Endurance Relays: A New Spin on an Old Favorite at He's Fit

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Endurance Relays: A New Spin on an Old Favorite

Posted August 21, 2007 at 02:00 PM by Lisa Cieplechowicz

Section: His Fitness, Cardio Training, His Inspiration, Success Stories

endurance relay team Picture this: running hundreds of miles across state highways and trails, sometimes with only the moon to light your way, supported by dedicated teammates who are ready to trade-off with you every 3 miles or so follow along in a decorated van, while you all envision the festivities that await you at the finish line. Sound like something you’d enjoy? Then maybe you should consider signing yourself up for an endurance relay race.

Relay races used to bring to mind images of high school or college athletes running around an oblong track with side attractions consisting mostly of marching band music and fundraising booths. And though there’s nothing wrong with such an athletic event, these days there are alternative activities to consider. Welcome to the age of the endurance relay race, where distances are lengthened to stretch across hundreds of miles, limited time-frames are instilled, and food and fun often meet you at the end of your journey.

endurance relay run2 Endurance relay races take the idea of standard relays to the next level. From longer distances to picturesque courses to the chance to compete in some over-night racing, endurance relays make the process of relay events both fun and rewarding. Who wouldn’t like to brag to their friends that they ran hundreds of miles across cities and states? Even more important than bragging rights, many runners in such relay events cite the lifelong friendships these endurance runs can spawn. Team sports are known for their ability to create strong bonds amongst teammates and endurance relay races are no exception. As quoted in the NY Times by a participant, “It takes a certain kind of person who wants to run through the night, and after 30 hours together you know who you can be lifelong friends with.”

Take, for instance, the Nike Hood to Coast event - the largest endurance relay race in the world. Since 1982, teams of runners have traveled across 197 miles of land in Oregon from a ski lodge in Mount Hood to the coastal shores of Seaside. The race consists of 36 legs, with each runner required to participate in at least three legs each. Leg distances range from 3 to 7 miles and vary in difficulty. Participants of the race are rewarded for their hard work with festivities at the race’s end, consisting of food, drinks, dancing, and live music. Thousands of runners come out each year in anticipation of the competition, camaraderie, and celebration the event provides.

Though endurance races are known for their fun edge, keep in mind this is also an opportunity for some intense physical exertion - so make sure you’re up for the challenge. Besides the obvious tip of keeping in shape and training regularly, get to know the course ahead of time and familiarize yourself with any steep or uneven terrain. Also make note of the fact that endurance races are tough on the body; by trading off every few legs in a limited time period, you’re robbing your body the proper time to heal and regenerate. Consequently, marathon runners may want to stay away from such events, as they could hinder marathon preparation.

If you’re the type of person that jumps at the chance for travel, intense physical activity, and forming new friendships, then do yourself a favor and consider signing up for an endurance relay race. It may just be the experience you’ve always been looking for. If endurance relays sound right up your alley, check out the following links:

Oregon: Nike Hood To Coast
Colorado: Colorado Outward Bound Relay
New Hampshire: Reach the Beach Relay
Arizona: MyoMed Ragnar Relay
Wisconsin: Kettle Moraine Runs

For resources and more information: [Nike Hood to Coast]; [New York Times]

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Tags: challenge, colorado outward bound relay, endurance, endurance relay races, endurance relay run, friends, kettle moraine runs, miles, myomed ragnar relay, nike hood coast, physical exertion, relay races, relay the beach relay, van

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87 Responses to “Endurance Relays: A New Spin on an Old Favorite” (Leave a reply)

Blaine Moore from Vacationland said:

Some college teammates of mine ran a relay from the Pacific to the Atlantic a few years ago, turning a one-off event from 1979 into a regular event for each 25th anniversary of RIT.

One of the guys wrote a book about the experience that is a great read. I wish that I had been able to join them, but I did not think that it was worth quitting my job over. Looking back on it, I think that I was wrong.
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