As I sit here attached to my pump (my usual bedtime routine these days), I’m trying to wrap my brain around how I’m going to finish packing for the Ragnar Trail Los Coyotes relay this weekend. I figure if I’m going to jump into a morning full of meetings, grab some last minute snuggles with my little man, and somehow still manage to make it out the door tomorrow afternoon for my flight, I need to have my butt in gear before I go to bed tonight (and yes, I realize that it’s late already).
Thankfully, I used my newly developed organization skills (supermom powers?) to create a Google doc packing list for myself and my fellow Sweat Pink teammates to decide what really needs to come to Warner Springs and what can stay behind. Luckily we didn’t have to start completely from scratch, thanks to these ever so handy Ragnar Relay packing lists from Fit Approach with ideas for running gear, camp gear, snacks, and even recovery needs .
The run gear part was mostly a no brainer – I basically just pulled a stack of clothes straight from the clean clothes hamper (basically a collection of all the things I like to run in most) – and grabbed a few items from my running drawer (yes, I have a running drawer) like my compression socks, and running gloves. The only difficult part about packing my run gear has been trying to figure out my headlamp situation since I decided to launder it earlier this afternoon. And while I realize that laundering a headlamp probably isn’t the smartest thing to do, it happened with the best intentions. Remember that hamper full of clean clothes I mentioned? Well, while doing my best to wash my clothes before the weekend with WIN Detergent to minimize my contribution to campground stinkiness, I accidentally washed my headlamp along with all of my formerly stinky running gear (whoops). 
Right now, we’re working on resurrecting my headlamp (please keep your fingers crossed for me – it’s a really damn good headlamp).
As far as camping stuff goes, I’ll be curious to learn what other teams did about camping gear. As far as I’m concerned, I don’t ever want to have to try to stuff a bunch of camping gear into an airplane friendly bag ever again. But somehow I managed. It’s done. And I’ll be the lady headed for San Diego with a giant duffel bag containing a 4 person tent, sleeping bag, lantern (how cool is this collapsible, solar powered lantern, btw?), and other camp friendly goodies, whether I like it or not. On the plus side, since we recently went on a family camping trip, most of my camping gear was already out of storage and ready to go.
I also just got an update from our team captain, Jenny, that the nights are going to be a bit chilly so after I get off this pump, I’m going to add a few cozy layers (ahem prAna!) and I’m going to make a note to myself to try and grab a few more zip-lock bags on the way to the airport so I can be way, way, way organized and stash (and ahem really separate) my stinky clothes after each leg of the race (shoutout to Jared for the pro tip of putting a dryer sheet in each bag of stinky clothes, too…now if only I owned dryer sheets!).
In the morning, I’ll do my best to stash some snacks in my bag – crunchy snacks like Squeaky Pops (use 50fitapp for 50% off your next order of Squeaky Pops!), some of my trusty Rxbars, my homemade chocolate, espresso peanut butter (thanks to Nic for the recipe), and all the Great Lakes Gelatin (hellllooo, speedy recovery!).
If figuring out how to cram camping gear and running gear into airplane friendly bags, while attempting to resurrect your fallen headlamp, create snack lists, all while performing your mom duties (ahem milking myself) doesn’t sound fun…well, once I get off the pump, this nursing mama gets to clean pump bottles and then prepare all the little pump pieces and accessories for travel. That’s right – after camping gear and running gear – this nursing mama also gets to travel with a portable pump (thanks Spectra), milk storage bags, pump wipes, bottles, my little cooler from Easy Baby Travelers, and a car adapter. The luxurious life of moms…am I right?
Alright runners and relay junkies – any other last minute Ragnar Trail relay packing tips? Things I can leave behind? Things I shouldn’t live without?
Stay sweaty (and remember to travel HEAVY..I kid, I kid….).
XO
Jamie
Disclaimer: This post was sponsored by Ragnar through my partnership with Fit Approach and I also received products from prAna, Easy Baby Travelers, Squeaky Pops, Great Lakes Gelatin, and WIN Detergent. That said, all packing lists, opinions, random thoughts while pumping, and mom brain stories are my very own. I truly appreciate all of the brands that support the Sweat Pink community.
[…] Packing and ramblings: Ragnar Trail Los Coyotes here I come! […]