How to run a trail relay: Advice for training, packing and race day

We recently completed a hiking relay on Mt. Bachelor in Oregon hosted by the Ragnar Relay Series. Our team, Nut Rack City, won the race in just over 21 hours and the final team crossed the finish line in just over 45 hours.

Since most of us are typical road runners, we were woefully unprepared for the challenges of terrain, darkness and altitude. If this is your first time taking on a trail relay, this guide will help you learn from our mistakes.

How does a trail relay work?

You don’t have to run long distances and you don’t have to be fast.

When you arrive, set up camp with all the other teams at the base of the mountain or at the trailhead, near the start and finish of each stage of the race.

Trail relays consist of three laps. If a runner drops out or something goes wrong, some runners may repeat the same lap more than once.

Teams will be assigned a start time based on their team’s average pace, with the fastest teams starting later in the day. The race doesn’t stop until it’s over. So plan to complete at least part of your run in the middle of the night.

For example, in our 120-mile race, we set up a team of eight runners who are expected to run about 15 miles in total. That 15 miles was broken up into three loops — 3.3 miles, 4.6 miles, and 7.2 miles — and at our pace, each runner got about five hours of rest before being asked to run again.

Between the legs, the runners rest, eat and try to recover. There’s usually enough time to try and find a few hours of rest, but the adrenaline might keep you awake. Use your free time to stretch, roll, eat, and drink. For entertainment, we brought books, a deck of cards and a journal for each runner to record their experiences on their leg upon their return.

Winners will be determined by which team finishes with the shortest total time. Our team finished the race in 21 hours, 1 minute and 41 seconds and won us the overall race.

For the Ragnar Relay Series, teams of eight complete a 100+ mile race over approximately 48 hours on trails that stretch from the Appalachian Mountains to Zion. Another popular relay race is the Hood to Coast, one of the largest and longest-running relay races, in which up to 12 teams embark on a 200-mile adventure through the mountains, forests and beaches of Oregon. You can also find one-day relay races that accept teams of four to six people.

Our entry fee for the race was just over $1,300 divided into eight categories. Travel costs varied depending on where each member of the team lived. We planned to spend the nights before and after the race at a friend’s in Portland to save on expenses.

No matter which team you bring, you will leave the race as close friends. (Two days of shared suffering from exhaustion, sleep deprivation, turned ankles, and inside jokes will do.)

The best thing about walking relays are the people who lead them. You don’t have to be an accomplished athlete, trail expert, or Strava star to start the climb. However, it definitely helps to have some teammates willing to put in more miles. If a teammate gets injured, you need a back-up plan for who on the team might be able to run extra stages. On our team, we shifted the order after several knuckles rolled. (Bring a good headlamp!)

If you browse Ragnar’s race results, you’ll come across a ton of creative puns. We joined the ranks of Worst Pace Scenario, Long Distance Relaytionship, and Not Fast Just Furious. Also on the list: Running on Empty, Don’t Go Chaffin Waterfalls, Quad Bless America, Agony of Da Feet, Cirque Du Sore Legs, Between a Walk and a Hard Pace, and a kilt crew called Kill! or be a kilt!)

You’ve gathered a group of friends, come up with a fun name, found a location and picked a race date. Now it’s time to train.

Running is a full body sport and adding a mountain to the equation completely changes the challenge. Lift weights, ride a bike, do yoga—choose the cross-training that makes you feel best and incorporate it into your routine. Your quads, glutes and lower back will thank you after the race.

The incline is enough to humiliate even the fastest street racers. And your training should include running on different terrains and hiking or climbing in areas you can’t.

During the Oregon Ragnar, portions of the climb were so steep that running was no faster than hiking, and the descent required careful dancing to keep your feet under your body. At one point on the descent, an elderly man darted past me with billy goat grace and happily chimed in, “It’s so technical!”

To prepare for the relay cadence, you should split your practice runs into a morning run, an evening run, and a third run the next morning.

Be prepared for the fact that it is both mentally and physically demanding. During the race you have to run, rest, refuel, repeat. At least one of your runs will be overnight, and unless you have instant sleep anywhere superpowers, you’re not going to get much rest.

Your non-negotiable items include food, clothing, and a tent. You sleep in a tent or under the stars if you are lucky enough to sleep at all.

Most teams recommend an 8-person 10 x 10 foot tent. If you are looking for more spacious accommodations, Ragnar Trail Races offer “glamping” rentals for $1,560. Each runner should bring their own sleeping bag and sleeping pad, but if you’re concerned about floor space, duffel bags and coolers can be stored outside on a tarp.

For our race, some of the tents featured fold-out tables with pancake tops, overlapping fairy lights, and even inflatable garden decorations anchored by buckets of White Claw.

Bring at least two headlamps to be visible on the trail at night. Ragnar requires a minimum brightness of 70 lumens – and trust us, on rough terrain and tight passes you’ll want it.

Think about what food or fuel makes you feel energized before a run. The easiest food option is to stick to non-refrigerated, easily digestible snacks that can feed a group. We stopped at the grocery store for loaves of bread, peanut butter, pretzels, bananas, protein bars, and Gatorade.

Your wardrobe on race day depends on the weather. Wear trail running shoes if you have them or hiking shoes if you plan to walk. Your local outdoor or running store can help you choose the best fit, but shoes with a thicker tread on the bottom will help you navigate the terrain with confidence.

Bring lots of layers, expect it to be colder than you think at night and bring enough underwear to switch between legs. Some people like to wear flip flops to give their feet a rest between runs. Packing tip: Bring three separate running outfits in plastic bags. You want the pockets to insulate dirty clothes later.

Aside from these basics, you might also want to bring foam or stick rollers for between-leg recovery, a bag for your phone, cameras, running headphones, sunglasses, and hats. While you are free to bring a book or deck of cards to while away the time, Ragnar Trail Camps often coordinate group activities as well. Our race included a campfire with s’mores, Group yoga sessions and overnight film screenings (including a 2am screening Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade).

The race will provide water so bring a refillable bottle but don’t worry about buying jugs or packs of 36. There will also be coffee, hot chocolate, tea and small complimentary snacks from vendors. There are port-a-potties on-site, but bring a roll of toilet paper in case they run out.

There are no portable toilets on the trails. During our race, a conspicuous sign at the changeover point read: “Please don’t poop in the woods unless you have to.”

Around the 24 hour mark, race organizers will notify teams in danger of not finishing within the allotted time.

When your last runner takes off, gather your team and make plans to race to the finish line. Ragnar encourages your entire team to do the last few yards with your anchor so you as a whole team get to the finish while everyone cheers. Cherish this moment, you’ve just spent tens of hours hiking more than a hundred miles together.