Ragnar Relay Napa Valley was my first experience realizing that running could be fun. Being in a van with 5 other people, filled with half-dried sweaty clothes for 24 hours, may not seem appealing at first (well, the sweaty clothes part wasn’t!), but it sure made for a running adventure to remember. And it was the spark I needed to find my love of running.
Ragnar Nappy Valley 2014
12 runners. 2 vans. 29 straight hours. 205 miles. That’s what culminated last weekend when I joined the Montana Running Ranchers for the Ragnar Relay in California. The race started in San Francisco, continued over the Golden Gate Bridge and through the Napa Valley, ending in the small town of Calistoga.
The team consisted of 12 members of the Montana ranching community, most working on family ranches. With 561 teams in the Ragnar Relay, our team finished 28th overall and 17th in the Mixed Open Division.
I don’t feel like a runner
I’m an aspiring runner. One day in high school, I ran a mile in 6:30, and that’s likely as fast as I’ll ever be. I don’t run marathons, and a 10k is a comfortable distance for me right now. In all reality, I hate running and pushing myself out of bed each morning to lace up my shoes and go.
But the feeling I get during and after the run is hard to beat. It’s a great way to clear the mind and see the world like I never would through a windshield. It’s also a great opportunity to use my interests in health and fitness to meet more folks in town and be an advocate for my passion for agriculture.
Touring the Bay Area
Before the race, we had an opportunity to view the San Francisco Bay from a boat while waiting for the other van to run their first six legs of the race.
We went under the Bay Bridge and the Golden Gate, went up to some huge ships at the Port of Oakland, saw the piers of San Francisco, circled Alcatraz Island, and saw a few dolphins and seals up close.
San Francisco and the Napa Valley provided some great sights. The Golden Gate was huge, and the Napa vineyards were very neat. Seeing the drought in person after reading the headlines all year is amazing. Those folks are hurting for water.
Then, at the end of the race (finished in Calistoga, CA), we drove along the Pacific Coast Highway. It was my first chance to step into the Pacific Ocean, which is MUCH colder than the Gulf of Mexico. I don’t recommend making the drive in a 15-passenger van. Other than that, it was well worth the great views!
The Bay area is a little more liberal on social areas than you’ll find across most of the country. Overall, it was a great experience, a great motivator for running habits, and a great trip away from the normal work routines.
Team Beef at Ragnar Relay
Our vans were wrapped in ranch brands from our sponsors and Team Beef logos. We passed out beef jerky to teams along the route and used it as an opportunity to connect through our mutual interests to promote the image of beef as part of a healthy diet. The reception from race participants, mostly from San Francisco, Southern California, and the West Coast urban areas, was much warmer than I had expected.
Folks wanted to take photos next to our van, loved our beef jerky, and were intrigued to learn that we were all from family ranches. We only had one person turn us down, saying they were “powered by plants.” That choice is just fine. We could still have a great conversation and enjoy our time at that exchange point.
Our group was tired; our vans smelled like sweat and came close to biting the dirt a few times on midnight runs, but it was a great time.
Those impressions we made along the route may not have turned into direct sales for Montana ranchers, but I guarantee you those folks we met and talked to will at least think about those Montana ranchers who ran in Napa next time they consider buying beef. That’s one step closer to putting a face to their food than we were at the beginning of the month.
We answered multiple questions, and I was amazed at how interested participants were in learning what Team Beef was as we went along the race route. If more of us participated in events like this (large and small, nationally and local), we could go a long way toward connecting the dots with consumers who are already expressing an interest in health, fitness, and food.