but I'm feeling a bit wound up, actually. I think it's a combination of three things. One, the attitude adjustment courtesy of Sgt Clemons. Two, the Ragnar Relay Napa that is coming up Friday and Saturday. And three, the excitement of actually seeing this challenge all the way through.
Watch the video. Then click on the Kickstarter page and make your pledge to help us get this film made. There are rewards with each level, so pick your prize, make your pledge, and let's make this happen.
(Want to learn more about the film? Check out the film's website here. And keep coming back, as we will be adding more original content all the time.)
