· The relay spanned 200 miles from Calistoga to Santa Cruz area (http://www.therelay.com/).
· 278 teams registered, 228 finished
· Each team has 12 members divided into two vans of 6 people each.
· Our total time was 32hr:11min:18 secs. We started on Saturday at 9:30am and finished Sunday at around 5:40pm.
· Many teams were looking for Runners till May 1st. Our team was formed last year and included all original members at the finish.
· Teams are divided into batches according to their speed and slower team start early. First batch started at 7:00 AM and our start time was 9:30AM. Ultra runners who complete this race in 20 hours start at 4:00 PM.
· Van 1 – Todd,Dan,Dave,Breean,Claudia,Rodger
· Van 2 – Larry,Steve,Matt,Dave,Shashank,Dhirendra
Race Days Experience:
Meet up:
We were supposed to gather in our company parking lot at 5:30 AM. My wife Sapna and I got up at 4:45 and we made it on time there in parking lot. I had not met Steve, Matt and Dan before as all other are from same campus and running buddies these three were new to some of us. I got introduced to Steve who is Larry’s brother in law and he ran the highest difficulty legs (His was difficulty 1 and mine was 5). I saw him and I was sure that he was capable of it. Then I met Matt who is Larry’s child hood friend and Dan is Claudia’s husband. Now I knew all the people who would be in my van and our team. We loaded luggage into the van in rain and took some pictures. Sapna took some pictures so that we can see and compare how we look after the race.
The Drive:
We started from El Dorado Hills at around 6:00 AM and headed towards Calistoga where the race started. It was fun on the way and minutes into the drive I was sure that we had great fun loving and humorous people in this adventure. I settled in the back seat and was surprised to find a bud light beer can. We started to pull Larry’s leg that he has already finished 11 cans before starting the race and left one. That Bud Light was there till almost the end of race and was waved every time we passed our runner on the road. Around 8:30 we were getting close to Calistoga and I asked Larry as to how far we are from the start. At this point I had to go to restroom but I did'nt want to ask him to stop. Larry replied “19 miles.” and continued driving. Immediately another voice came “does anyone want a break” and immediately all of us said yes. We had passed all the winery and there was no gas station and Dave said we should stop at the lodge which was next to us and Larry screeched the van in the lodge parking lot. At this point I wanted to go urgently and all of us were looking for the office. I saw a door which was open slightly and I pulled it and it was not locked. I saw that there was a restroom sign. I called everyone and went inside. We used the restroom with clean towels and walked out no questions asked. I settled in the middle seat now as Shashank took my seat in the back and we started driving and I hear a voice from behind “We go to use the restroom free and got free towels too!!”. We all burst into laugh. Dave is a very close friend of mine and he is a very humorous guy. We finally reached the start point at 8:45 AM with steady rain in Calistoga. Most of our run location included steep hills and running on the side of the road with traffic. It was raining all the way from El Dorado Hills to Calistoga and which meant that we had to confront wind and rain during our run for sure now.
Race Start:
We reached Calistoga and signed at the booth. There were lot of people who had reached there already and some people had already started their run. It was great to see so many other fit people who were happy to do this race. There were runners of all age groups. There were teams like team of families, team of just girls, team of teenagers, team from yahoo and Google, Team with funny names (mice on trampoline ,etc), team of cops (pigs in pursuit) and so on. We got our Van numbers, “Runner On Road” signs (All Vans have to post this on the back side of the van), T-shirts and caps for the race. We started waiting for our batch start time 9:30 AM. There were considerable number of people and mostly people whom we are going to see (Meaning people from batches close to us). It was great to see the names of the teams and some people had made a theme and painted their van according to team and had costumes. I knew at this point that this will be a fun 2 days. NBC of bay area was covering the start of the race and was interviewing all people who were starting and some people who were benefited from Organs r us. At the start of our batch there was a person who got a liver, a girl starting the race whose father received an intestine which helped him live 10 years longer and a person running who had donated a Kidney. It was great to hear them tell their stories. Larry and I met a person who had done the race alone last year in 72 hours and we spoke to him for a minute or two. He gave us some tips on how to tackle this race. He told us how our body will ache when we have to run after not having sleep and how to tackle it. I got worried and asked Larry “Is it true??” and he said in his confident voice “Don’t listen to him” and walked. I knew Larry did not want me to freak out so he gave that reply. I said to myself whatever let me see what happens and moved on. We took team pictures at the start in 6 cameras (we need back up for back up ) and took some pictures around. Finally, at 9:30 AM our batch started. We cheered them and let Van 1 start and we started driving to first van exchange.
First Leg:
We had no breakfast so far and we decided to stop on the way at “Marie Callender's”. I did not find anything without cheese so I decided to take French toast and muffin. I was hoping to drink coffee when I got my first shock when Larry said we should avoid coffee till we complete the race. We started driving to first van exchange which was a church in Napa. We reached there and it was still raining. We decided to change to running gear and went into the church. It was well organized with some food to eat, some cushions on floor to rest and showers. Unfortunately, showers were down. The way this race is formatted van 1 has more opportunity to shower and rest compared to our van 2. Van 2 is the stinky van, so we were mentally prepared for it. We changed and started waiting for the call from other van when the 6th runner (Todd) starts his leg. We got the call from them 30 mins early as they were ahead of schedule. We walked up to runner exchange so that Larry (1st runner in our van) to take over from Todd. Larry started his leg and we went to next runner exchange where Dave will take over from Larry.Dave had a funny experience. His leg was for 7.4 miles and he had a GPS watch to monitor the distance he has run. He had to start running in a trail for 3 miles before he gets on to Hwy 9. He took wrong close to 2.8 miles went up a hill for 1.5 miles till the road dead ended. Here at the exchange we are waiting for him for more than 30 mins after scheduled arrival and no sign of him. He finally arrived 40 mins late after running 2.5 miles extra. We were bummed that we lost the advantage which van 1 created by coming 30 mins ahead and it meant pressure on us to run faster rest of legs. Dave told us there was a mansion at dead end of the hill road which he took by mistake. Matt told him that Karma police misled him for his misdeeds !!
I had to wait almost 12 hrs from time we started in El Dorado Hills for my first run and finally at 8 PM I got my chance for my first leg. My first leg was going up a steep hill 500 ft for first 3 miles and then flat for 3 miles (rated hard). I was damn excited and we reached the exchange spot. I went and stood at the exchange in rain with rain coat excited and I saw downhill instead of uphill ahead for me. I told myself “fine, I will take it” and waited for Shashank. While waiting Dave interviewed me on video camera which he did for some of the legs.Shashank came on time, I took the rain coat off and handed to Dave and started running with reflective vest on and a small maglite torch in hand ( requirement for after sunset). Little did I know that the downhill will take me down 100 ft and then it will add 100 ft extra to climb meant that hill will be steeper and harder. Mid way through the hill I started to worry about timing now as I did not want to be late at the exchange. The best part is the other runner groups had parked their vans on the way and cheering runners, dancing to music on the top of the van and encouraging who ever were passing by. I did not have a GPS watch so I was relying on stop watch and a marker (intersection) for 4 miles at top of the hill. I went to the top of the hill and check my stop watch for first time. I was surprised, I was ahead of schedule for 2-3 mins. I increased my pace for next one mile and finished 5 mins ahead of schedule. I was happy as I handed the baton to Breean and walk away with my team.
Second Leg:
After my leg we went out and had dinner. We had dinner at “Outback Steakhouse” near San Francisco towards golden gate bridge parking lot which was the van exchange 2. On the way Dave started with his jokes and Matt who was next him wanted Larry to eject his seat out of the car hearing the first joke. Dave tried to improvize on the next one and another one till we reached the parking lot.We had 2 hours for sleep and the minivan was not enough for 6 people to sleep so Dave, Shashank and I decided to sleep outside in parking lot with our sleeping bags and tarp on floor. We were worried that someone will run over us so we parked the minivan blocking the parking lot. We put down a tarp and took out our sleeping bags. I was trying to sleep with the street light poking my eyes, noise of other people parked there and light drizzle. I suddenly hear voice of a stranger speaking to some on phone. Conversation goes this way "Honey, there are three people here sleeping on tarmac with sleeping bags. They have just a tarp below!! No cushion. No air bed. on hard tarmac, under the street light.... " . I can’t believe that he was talking for 20 mins just in front of us and I could not control my laugh inside sleeping bag. I wanted to come out for my sleeping bag and ask him to either get me an air bed or get out of my sight. Finally, this stupid guy left and I was trying to sleep and then rain increased. I told myself forget it and got out of sleeping bag and was looking for space inside the van to sleep and at same time Larry had moved out from driver seat to take a call. I just went and slept there for 15 mins till he came back and said we need to get ready as our runner will be reaching the exchange and we need to move. I said there goes my sleep and started to get ready. Surprisingly, Shashank and Dave who were sleeping outside continued with their sleep in solid rain (hats off to them). So we started our second leg with Larry taking the baton from Todd who had pleasure of running on Golden Gate Bridge.
My run was due at 6 AM. At 6 AM Shashank came to my exchange point and I had to take over from him. I was standing outside in rain with Larry and Steve waiting for him. Shashank was on time and I start my second leg. At this point with no sleep all night and those 6 miles looked like mountain for first mile. But after that my body heated up and with steady rains cooling my body I completed my second leg 6 minutes faster than schedule. I was glad that I was done with my second leg.
Third Leg:
At Van exchange 2, we had shower and some breakfast arranged for us at Caňada College (Van Exchange). All of us took shower and I ate cereal and milk for breakfast and there were some cushions on gym floor where we decided to sleep for 1 hr and leave at 9:45AM to the next runner exchange to take over from another van for our final leg. I was glad and I slept. I suddenly heard a voice "Dhiren, ready to go". I opened my eyes to see Larry in front of me and I checked my watch to see if it was 9:45 and it was. All other were back in the van and we started towards Santa cruz county line where we were supposed to take the baton from Van 1. We would cheer all the runner whom we passsed and sometime selectively. It was a beautiful place next to beach. Todd came in on time and Larry took over the baton from him and that means that we will be rolling towards the finish now. At this point we were jealous of other van as they were done and I was thinking I am the last guy so everyone will be done much before I am done with this race. I was damn sleepy as there was 2 - 3 hours of staggered sleep for more than 30 hours and I was supposed to hold up till 4:40 PM according to schedule to start my final leg. I changed to my running clothes and started waiting for my turn. Around 3:30 PM Shashank took the baton and started and we drove to the next exchange point where I was supposed to take over and it was still raining hard so I was sitting warm inside the van and I was dozing off. I told Larry let us stand outside in rain or I will sleep off now and will not be able to run. We stood outside and by this time all the runners outside looked tired but yet they were cheering other runners. Once I saw all other people outside cheering other runner and other runners coming in, my body woke up as if someone flipped a switch. I was feeling fresh and excited to take the baton and finish the race. I knew at this point that Sapna has started towards the finish line and I was debating on calling her or not as I did not want her to be pressurized. We waited there for 15 mins and finally I saw Shashank running in. This was a very hard leg for him and he looked tired. I took off my rain coat and ran little ahead for him and took the baton and started my last 6 miles leg. It was a great feeling knowing that I will finish the race and also this was first time I was running after not sleeping or eating properly for more than 40 hours now. I was cautious in the beginning and once my body warmed up I maintained a steady pace. By now number of vans parked on the side of road and cheering had increased. Most of them would have some encouraging words. Some of them had loud music going and dancing on the top of van. I started to see lot of runners who were tired of the ordeal slowing down and walking. I told myself to keep going and I saw highway 1 from a distance and I knew it was 3 more miles. At this point rain had stopped and it was very foggy. I turned right on hwy 1 and with Pacific Ocean on my left side I started enjoying whatever view I got in spite of fog and hoping Sapna would have made it on time as I did not call her before start to avoid her trying to drive fast if she still far away. After about 2.5 miles of running on hwy 1, I saw the boards marking on road and I was getting excited that it is direction to finish but as I came near that I saw it was something else. I kept going for few more minutes and I saw the board and I checked my time and I was 5-6 mins ahead of schedule and had some energy in tank. I increased my pace as I always want to finish strong and made the right turn on swanton rd to finish line. I saw the lady with radio calling my number so that my team would know that I am coming in. I ran faster and started hearing my team shouting and I knew I was close. I ran closer and saw my team and Sapna taking pictures (I was glad to see her). We were all supposed to finish together but they want me to go little ahead of them. I ran strong towards the finish line and finished the race.
Take away:
This race was my first race and one I will never forget. As a team we finished race in 32hrs 11mins 18 secs. We would have been ahead by 1 hour if Dave and Dan had not lost their way. I am glad that we finished all our legs successfully. It was a great team effort and fun experience. I am glad that I did this relay. When I signed up for this race, my thought process was that 3 legs of around 6 miles is not a great deal coz I run those every day but in reality more than running this race is about endurance and survival. All of us did great.
At the beginning of Steve’s last leg we both were standing in line for restroom (portable potty) and I was thinking whether I will do this again and at the same time Steve asked me will you do it again (Steve and Larry have already done Hood To Coast (http://www.hoodtocoast.com/) which is a similar one in Oregon twice). I said yes! I will do it again for sure.
