Ragnar Del Sol Relay here I come!!

I have officially committed to being part of a relay team running from Prescott to Mesa, Arizona in February. I have heard only good things from people who have run a relay like this. This is something I have wanted to do for years, ever since my dad told me about the Hood to Coast ("the Mother of all relays") many years ago.

For those of you unfamiliar with these kinds of relay races, let me explain exactly what we'll be doing. Our team of twelve runners will be running 202 miles through the Arizona mountains and desert. Each runner will run three legs varying between three and eight miles. Our team will have two vans to get runners from one hand-off point to the next. We will run continuously until we reach the finish line! Yep...that means running through the night. This is going to be a new kind of "marathon." Some of us will be running close to (over even over for one person) twenty miles during the entire race.

Our team is going to consist of runners from all over the country-- from New York City to San Diego. Most of the team have never met in real life, only online through blogs, Facebook, Twitter etc. I know that there is a great team name somewhere in there... any suggestions? I'm pretty sure there are prizes (not to mention bragging rights) for great team names and theme-decorated vans.

I am really excited. I have become friends with these people by reading their blogs and now I get to bond with them in a once-in-a-lifetime sort of way. I am sure that there is nothing quite like spending hours with a group in a van-- sharing energy bars, sponge bathing with baby wipes and getting punchy from lack of sleep. I can't wait.

I have to give credit to Chris for getting this going. It is one of those things that people talk about. Chris not only talked about it, he followed up and closed the deal. I bet he is a really good salesman.