Team Captains Meeting Notes

One more week people!  I'm so excited.  I hope you are.  It's going to be a blast.

Tonight there was a team captains meeting.  They will email notes out on Monday, but here are some highlights.

1. Course changes. Their will only be minor course changes that will be handed out with the RagMag (a book similar to the race bible).  The minor changes will address areas of the course where there may be road construction, so a runner may have to go only slightly further than what is noted currently.
2. Start & Exchange 6.  Vans must be at their respective start (Van 1 - Start, Van 2 - Ex 6) 1 hour before their scheduled start.  At the respective start, each group will receive their race packet, van placards, flags, etc.  All shirts will be given at the start.  Van 1 must collect the shirts for Van 2 and give them at Ex 6.
3. Start.  Someone from Van 1 will need to provide a credit card number.  The credit card will be charged if the Ragnar flags that are handed out are not returned ($15 per flag).  Also, one cell phone number from each van must be provided to Ragnar as a contact.  Those numbers are as follows: Van 1: John Stewart 805-338-5211, Van 2: James Sloan 805-990-2975.  BTW  It would be a good idea for us all to have each other's cell phone number.  I think I have everyone's except Trevor, Michael and Tom's. Post on here or text me your numbers (Trevor, Michael and Tom).
4. Flags must be used anytime you cross a street, otherwise the team can incur a safety violation.
5. PACE.  We need to double check that each runner pace is correct on the Ragnar website.  It looks as though some of your paces are not correct. We corrected one blaring error (you know who you are and I won't mention your name here).  The following are the paces as listed on the official Ragnar Site.  They were not consistent with Tom's spreadsheet.  If they are wrong, we need them updated immediately and we need Tom's spreadsheet to also have the correct time for our estimates.  Our start time may have to change as a result.  Nikki 9:00, John 9:00, Trevor 8:45, Michael 10:00, Tom 9:45, Laura 10:45, Dave 9:00, James 9:00, Amy 9:00, Rebecca 10:45, AnneMarie 10:00, Wade 9:00.  I put in bold those paces that were inconsistent with Tom's spreadsheet.  If you change the website, let me know so I can change Tom's spreadsheet too.
6. Van placard provided at your van start must be visible at all times. It is your entry pass to the exchanges.  There are no parking fees at all on this course.  Hooray! Last year we had to pay to park at the finish.
7. Vests are required on anyone outside of the van between 6:45pm and 6:45am, no matter if it is light or not.
8. Running pacers are allowed on any leg between 6:45pm and 6:45am.  Bike pacers are only allowed on trail routes.  
9. Bikes. They STRONGLY discourage bikes.  There will be a full moon, so visibility should be great during the night time.  Bikes are only allowed on small portions of legs 12, 14 and 17.
10. Slap bracelet must be worn at all times.  If lost, we need to notify Ragnar staff.  They will think we are disqualified if we run without it.
11. NO VAN SUPPORT legs simply mean that only runners are permitted outside the van on these legs.  This is for safety reasons.  The van is still permitted to pull off the side of the road completely (meaning all four tires must be off the road) during that leg to cheer the runner on, but no one can exit the vehicle.
12. Food will be for sale at the start, ex 12, ex 30, and finish.
13. Sleeping is permitted on designated areas (grass fields) at ex 12, ex 18, ex 24 and ex 30.  If you want to do that, bring a tarp and sleeping bag.
14. Showers.  There are no areas on the course where we can take a shower.  They will try to arrange for that next year.
15. Starbucks hot chocolate will be offered free at several exchanges.  Hooray for that.
16. Finish.  There will be plenty of parking (so they say) at the finish line.  They will take a free team photo at the finish and allow us to download it after the race.  Free cup of noodles at the end of the race.  
17. Whew!  We are almost there.  Wahoo!