Guest posting today is Lauren, from Breathe Deeply and Smile. I had the chance to run with Lauren during a group run at FitBloggin' last year and we chatted training and race goals. If you haven't checked out her blog you should!

I was lucky enough to run my first overnight relay race with fellow Team Nuun ambassadors as part of Nuun’s sponsored Team Nuun Energy Lemon-Lime last summer. I was even luckier that my first relay was the famous Hood to Coast race in Oregon. It’s a big relay race that has been happening for decades out on the West Coast. It was an experience I’ll never forget and one of the most fun weekends I have ever had. With the good, comes some bad, especially when your weekend involves spending over a day with 6 strangers running around and living in a van. I’ll start with the worst parts of running an overnight relay.

The Worst

Port-a-potties: Sure, port-a-potties are never the most pleasant things to experience. When you and hundreds of other runners are using them solely for a weekend in the summer heat, they can be even less so.

Being in a van for over 24 hours: After around 20 hours of running and driving with little breaks, being stuck in a van becomes less fun. Especially if you are in a tight vehicle and can’t really get comfortable. There can also be some muscle stiffness from running, being in a van, and running again.

Sweaty runners:After a runner finishes a leg the van needs to pick them up and keep driving to the next exchange. That means lots of sweaty runners in and out of the van all weekend. Hopefully you air out the van!

Traffic & Driving: Even in the middle of nowhere Oregon, we hit massive traffic at one point. There was congestion before an exchange that had the road backed up for miles with vans of relay runners. I was lucky enough to have a Nuun-designated driver, but if you and your friends sign up someone will have to drive. Most people don’t drive vans or big vehicles on a daily basis so it can lead to issues.

Un-routine eats: Due to the nature of the relay, you probably won’t be eating the way you usually do. My van didn’t have time to stop for a meal during the relay so I subsisted off of carrot sticks, peanut butter pretzels, and trail mix. Unordinary eating may lead to your runs being under fueled or possible stomach problems.

No showers: Pretty self-explanatory. See sweaty runners.

Reaching an exchange and not seeing your team: If your van gets lost, there if traffic, or you are just too speedy, you may have to wait at an exchange for a bit before finding your team and hopping in your van.

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No room for modesty in a van: With my team I was a little unsure of how co-ed van living would be. Luckily I had the best team of Nuun-loving people ever and everything was fine. I’m a pro at quickly changing out of sweaty clothes anyways!

No sleep: At the beginning of the relay you are super pumped and ready to run. When you wake up after 25 minutes of sleep to go run your second leg of 7 miles in the dark at 3 AM, your legs may not be feeling as great

Weather changes: As with any race, the weather can be unpredictable. It can be more of an issue when overnight camping and driving are involved.

Now that we got all of that out of the way, this is why overnight relays are amazing experiences!

The Best

Log more miles: Relays are a great chance to log more miles than you normally do. In the span of 24 hours, you may be running anywhere from 10-20 miles or more!

Run your farthest: Depending on your experience, you may also get the chance to run your farthest distance yet. There is nothing more thrilling than having a personal best or first with a van of your teammates following you in the van and cheering you on.

Scenery: Relays take place in some of the most scenic places. You may be running along scenic routes, coastlines, trails, and through neighborhoods. It’s a great way to see an area of the country or place you’ve never been before.

Sightseeing: Along with the scenery, you get to sightsee in a new town or city, and check out places by running. Running is a great way to get a feel for a new destination. It also helps if you can spend a day before or after having fun in the area.

Team spirit:You develop a strong sense of camaraderie with your team after spending so much time together. You cheer each other on, support each other, and keep things fun & silly. It’s fun to decorate your van, follow a theme, and keep the enthusiasm high.

Silliness: You haven’t laughed hard until you’ve been up for 30 hours stuck in a van. Silly jokes and stories definitely come out when people are running a relay.

Other teams: It’s also really fun to see what other team names, costumes, and van decorations other people have. At Hood to Coast there was a memorable team that ran all of their legs in full Anchorman costumes in the dead of August.

Kills: During the relay your team and you may tally up “kills” or people you pass along your runs. It is a fun activity and way to stay excited on your runs. I definitely pushed myself on runs so I could report back with how many “kills” I had after each leg of the race.

Challenges: It is an awesome feeling to complete challenging miles. You may be tackling a hilly, rocky 5 miles by a mountain or running 6 miles at 2 AM after no sleep with no van support.

New friends: There is nothing better for becoming fast friends with people than spending over 24 hours in a van with them. After Hood to Coast, all of my teammates are friends for life. If you have the chance to do an overnight relay race with friends or strangers, I highly encourage it!

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Lauren is a research scientist by day and part-time health and fitness nut. Lauren is addicted to running, loves cooking, watching TV & films, trying new restaurants and bars, and exploring all the fun things Baltimore has to offer. She got hooked on running after her first 5K 4 years ago and has since completed 10 half and 2 full marathons as she currently chases a Boston qualifying time. Besides running she loves dabbling in Crossfit, yoga, spin, and group fitness classes. Lauren is the creator of Breathe Deeply and Smile where she writes about the finding happiness, running, health & fitness, food, and Baltimore happenings.

Visit her on her blog, Breathe Deeply and Smile, as well as on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and Instagram.

Have you ever done a relay? What are were your "best" and "worst"?

The Best and Worst of Running an Overnight Relay Race- Guest Post from Breathe Deeply and Smile

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