This was my second Ragnar experience, but 1st Ragnar Trail race. I joined a team of ladies, most of whom had done this race before and loved it.

If you're not familiar, for Ragnar Trail races, there are teams of 8 (or ultra teams of 4) who complete 3 separate loops of trail, totalling 15.6 miles per person. Instead of riding in vans from point to point, runners camp overnight, and every loop starts and ends in the same transition area.

The organizers have the parking situation down to a science. each team is allowed to park 2 vehicles at the park, and you are allowed to unload briefly in the Village campsite, then move your car to the parking lot nearby. The event tries to be as sustainable as possible. No paper cups were allowed at the site. You were required to bring your own reusable container, which was great.

Most folks brought a huge spread and cooked (a giant tailgate party), but there was also a mess hall where you could get meals.

The terrain had good variety, from rugged and challenging to fairly flat runnable sections. Each loop was full of beautiful Sonoran desert scenery. The course is EXTREMELY well marked, and for that i give the organizers an A+! The route was color coded, and reflective to be seen well at night.

I was a little surprised that there were basically no aid stations on the course at all. Given the rugged terrain, I'm surprised there weren't more course officials out there in case of emergency. There was a first aid tent, which I unfortunately had to visit, and I was attended to quickly.

For your entry fee, you receive a t-shirt, medal, tattoo, and 1 meal ticket. They served coffee during the day (bring your own cup) , plus hot chocolate and smores at night. They provided 2 bonfires to help us stay warm, which was much appreciated. You are allowed to go in a night early to set up your campsite if you so desire. They even showed a movie during the night, since there were still a lot of people up and about during the night, full of nervous energy.

Overall, I give this event high marks for being well organized. It welcomes both experienced trail runners and newbies like myself. The energy was high and everyone seemed to be excited to be part of it.