Art's trot no turkey

Art Saffran placed second in the M50-59 in the Madison College Turkey Trot in November. 

Randy Meacham's personal record run

Randy Meacham ran his 5th straight personal record in the Chicago Marathon on Oct. 7, 2012, his 45th marathon.  Randy's time was 3:23:42.  Randy, a Rank Stranger in 2006, 2007 and 2009, has qualified for the 2013 Boston Marathon.

Randy's wife Denise, a Rank Stranger in 2007 and 2009, also set a personal record in the 2012 Chicago Marathon of 3:46:00.  It was her 27th marathon.

Next up for the Meachams is the Frankfurt, Germany marathon on Sunday, Oct. 28.

Randy Meacham's record streak.  His 3:35:05 in Kenosha in May, 2011,
9-year old PR and started the current streak of 5 straight personal bests.

Hood To Coast gambit for Rank Strangers

Rank Strangers will enter the Oct. 10 lottery for admission to Hood To Coast (HTC) in Oregon, the largest relay in the world.  The race is Aug. 23-24, 2013.   We should know by the end of October whether we have a spot in the 2013 race. 




11/8/2012 Email from Hood To Coast -- Thank you for taking the opportunity to submit a team entry in the 32nd annual Hood To Coast Relay.  Your team’s application was one of over 2,000 postmarked on “Opening Day” of registration.

Unfortunately, your team was not one of the 1,050 teams drawn for the 2013 lottery.  The Hood To Coast Relay has filled the team limit for the past 22 years.  

Background Race dates are August 23-24, 2013.  Known as "The Mother of All Relays", HTC is the largest relay in the world, hosting a capped team limit for the past 20 years, and has filled on "Opening Day" of registration for the past 14 years.  The 199 mile race Hood To Coast starts at scenic Timberline Lodge (elevation 6,000 ft.), on top of Oregon's tallest mountain, Mt. Hood (11,234 ft) and ends on the sandy beach at the Pacific Ocean in Seaside, Oregon.  Race website Runner budget Shared motel (2 nights) $120 Airfare $550 Share of other race expenses $241 Total $911 (Does not include meals)

Rank Strangers in Chicago Half Marathon

Congratulations to Rank Strangers Renee Roux, Reggie Hill and Kim Hill who ran the Chicago half marathon today (9/9/2012).  There were 14,023 finishers (5,948 male, 8,075 female).

2005 Stranger on the run

Keith Dudding, star of the inaugural (2005) Rank Stranger outing pictured in the in the 1.1 mile run run in the annual Mud Mountain event at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville (SIUE).  Keith has traded running for bicycling lately. Keith is the Rank Stranger leader in single-race mileage with 28.4 miles in 2005.   (Photo by Tom Atwood). 

Annual photo book

The annual photo book as been distributed to the 2012 team.  Prints can be ordered from Snapfish - 2012 photo book

Thinking ahead...2013

The 2013 Ragnar Relay Chicago will be held on June 7-8, 2013.

It will be the 9th outing for Rank Strangers.

Publicity for youngest Rank Stranger

2012 Rank Stranger Maddy Melin has been getting attention from newspapers in her local (Hinsdale, Illinois) newspapers.

Maddy article

Rank Stranger relationship map

Rank Strangers boast 40 members over eight (8) years of Madison-Chicago relays (Great Midwest Relay, Madison-Chicago 200, Ragnar).

Veterans came out to support Rank Strangers

Rank Stranger veterans Mark Golab, Jamie Quanbeck and Pete Boll turned out on race day(s) to show support for the team.  Jamie and Pete came to breakfast in Madison on Friday, June 8, and Marc met us at the finish at Montrose Harbor in Chicago.

Marc is a four-time Rank Stranger (2007, 2008, 2010, 2011), Pete a three-timer (2006, 2007, 2010) and Jamie a two-timer (2008, 2011).

Marc Golab

Jamie Quanbeck

Pete Boll

Success for Rank Strangers

Rank Strangers 2012 (left to right): Art Saffran, Monique Faber, Mark Clear, Kelly Bard, Maddy Melin, Eric Engdahl, Renee Roux, Jennifer Sell, Ed Stojakovic, Jeff Shampo, Steve Hill, Steve Smith. 

The Rank Strangers had one of their best outings in the Madison-Chicago run relay, despite hot weather that posed an extra test, temperatures in the 80s to 90s.  It wasn't all hot: there was an occasional breeze, which helped, and spots of shade were treasured.  Unfortunately, there was a lot of mileage on open roads.

The team finished the non-stop 198-mile race in 29 hours and 37 minutes for an average per mile pace of 8:57.  Fast runners in each van blazed through their legs to make our overall pace our fastest ever. Art Saffran, Jennifer Sell, Maddy Melin, Monique Faber, Steve Hill and Ed Stojakovic were the speedsters, sometimes well under 8 minutes per mile.

The team:

Mark Clear, Kelly Bard, Art Saffran, Jeff Shampo, Monique Faber, Jennifer Sell, Renee Roux, Steve Smith, Steve Hill, Eric Engdahl, Maddy Melin, Ed Stojakovic.  Our rookies were Kelly Bard from Madison, Steve Smith from Naperville and Maddy Melin from Hinsdale.   They brought the ranks of Rank Strangers to 40 different runners in eight (8) years of the relay.   Twenty-one (21) have run more than one time.

First timers Kelly Bard, Steve Smith and Maddy Melin
 at the finish, Montrose Harbor in Chicago

Jeff and Eric ran for the 8th time; they are the only ones to not miss a year with our team, which is the only one to compete in every race that started as the Great Midwest Relay, morphed into the MC200 and is now called Ragnar Chicago.   Other repeaters on the 2012 roster: Mark and Art (7 times), Renee (5), Steve Hill (4), Jennifer (3), Monique and Ed (2).   (Monique returned from the 2005 team).

What's so hard about a run relay?  Some veterans say it is more challenging than a marathon (26.2 miles) because:  you run three times in 24 hours, never letting your body recover properly; you don't get proper sleep, if any, and it is June so is often blistering hot.

Outstanding performances shook up the Rank Stranger record book.  Among the exploits:

1. Monique (11.8) had the longest run in Rank Stranger history, eclipsing Keith Dudding's 11.7 miler in 2005.  Jennifer (10.9) added the 3rd longest single runs ever.  Monique combined two legs; Jennifer's was the longest single leg the race has ever had. (Art combined two legs for a 9.1 mile run).

2. Jennifer (23.6 miles) and Monique (23.4) ran the most mileage this year, putting themselves 4th and 6th all time.  The all-time leader is Keith Dudding (28.4 miles in 2005) and Eric (26.6 miles in 2009).

3. Jeff took over the alltime mileage lead, passing Eric.  Jeff has 149.5 miles (18.7 miles per relay) to Eric's 147 (18.4 per relay).    Jeff ran his first 20 mile relay this year (20.3 miles).  He had cracked 19 miles two times in the past (19.3 in 2010 and 19.7 in 2008).   Jeff trailed Eric by 4.6 miles into this year's race.

Maddy, Steve and Kelly will get the veteran's first call for spots on the 2013 team and all the other privileges that come from being a Rank Stranger.  ("Mostly ceremonial," is how I think Art Saffran puts it).

Top 10 mileage for Rank Strangers - Jeff moved into first place this year.

Mile pace for 2012 race

The day after

Watch this space for a recap of this year's adventure - coming later today. There's a lot to share, including long hard runs by Jennifer and Monique that gave them some of the longest shifts we've ever had (+ 23 miles each). Rookies Maddy, Kelly and Steve earned their stripes - I guess that's the right pun given Renee's pick of a skunk image for team t-shirts. Everyone came through in conditions as hot as we've ever faced.


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We made it!

Ed led the entire team across the finish line at 2:12pm on Saturday. The 195 mile adventure started at 8:30am the previous day.
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Finish time estimation...7 legs to go

Eric predicts we will finish @ Montrose between 2 and 2:15pm. That's his final answer. (There won't have time for more secret calculations once Van#2s final shift begins).
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Sunrise at Racine, WI

Photo by Ed


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Running out of Friday

I hope my tweets and those of Maddy shared some of the flavor of the first three shifts (Van#2 due to finish its 2nd shift at 11:10; they'll be 2/3 done with their work).

Highlights so far included Steve Smith, Maddy Melin and Kelly Bard becoming Rank Strangers #38, 39 and 40 and Monique Faber returning from thr 2005 team to run big mileage.

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Next year's Van#1

Co-captain Mark Clear in negotiations to get this beauty as next year's ride.

Rank Strangers on the move

Art Saffran is on the left, sporting his 2012 edition orange team shirt. Start of Leg 1 in Olin Park, Madison.

Checking in

The starting gun for Rank Strangers is at 8:30AM today but the annual cycle started yesterday with the collection of runners and rental vans in Chicago and the migration to Madison.

Hot weather is expected so be prepared for tiresome blogs and tweets about that. But first, race check-in in the cool of the morning and then the traditional team breakfast. Other than a few minutes at the three van transition spots, this is the only time before the finish that we are all together. This year we'll have several (non-running) race veteran guests - Pete Boll and Jamie Quanbeck will join.

Runners: Mark Clear, Eric Engdahl, Ed Stojakovic, Steve Smith, Steve Hill, Maddy Melin, Renee Roux, Jennifer Sell, Pete Boll, Monique Faber, Kelly Bard.

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Belated congratulations for RS ultra

Congratulations are overdue to Rank Stranger Holly Dowling (2005, 2006, 2008) who ran the 50K ( 31 mile) Ice Age Trail race on May 12 in La Grange, WI.  This is a regular event for Holly and she was one of 155 finishers.

Profile: Maddy Melin

Soon-to-be sophomore Maddy Melin of Hinsdale Central High School will be the youngest Rank Stranger in 2012, and the 40th to make the journey from Madison to Chicago in the team's 8 years. A recent convert to running, Maddy has played soccer since she was 3. She has played Hinsdale Hurricanes, Eclipse, Windy City Pride, and most recently this spring Hinsdale Central on the Freshman team, for Skip Begley (who she adored!). She has been recruited for the Windy City Pride Elite 16 yr. old team in the fall.

Maddy will run out of Van#2 in the 11th spot (17.8 miles).

Maddy Melin

Monique highlights Rank Stranger race recap

Monique Faber, a 2005 Rank Stranger who is returning to the team this year, finished 194th out of 2,398 women in the Madison half marathon on Sunday.  That was great work in hot conditions.  Great work in ANY conditions!  (Monique trained for the Marathon, which was cancelled due to conditions.  Her time was 1:47:39, an 8:13 mile pace).

Other recent results for our teammates: Chicagoland Strangers Denise Meacham, Randy Meacham, Renee Roux and Debra Addison ran the Soldier Field 10 miler on May 26; Steve Hill finished the Green Bay Half Marathon on May 20 (the full marathon was cancelled there; another hot one); and Jeff Shampo ran the Syttende Mai 20 miler (Madison - Stoughton) on May 19.

Weekly tips (2 this week) - night running and the race bible

Night running and elusive sleep

Fear the dark?  Don’t worry, with the exception of some of the park and bike trails, the dark is overrated.  There are street lights, house lights, and your van’s headlights and taillights -- we’ll keep you in sight whenever possible.

Your headlamp may give the illusion of lighting your way but this, along with the blinky vest, is most useful in alerting cars, pedestrians and animals of your presence.  And to allow your van to keep track of you.

Course markings are of course harder to see at night.  Your teammates will shepherd you as best they can from the van, but memorizing the turns and following other runners are proven techniques (the first will get you where you should be going, the latter will ensure you have company when you are lost).

You are likely NOT going to get a completely refreshing snooze on this journey, unless you habitually sleep in a van and have mastered the art.

Still, try to catch a cat-nap as soon as you’re done with your first leg. It’s easy to want to stay up all night cheering people on, but if you finish your first leg and lay down in the back of the van for an hour or so, you’ll feel much better later.

There is “down” time for each van. To make the most of the opportunities, bring a bag you can stuff with clothes to make a pillow, a light blanket or lightweight sleeping bag.  A space blanket can be used as ground cover.

The Rank Stranger record for hours sleeping, established by Rachel in 2005, is untouchable.   She slept in the noon sun at Lake Mills, WI, in the noisy van as it bounced from stop to stop, and even through breakfast in Zion, IL.  The conservative estimate is 8 hours of sleep.

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Exerpts from Ragnar's "Race Bible"

Race rules are common sense and old hat to veteran Rank Strangers but the following are a few things we need to watch for.

1. Reflective vests.   The team has 'em and we'll use 'em.  "Every person outside the support vehicle will be required to wear a reflective vest during the nighttime hours. "

2. "Team race numbers (bibs) must be worn and visible on the front of each runner at all times while on the road. "

3. "Each van will be required to have a safety officer/navigator that is awake and alert at all times. The safety officer is responsible for helping the team behave safely during the race. He or she must be seated in the front passenger seat and must have the safety guidelines and rules within reach at all times. The safety officer responsibilities may be rotated between team members. "

4. "Any team member crossing the road must do so with an orange crossing flag, day or night (This applies to the support crew – not the “on” runner) Teams will be given flags at the safety briefings. "

5. "No Van Support Leg Rules: (a) Team members are not allowed out of their vehicle on the roadway. (b) Teams are not allowed to provide water or food to their runner during these legs, (c) Teams vehicles may pull over where it is legal, to cheer and monitor runners, (d) if a runner is in distress and there is a safety concern, teams may assist their runner or a runner from any other team. All ‘no van support’ legs over 4 miles long will have at least one water station.  ‘No van support’ legs over 8 miles long will have at least two water stations."

6. "Rules are enforced based on a “three strikes you’re out” policy. There will be 12 race officials monitoring the course to enforce rules. Teams will be notified via text message each time they violate a rule. If a team receives three strikes they must check in at the next major exchange. A Course Marshal will meet them to review the validity of each violation."

The race bible is on the Ragnar Chicago web site.  Ragnar Chicago

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Rank Stranger trivia: Renee (13), Randy (8), Martin (6), Anne (6), and Chris (6), Brad (6), Kim (6), Debra (6) have run the most legs without running one twice.

Rank Stranger tip – Dress for success

Rank Strangers have experienced blazing hot weather, cold, both, and even delays by tornado warning. WHO KNOWS what this year will bring? Hot AND cold? Runners are usually the most comfortable people because they are kept warm by the exertion and cool by perspiration. It is the waiting to run that can be uncomfortable. This year I’m going to bring short AND long sleeve shirts. I will also bring a sweatshirt and sweatpants to wear in the van. If it is as hot as 2005, the long sleeve shirts and the other cold weather gear won’t get out of the bag. Rain poncho? That might smack of negative thinking, but I will likely bring some sort of rain gear so I can stay dry when I get out of the van and cheer on our runners.

I recommend separating you sets of clothes in gallon Ziplock bags. Bring at least one extra set of gear in the event you get drafted to run an extra leg. The Ziplock bags keep the clothes dry before you use them and everything else dry after they have been used.  Bring at least 2 pairs of shoes so you will be assured a dry pair to wear between your relay legs.

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Rank Stranger Trivia:  Martin (2 relays) is the only multiple-race Rank Strangers to average more than 20 miles per relay.  Top average miles (2 or more relays): 1. Martin (2) 21.3, 2. Holly (3) 19.8, 3. Eric (7) 19.1, 4. Jeff (7) 18.4, Chris (2) 18.4, 6. Steve H. (3) 18.1, Pete (3) 18.1, 8. Marc G. (4) 17.5.

Rank Stranger tip – Replenishment

Studies have shown that within the first 2 hours after running, your body will replenish energy stores at nearly twice the rate of restoration after 2 hours. You should concentrate on eating and drinking high glycemic index carbohydrates right after running. High glycemic index foods include things like breads, sweet fruits (raisins, grapes, oranges) and sugared drinks. Good replenishment would be to down a quart of Gatorade and 1 or 2 bagels immediately after your cool down. You should avoid eating or taking sugared drinks within 1 hour prior to running.


Our vans will be stocked with water, Gatorade, ice, fruit and energy bars. We will restock that stock as necessary. There are no aid stations along the course like you’ll find in shorter races, though there are porta-potties at the transition areas.


Bring your favorite energy bars and snacks, plus cash for raids on convenience stores and restaurants. 


Since they are shadowed by the van, most Rank Strangers don’t carry water on the run. Your teammates will offer you water along the run.


More advice, from running coach Lori Koch in 2009: ”The key to this race is recovery. Nutrition is key. Make certain you are drinking a good mix of water and electrolyte between your runs. Make sure your body knows how to handle this before the week of the relay. So practice that mix starting now, especially on your long runs. You do not want to find out on relay day that Gatorade makes you sick and/or you have not been practicing with it and you are trying to catch up with hydration you should of already had prior to race day. You also need to eat real food between your runs. a good mix of protein and carbs with a little more salt in the mix. Turkey sandwiches, peanut butter and bagels, peanut butter and jelly, pretzels, trial mix, etc. Again you do not want to find out race day that you cannot stomach this. Try to do a couple of trial runs where you complete a 5 miler in the morning and then another 3-5 in the evening and see how you feel. I am not recommending this as everyday race training plan from here on out, but trying a couple of days between now and race week can provide some clues."
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Rank Stranger trivia: Eric and Art have run 15 of the 18 legs for Van #2 and Van #1, respectively.  Other runners who have sampled many legs: Renee 13, Jeff 9, Pete 7, Marc G. 7.  

Rank Stranger story

Rank Strangers is the only team to compete in all seven Madison-Chicago run relays.  Founded by Eric Engdahl and Mark Clear, they've put nearly 40 runners on the course and seen the race change from Great Midwest Relay (GMR) to MC200 in 2007 and Ragnar in 2011.

Mark Clear

"Rank Strangers" is word play in a number of ways. Mostly significantly, they are NOT strangers. Thirty-seven (37) different runners have made the journey and all were referred by other Rank Strangers.  Three rookies in 2012 will bring that number to 40. Nineteen (19) Rank Strangers have run multiple races.   Eric Engdahl and Jeff Shampo have run all seven years.  Mark Clear and Art Saffran have raced 6 of 7.  Renee Roux and Marc Golab have raced four times.

2005 runner Keith Dudding coined the team name, drawing inspiration from an old song, "I am a poor wayfaring stranger travelling through this world of woe."   He added, “actually, after we've all run a leg or two, we would more closely resemble a tune made popular by The Stanley Brothers ... ‘Rank Strangers’.”

Eric Engdahl

Rank Strangers typically finish in the middle of the pack, the priority being fun, not fast. That hasn’t stopped some of the runners from blazing to fast times on their legs, however.   The team has many experienced marathoners, including five (5) Boston qualifiers and two (2) iron man triathletes.

Rank Stranger team building includes tracking individual exploits on their blog ( www.rankstrangers.info ) circulating weekly training tips starting in the months before the race.  The training tips are accompanied with team trivia.  Example:  "The only runner to run the same leg 6 times Mark (1, 13, 25).  Others who have run the same leg more than 3 times:  Jeff 4 (leg 6, 18, 30) and Eric 4 (31) 3 (19, 24)."  After the race a photo book is distributed, commemorating the team's accomplishments.  A recent development is trading cards; a Jeff Shampo card was issued in 2011 (see http://tinyurl.com/89944ld for a blog entry about the 2011 photo book and the trading cards).   Rank Strangers are on twitter @rankstrangers.

Mark Clear is Madison 19th District Alder since 2007 and Council president 2010-11.  He is co-founder and CEO of technology firm IMS  (www.ims.net).   Eric Engdahl is a manager at Health Care Services Corporation (Blue Cross Blue Shield) in Chicago.

Training Tip - Warm up and cool down

To avoid injury and maximize performance you should warm up prior to running. This becomes even more important for the 2nd and 3rd leg when you may be stiff from previous runs and riding in your van.

Start out very slowly walking then jogging. Follow this with 5-10 short runs of 50 yards or so simulating your race pace. Jog 50-100 yards between each of these short runs. If you have the urge to stretch, you should do it at this point when you are well warmed up. Stretching may not be a good idea when you are fatigued (especially before the last leg).

Additionally, it is extremely important to do a cool-down after each run to reduce the waste products left your working muscles. These waste products are guaranteed to make you stiff and sore for your next leg if you jump immediately into your vehicle after your run. After the hand-off, continue to jog and then walk before you get into the van.

If anything feels sore or tight after your run, you should ice it immediately for 10 to 15 minutes.

Between your runs, keep your legs warm and loose. Take advantage of stops to get out and walk around. This will help keep your legs loose.

Rank Stranger trivia: Only Renee, Jeff, Mark and Pete have run from both vans.  Renee ran once from Van#2, 3 times in Van#1.  Jeff ran once from Van#2; his other 6 years have been  in Van#1.  Pete (4 relays) and Mark (6) are Van #1 fixtures but they shared a Van #2 leg one year, covering for an injured runner.

Meachams smash personal bests at Kenosha

Big smiles from Denise and
Randy after personal bests.

It was a big day for the Rank Strangers at the Wisconsin Marathon this morning, with veterans Randy and Denise Meacham setting personal best and Randy qualifying for 2013 Boston.  


It was Randy's fourth-straight personal best, 3:26:34, in his 44th marathon.  His target was 3 hours and 30 minutes to qualify for the 2013 Boston Marathon.

Denise ran a personal best 3:49:53, one year after breaking four hours for the first time on the same course,  3:55:49.  Today's was her 26th marathon.


Rank Stranger Renee Roux ran the half marathon today; she and spectator Eric were able to give the Meachams encouragement on the course.

Randy at mile 14

Before the race Randy described today's race as "my first serious attempt to qualify for Boston. Two years ago I started on a journey to get in the best shape of my life, to break a personal record that I set 10 years ago, and to ultimately qualify for the Boston Marathon."


Randy broke that long-standing record in last year's Kenosha race. "To reach these goals I started an intense program that included running more miles and shedding 14 pounds of body weight," he added.

Randy's recent record-breaking run:

1. Wisconsin Marathon (Kenosha) May, 2011 3:35:05

2. Chicago Marathon, October, 2011, 3:33:17

3. Lost Dutchman (Arizona), February, 2012, 3:33:03

4. Wisconsin Marathon (Kenosha), May, 2012, 3:26:34

Randy's year in the Madison-Chicago relay were 2006, 2007, 2009.  Denise ran in 2007 and 2009.

Next up for the Meachams is the Chicago Marathon in October and then Frankfurt, Germany at the end of October. 

Denise sheds her water belt at mile 18.5

Marc Golab drops, alternate list activated

Injury has forced 4-time veteran Marc Golab to drop out of the 2012 race. Marc is #5 in total mileage for Rank Strangers.

The loss of Marc forces us to dip into our alternate list for the first time. At the time of Marc's exit the alternates were Anne Martino, Randy Meacham, Denise Meacham, Beverly Schuller, Debra Addison, Monique Faber, Hans Schuller.

Speedy Half Marathon for 2009 Stranger Fred Bounds

Fred Bounds in 2009
Madison-Chicago relay

Fred Bounds, a 2009 Rank Stranger, had a sensational day in Champaign-Urbana on Saturday, clocking a 1:30:59 half marathon in the Illinois Marathon races.   Fred was 115th overall ( 6757 finishers) and 15th in his age group.

Training tip - Multi-run days

Add a couple of multi-run days to your training schedule a few weeks before the race. Count backward four weeks prior to the race and add one multi-run day four weeks out, one three weeks out, and two two weeks out. The last week before the race should be a mini-taper, resting up for the race.

In order to keep yourself from getting injured, you want to keep these runs short. Perhaps 3 to 4 miles each. Run them at your race pace, or a little faster, and make sure that you have at least 8 hours recovery between them. Put these in the middle of the week, say on Wednesday, out of the way of your more critical long runs on the weekends.   (credit: coachjoeenglish.wordpress.com)

A Madison-Chicago (MC200) runner wrote in 2009: “If you now train 3 times a week, 5-7 miles, with some hills, you are close to ready. The tough part is self-control. You need to pace over a 48-hour period anticipating little or no sleep. The fight is three rounds, and between rounds you have to rest when you can. Most common runner mistake I've seen is nervous over-drinking and over-eating of 'race fuel' type stuff.” Another runner added: “And don’t forget the adrenaline factor – you’ll be amazed at what your body can do with very little sleep.“

Rank Stranger trivia: The only runner to run the same leg 6 times Mark (1, 13, 25).  Others who have run the same leg more than 3 times:  Jeff 4 (leg 6, 18, 30) and Eric 4 (31) 3 (19, 24). 

Rank Stranger tip - off cycle running

Don’t let the Madison-Chicago relay catch you off guard. Whether you are a morning or evening runner the relay will challenge you with a run at a time that is NOT familiar to you.

Practice by starting a run at least 8 hours from your normal run time. I normally run early in the morning, so part of my relay practice is a late afternoon run. This gives me a sense of how my body, especially my stomach, responds. Ideally, keep your normal run too so you have two runs on the day of this dress rehearsal. (Review the Rank Stranger tip about multi-run days).

Speaking of the stomach…it is important that you know the answers to these questions:

1. What is the right pre-run meal for you? How much food is enough to give you the energy you need?
2. How much time do you need to digest your meal?

Answers are specific to YOU – what works for me might not work for you.

Finally, talk with your van-mates about everyone’s requirements for meal stops – make the most of restaurant meals and convenience store raids.

During the race, if you can fit in regular meals near your normal eating times, do it. You should eat right after you run a leg to provide the food time to settle. Avoid eating large quantities of protein or fat which will not digest well.

Rank Stranger trivia: Rank Strangers boasts two iron man triathletes, Holly Dowling and Martin Tagge. Both have done heavy duty in the relay; they are near the top of the RS list for average miles per year. (Martin is first with 21.3 miles per relay, Holly next with 19.8).

Boston Marathon - Rank Stranger report

Rank Strangers weren't defeated by
blazing heat at the Boston Marathon.

(April 20, 2012; Rank Stranger Art Saffran's report on the Boston Marathon)

Jennifer Sell and I just ran a very hot Boston marathon on Monday. The race was sandwiched between two beautiful spring days. The marathon gods reserved 89-90 degree sunny weather for marathon Monday. Thank goodness relay teammate Jennifer was there to run with...I'm not sure I would have finished without her company. We ran slow and smart and enjoyed the spectacle that is the Boston marathon.

Race support was outstanding. There were thousands of smiling, enthusiastic volunteers handing out Gatorade and water. And the spectators lined the route for all 26.2 miles cheering us on and handing out oranges, water, and blessed ice. Running slowly allowed us to ignore our watches and focus on the event around us. For me, even though this was my slowest marathon, I think it was the most emotionally rewarding.

My next venture is a 100-mile bike ride around Lake Tahoe the weekend before the Chicago RAGNAR relay. I'm coaching a team of cyclists from Madison who are raising money to support leukemia research and patient services. In addition to coaching, I'm also fundraising and I hope you will support my efforts by making a donation of any amount at http://tinyurl.com/ride2cure.

Your donation makes a difference in the lives of blood cancer patients and their families.

I'm looking forward to this year's relay. Thanks for your support!

--Art

Rank Stranger tip - pacing

Don’t expect to run at “personal best” pace in the MC200. The relay routine is not conducive to top performances: from a physiological standpoint, the time between legs is inadequate for complete recovery and restoration of energy stores. Studies have shown that complete restoration of muscle glycogen in runners’ legs takes as long as 48 hours.

Consider the following pace advice from coachjoeenglish.wordpress.com:

Run a pace that is close to what you would expect to run for the full distance of your combined legs. Think of it as one long run that is split into three segments with a long rest in between. If you would not be capable of running all three legs consecutively at a particular pace, then that pace is probably too fast for you. You’ll most likely burn up on the third leg.

Some people have success using their half-marathon pace target. This is slower than your 10K pace, but faster than your marathon pace. It falls somewhere in the middle. It should be quick enough to challenge you and make you competitive, but also be a good pace to sustain across all three legs.

Once you’ve dialed in your pace, you need to make sure that you get comfortable running that pace. You should get in 1-2 runs each week at that target pace. Just as you would for a marathon, or any important race, you want to practice your target pace and memorize what it feels like. This is so important for a race when you’ll get an adrenaline rush when you take the baton and you will be tempted to go out like you’ve been shot from a cannon. Learn your pace. Ingrain it into your head. Be ready to run your target pace, while ignoring what the other runners are doing around you.

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Rank Stranger trivia: Keith Dudding earned the title of iron man of Rank Strangers in the first relay, 2005. Keith holds records for most miles in a single relay (28.8) and also has the two longest runs, 11.7 and 10.7 miles. The long runs each spanned two legs -- he was doing extra duty in a short-handed van#2. Eric, who was in Van #2 with Keith in 2005, came closest to Keith's total mile record with 26.6 miles in 2009, running 4 single legs. Dave Maze totalled 24.7 miles in 4 legs in 2007.

Rank Stranger tip - training distance

For Madison-Chicago relay training, don’t focus on the total distance of your legs as an endurance target. You might think that if a runner needs to run a combined 18 miles (6 miles x 3) they should really get in at least an 18 miler prior to the event. While that endurance base might be helpful, what is really more important is to run a fair amount of mileage at your target race pace and focus on running that pace for a distance slightly longer than the longest of your race legs. So if you’re running a 5, a 6 and an 8 mile leg, then you want to be able to comfortably cover 9 or 10 miles at your race pace. (See next week's Rank Stranger tip on pacing for more advice. It says your pace should be appropriate for your total relay mileage).

Remember, the tough aspect of running in a relay is not so much the distance, but rather the short recovery time between the runs. Added to that is the fact that most runners will run too fast, especially in their first leg, which means they will be especially tired going into their second or third runs. (credit: coachjoeenglish.wordpress.com )

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Rank Stranger trivia: Nine Rank Strangers have had runs of more than 8 miles: Keith (2), Kim (2), Randy (2), Marc G. (2), Martin (2), Holly, Steve H., Ed S., Jeff. The 8+ milers: Keith 11.7, Keith 10.7, Kim 9.9, Randy 9, Martin 8.8, Holly 8.6, Steve H. 8.6, Randy 8.6, Marc G. 8.4, Kim 8.4, Marc G. 8.2, Martin 8.2, Ed S. 8.2, Jeff 8. (Keith’s long runs spanned multiple legs; the others were single legs).

Rank Stranger tip - Ragnar shuffles the course

Second-year race manager Ragnar is putting its mark on the Madison-Chicago relay with the most significant course changes in race history. Largely unchanged since race inception in 2005, this year will see changes to 14 of the 36 legs and shuffling of 6 other legs (same route, different runner).

In many cases we'll run the same road, just change transition spots.

The most significant impact is the lengthening of the overnight shifts so there'll be more time for sleep. The shift Van #2 starts at about 11pm Friday will be lengthened as well as the subsequent shift by Van #1. Van #2's shift lengthens from 25 to 31 miles (that's 45 minutes to an hour more downtime for Van #1!) and Van #1 has 4 more miles -- 30 to 34. That's going to be precious.

There is now parity in the mileage for rotation #3. Last year it was 41 miles for van #2 to 30 for van #1 and this year it is Van #1 34 and Van #2 32 miles.

The 9.9 mile leg that Kim Hill ran for Rank Strangers last year (leg #32) doesn't have an equal. That leg has been whittled downto 6 miles. The longest legs in 2012 are 8.2 miles (#9) and 8 miles (#6 and #36).

Last year there were 5 runs of 8 or more miles. This year just three. (14 legs of 6 or more miles last year; 13 such legs in 2012).

Another big change is the downgrade of St Andrew Lutheran Church in Racine from a van transition area to a regular transition area. Now we'll sleep at the Racine YMCA on the lakefront ("showers, sleeping and food located here" it says on the race guide) but we'll never forget the charm and hospitality of the church. All those nooks, crannies, offices, prayer rooms, nurseries, youth rooms and sanctuary. Pizza and hot dogs at 4AM.

The biggest change in the pre-Ragnar days was the addition -- and then removal -- of the loop around the Milwaukee Mile, the oldest operating auto-racing track in the United States, located on the Wisconsin State Fairgrounds in West Allis. That was in the MC200 days.

The attached chart details the changes, comparing the length of the 2011 legs with the 2012 versions, last year's runners and the tentative plan for 2012.

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Rank Stranger trivia: The Rank Stranger runners with more than 30 relay miles: 1. Eric 133.8, 2. Jeff 129.1, 3. Art 100.1, 4. Mark 98.2, 5. Marc G. 69.8, 6. Renee 61, 7. Holly 59.3, 8. Pete 54.2, Steve H. 54.2, 10. Randy 45.6, 11. Martin 42.5, 12. Chris 36.7, 13. Kim 35.8, 14. Anne 33.9. 15. Debra 30.5.

Decoding the Rank Stranger schedule

Is it wrong to cling to the past like this? Rank Strangers always use the same technology for their schedule. (Somehow, "technology" seems too grand term for it, with others using iPhone apps to track their teams). It is a borrowed Microsoft Excel spreadsheet that was all the rage in the Madison-Chicago relay's first year, 2005.

It's that time...another season's Rank Stranger Tips ("Rank Stranger tip – Madison-Chicago, a brief history lesson")

Rank Stranger history IS the history of the Madison-Chicago run relay because we've been in all 7 races, the only team that can make that claim. Jeff and Eric have run in every race; Mark and Art 6 of 7. Marc Golab and Renee Roux are 4-time offenders.

The race started in 2005 as the Great Midwest Relay with only 68 teams. Co-founder Joe Pulliziano re-branded the race Madison Chicago 200 (MC200) in 2007. Joe sold to Ragnar in 2010 but the Ragnar brand wasn't evident until 2011.

The race web site was hosted from 2005 - 2010 by IMS, Rank Stranger co-founder Mark Clear's company.

Promotion by Ragnar, which has races around the country (15 at last count) has sparked enormous growth in the race (likely to top 400 teams this year). It is exciting to have so much company on the course but we'll always miss Joe's signatures, including the network of volunteers (including the ham radio operators at the checkpoints) and his casual attitude about race rules and English grammar.

This Rank Stranger web site plots Madison-Chicago relay teams by year: http://t.co/S4aYbTxR

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Rank Stranger trivia: Nineteen (19) Rank Strangers have run multiple races…there are 18 who have run a single race. Ed S. will join the repeat offenders with his second race this year. Three members of this year’s team are first-timers (Beth, Steve, Maddy).

Third-straight PR for Randy

Randy Meacham ran his third-straight personal best at the hilly Lost Dutchman Marathon near Phoenix, AZ, on February 19. Randy's time was 3:33:03. He finished in 3:33:17 at Chicago in October and started his hot streak by breaking a 9-year PR with a finish time of 3:35:05 at Kenosha in May, 2011. Next up is Kenosha in May, Chicago in October and then Frankfurt, Germany at the end of October. Randy is a three-time Rank Stranger.

Another crowd promised for Madison-Chicago relay (updated 3/31/2012)

Updated 4/29/2012
Eight-time team Rank Strangers have seen participation in the Madison-Chicago relay grow from the 60s in the first years to 360 last year. A record 422 are registered for this year's race.

Rank Strangers fundraising for Team in Training

Rank Strangers Art Saffran and Pete Boll will participate in the Lake Tahoe Century bike ride, a Team in Training/Leukemia and Lymphoma Society fundraising event, one week before the relay, June 3, 2012.

Art is also coaching the Madison team.

Contribute to Art's effort: TNT

Contribute to Pete's fundraising: TNT

2012 Roster development

Track the development of this year’s Rank Stranger roster. Veterans of past races get first chance at the 12 spots in the June 8 – 9 race.

Roster: Mark Clear, Art Saffran, Eric Engdahl, Jennifer Sell, Renee Roux, Steve Hill, Ed Stojakovic, Marc Golab, Jeff Shampo, Beth Fegan, Steve Smith, Madeline Melin

Alternates: Anne Martino, Randy Meacham, Denise Meacham, Beverly Schuller, Debra Addison, Monique Faber, Hans Schuller