This was my second time running Ragnar Relay (my first was Ragnar Great River), and I can't wait until my next one! Think of this as a road trip with a lot of pit stops, and as with any road trip, it's all about the people you are with. I couldn't have asked for a better team, and my van mates were the best.
If you haven't run Ragnar before, you will want at least 1 person on your team that has. I recommend having at least 2 people (1 for each van) that have run Ragnar in the past so you have a better idea of what happens during the race.
Pre-race prep is super important! Van rentals, route checking, food planning, and gear packing are all just as important as the actually running in this event. It will typically be the difference between the adventure of a lifetime, and a disorganized mess.
Ragnar does an amazing job putting out materials to help teams prep for the race months in advance! They even send out email reminders along the way.
There isn't really any runner support during each leg, but the exchange zones are well managed, especially the major exchange zones. Even parking at the exchange zones is managed well!
The course runs mostly on trails (paved and unpaved) with some roads along the way. This makes for some good scenery, especially once you hit Lake Michigan and get to run south. I've heard stories about some teams getting lost, but the course is actually very well marked, you just need to pay attention thats all!
The final leg of the race runs along Chicago's Lakefront Path, and runners are finishing on Saturday morning/afternoon (aka the busiest time for the Lakefront Path). This makes it fairly difficult for the final runners weaving in and out, but that is expected for a non-closed course. Parking is also difficult at the finish, but Ragnar provides a free shuttle to the finish from a parking lot a few miles away.
Finish t-shirt it the usual Tech Shirt, nothing special there.
Overall awesome race and I hope to be able to run this again with some great friends!