Running with Tom Kaufman
Road running relays:
Logistically challenging and loads of fun Have your tried and true running routes become mundane? Do you sometimes yearn for a distinct change of scenery? Do you long for the days when you were part of a team? For these and many other symptoms of the running doldrums the solution may be as simple as getting some friends together to run a relay road race.
Relays are springing up faster than you can say Meb Keflezghi, the No. 1 ranked marathoner in
the United States. If you haven't had the pleasure of running one, take note. They are challenging, exhausting, exhilarating and a whole lot of fun.
Relays on the road are a relatively recent phenomenon. The first major road relay was the Hood To Coast Relay from the Timberline Ski Lodge on Mount Hood to the town of Seaside, Oregon. This year's 25th annual Hood To Coast Relay is the largest event of its kind with more than 1,400 teams and nearly 16,000 runners. Many of the early
participants in Hood To Coast now eschew the event, as it has grown so large that the biggest challenge is simply negotiating the never-ending traffic jam of team vans.
Fortunately here in the Heartland, we have some great long-distance relays that have had the foresight to limit entries while still allowing enough growth to foster well-rounded events.
Relay road races fall into two categories: 1) One-day events that are generally completed during daylight hours (usually
covering 60 to 80 miles), and 2) overnight events that require runners to race through the dark and into the next morning (usually 160 to 200 miles). Not counted here are marathon relays because they are not events that stand alone as relays.
Nearly all of the relays I have run are multi-leg affairs where each runner is responsible for three segments. The 80-mile races are generally broken up into 24 legs for each team of eight runners. The 200-mile events feature 36 legs divided
between 12 runners. The logistics can be challenging – none more so than putting a team together. Many people shy away from events that would have them racing down a dark highway or bike path at 3 a.m. But it's a blast, trust me.
The usual relay strategy is to put half of your team in one vehicle and the other half in a second. Most relays do not have aid stations, making each team completely responsible for supporting their teammates. Teams leapfrog down the course offering fluids,
directions and encouragement until each runner reaches their designated exchange zone. This pattern continues until everyone has run three legs, the course has been completed, and your entire team is exhausted, excited and filled with a great sense of satisfaction.
Many of my best running friendships and fondest running memories have been forged during relays. Personal examples include racing stride for stride down the main street of Golcanda, Illinois, to the finish of the River To
River Relay (my team won the 80-mile race by 12 seconds); cruising over the Golden Gate Bridge at 3 a.m. under a full moon; chugging up a 2,000-foot climb in only 5K; getting beaten in a subsequent River To River race by two seconds; watching a nationally ranked distance runner post a blistering 3:30 mile on his way to a downhill 5-mile split of 19:56; and my buddy Don feeling like he "was shot out of cannon" after waiting until 11 of us had run our first legs before he could finally start
racing at midnight. These are only a few highlights that come to mind.
Most important to me are the friendships that have been formed and cemented while racing in all types of weather during all hours of the day and night. Being on a team working hard toward a common goal is what makes relays so attractive. Teams come into these races with different agendas. Most are looking for a different running experience to share with friends. Some are competitors looking for a new challenge.
Some want to finish with a smile. Everyone wants to run and have a good time.
There are several relay opportunities for runners in our part of the country. Several have already been held in 2006 but it's never too early to start planning for next year.
River To River Relay
The aforementioned 80-mile River To River Relay (www.rrr.olm.net) is held in southern Illinois. Starting from a bluff overlooking the Mississippi River, the course winds through beautiful and hilly rural
countryside. It passes through the town of Cobden before finishing at the levee to the Ohio River in Golcanda, Illinois.
River To River celebrated its 19th running this past April. As a 14-time veteran of the race, I can guarantee you a superbly organized event with magnificent volunteers. You will also get to run three of the hilliest 5Ks you will ever see.
The relay is topped off with a great post-race celebration featuring The Old Fishskins. If you have never heard
bluegrass, you have to make it to Golcanda for the music alone.
River To River puts a 240-team limit on their event. Registration filled this year in 12 minutes online. Watch the website for the October registration date. The race will be held April 21, 2007.
Great Midwest Relay
The Great Midwest Relay ( www.greatmidwestrelay.com ) will be held this year June 9-10. GMR is a 190-mile race starting in Olin Park in Madison, Wisconsin, and finishing in downtown Chicago. Seventy percent of the course is on bike trails so the terrain is relatively flat and the motor vehicle traffic is minimal. On the flip side, the bike trails complicate team support. Teams must plan their fluid stops carefully as vehicles can only access the course at road crossings.
GMR is in its second year and race organizers expect a significant increase from the 60 teams that ran the inaugural race. While most teams opt for 12 runners to cover 36 legs of the relay, the ultra runners in the crowd may enter as 6-person teams. Proceeds from this year's race will benefit Special Olympics.
Woods to Water Relay
The Hayward-Cable area has been a hotbed for endurance sport pursuits for years. In 1997, the Woods To Water Relay ( www.woodstowater.com ) was added to the mix.
This 80-mile event runs from Cable to Ashland on the last weekend of May. The rural course is described as similar to River To River by those familiar with both events. Most of the course is paved, but there are several sections of trail, gravel and forest service roads. As you might expect, the scenery is luscious and the hills are challenging.
Woods To Water is a relatively small event,
limited to 50 teams of eight runners. Runners start in Cable at either 7 a.m. or 7:30 a.m. and finish 7.5 to 12 hours later in Ashland on the shore of Lake Superior.
Great River Relay
New on the schedule this year is the Great River Relay (www.greatriverrelay.com). At 207 miles, this just might be the longest relay race in the country. The race will start in downtown La Crosse, Wisconsin, and follow the Mississippi River to St. Paul, Minnesota.
As this is a new event, most
of the race details can be found on the website, including a very cool 3-D "Fly-By" feature for each leg. Proceeds from the race will benefit Operation Kids. If you and your running chums are intrigued enough, consider tackling the inaugural Great River Relay August 25-26.
Reno-Tahoe Odyssey Relay
I can't close this column without mentioning a relay I am planning to run in July. The Reno-Tahoe Odyssey Relay (www.renotahoeodyssey) is a 178-mile race starting in, you guessed it, Reno,
Nevada. The course rings Lake Tahoe before coming back to Reno through the Sierra Nevada Mountains.
None of us are quite sure what the 4,500 to 7,500 feet of elevation will do to our hoped-for times. However, I'm really excited to be running this race with several old friends who have moved "out West" – including my oldest son and some of his former Dartmouth College track and cross-country teammates. Our team looks like seven "old guys" who can still race hard and five "kids" who are
just plain fast. It should be a hoot (particularly if some of us can recover sufficiently from running GMR).
So, if you are looking to revitalize your running or simply aching for a new running experience, relays may be just the ticket. I have rarely met a runner who was not enthralled with the relay experience. You have to adjust your pre-race routine to include waiting two to six hours hours in a van between your assigned segments. Expect to lose some sleep and spend a lot of time
with other runners who don't smell that great. But if you do it, I can almost guarantee you will have so much fun that you can't wait to run another relay.
See you at the starting line. Good running to you.
Tom Kaufman of Madison, Wisconsin, has run more than 40 marathons. He teaches high school phy-ed and coaches high school track and cross-country as well as community and masters athletes. He has a master's degree in physical education with a specialization in exercise physiology.
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