Packing for a Relay

Sounds intimidating, right? It definitely can be. But there is an art to it, and a few helpful tips that I will share to make it easier.

If you've never done a relay before, that aspect can be challenging in and of itself. Then you have to figure out what to take with you, and what you are going to need when you are running 3 times in 24 hours, sleeping in the car or on a gymnasium floor, and eating out of a cooler tied to the back of a van.

I just completed my 9th relay this past weekend, and thought that packing might be a good topic to share. This relay was different from all the others that I have done, though. My first 8 relays were Ragnar Relays, and this one is a Red Rock Relay. All of my Ragnars have been completed as part of a "regular", or 12 person team. For this Red Rock Relay in Zion, we will be participating as an Ultra team, meaning we only have 6 runners and will cover the same distance as the 12 person teams. More on that in another post after the relay, though. Back to packing!

I start making a list of the things I want to be sure to pack about a week to two weeks in advance. Having a complete list before I start shoving gear in my bag helps me make sure I don't forget anything, and also that I don't over pack. I put everything on this list. EVERYTHING. Even my running shoes.

A few things that may not be so obvious when you think about running, but may want to include in your bag:

• Baby Wipes (amazing what these can do in the absence of running water)
• Body Glide 
• Ear plugs
• Roll on Icy-Hot (this way you get the benefits of the Icy Hot, but don't have to worry about washing your hands immediately after application)
• Single Use Cold compresses - the kind you break to activate
• Cash - much of the food that is available at relays is through fundraisers, and it's best to have cash

One final tip that makes a huge difference is to put your running clothing and whatever you will need for each specific leg into a gallon size Ziploc bag and label it for each run. That way, if you are short on time, tired, or it's dark, you will be able to quickly grab exactly what you need without any trouble. 

After you are finished with a run, these bags also come in handy when you can drop your sweaty and stinky clothes right back into the bag, seal it up, and not subject your teammates to your festering running gear for the remainder of the relay. I also stick a couple of dryer sheets in my bag just to help keep any odors at bay.

Check back soon for a post about the relay I ran this past weekend! It was pretty epic!