Ragnar Relayted: The Flying Borgnines Report

To put it succinctly, “Ragnar Rocks!” First, some general comments and observations from a relay race newbie: The race organization was very good and the volunteer level was also very good. The race route was easy to follow if you were running. I personally only noticed two or three overturned signs for the legs I ran. It would have been better on the morale side if the race was well-known in the towns that we ran through because there was no crowd support along the way but it is only in its second year so maybe that will come with time.

This was my first relay and as a result of the privilege of working closely with 11 outstanding team members I am completely sold on relaying. From the first rounds of email correspondence, to the team meeting a few weeks prior to race day, to the thirty hours or so of traveling, cheering, becoming grateful for the invention of the porta-john, and loving the site of a gym hardwood floor at 3:00am, it was just magnificent and magical. My more practical tips for aspiring relayers: bring a large quantity of baby wipes(that baby fresh scent is immensely more preferable to the alternative when many of you have run a leg in 90 degree heat combined with what seemed to be 90 percent humidity); oatmeal cookies from Inatesso in BPC taste great and help you finish that last leg; van size should be of Chevy Suburban proportions, our Chrysler mini-vans were nice but about three feet too short on interior floor space; pay attention to the navigation pages handed out by the race crew and don’t rely on GPS; and finally savor every moment together because you will really miss every one of your teammates the next few days.

The Flying Borgnines!

Finally, let me share some humorous stories and observations courtesy of The Flying Borgnines. Ray S. learned to never again consume a large meal featuring beef brisket less than one hour before running an 8 plus mile leg on a 90 degree day. He had to stop a few times along his leg and deposit that meal along the roadside. He is now known as the “Mad Yakker”. Binu T. was our toughest warrior having run his second and third leg on a rolled left ankle which he rolled on both legs. Despite his considerable pain he managed to run two of the fastest legs on what were rated very hard legs. Courtney L. pound for pound was probably our strongest warrior. And she will probably be in charge of the navigating duties in the future for her van. Cristina B. maintains an incredibly calm and reassuring demeanor even in the most demanding and sometimes chaotic conditions. And Sungwon H. brings along an incredible amount of enthusiasm and caring for her teammates as well as being a top-notch athlete. Finally, Alan G. proved that his best days as an athlete are definitely not all behind him. He was also an emotional leader for the team.

As for my van mates, kudos to Kenny H. for being probably the steadiest presence in our van and the most dependable. He was really rock-solid. Mark N. was also doing his first relay and he exceeded by a considerable margin his expectations for his performance. He was also the best navigator any team could have to sort the roads out in the dead of night. Without him we might still be driving somewhere between Garrison and Dobbs Ferry. Beth W. was both lots of fun, as she personally guaranteed us and pretty fast on the road. Beth is also prone to race hallucinations as she mistook a tree stump for a deer. Alisa N. is both genuinely warm and quick to laugh. She is also a very good road warrior. The day after Ragnar finished Alisa did a duathlon. Ami I. is also a fighter like Binu because she had to overcome an ailment that began in her second leg but she refused to let anyone down. I also learned that she is an outstanding snowboarder and I am looking forward to hearing about her planned trip to parts of Asia. A very graceful teammate. As for me, I just drove where directed, ran when I was supposed to, and loved every minute of the time spent with a great bunch of teammates. I eagerly look forward to the next opportunity to participate in a relay. It was a blast and I hope all the other Flyer Teams had as much fun as we did! - Jim S.