Ideas for a relay across America

#22
Dirtbag wrote:I'm in! You'll

Dirtbag said:
I'm in! You'll have to fine someone willing to jog in place on the flight over though.
Click to expand...



Ha!
 
#23
Joshh wrote:The idea

Joshh said:
The idea definitely has legs. Count me in too please.
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And feet too! Lots of them.
 
#26
One problem with that map,

One problem with that map, Sole. It doesn't include me! :-( Ha!

I would love to be able to take off and just run across the whole country, if my neuroma-plagued feet would allow me, but I'd miss my kids and hubby too much...and my cat too!
 
#27
Yeah that map doesn't come

Yeah that map doesn't come through MA either but I'd be game for a very, very short section of it if it did
tounge_smile.gif
 
#28
nor MI, though it does hit

nor MI, though it does hit OH.. one state away.. maybe we should map where the interested people are and see what type of route we can come up with
 
#29
TJ, If I drove straight south

TJ, If I drove straight south the nearest part of this route is over 200 miles away from me. I am sure there are plenty of other routes but I think people choose routes like this for several reasons. Most direct, runners saftey, etc. I would still be in for some miles regardless depending on when and where. Virtual would be a no brainer and all states/countries could participate but I understand if collectivley we are trying to bring awareness to BFR/MR running by putting our feet where are mouths are. Have a good weekend all!
 
#30
Jimmy - The bigger states out

Jimmy - The bigger states out west would be a challenge to cover...maybe in the long term there would be enough barefooters to do it or a handfull might actually try to run the whole U.S. together with local barefooters joining in for sections of it.

Just eyeballing the state of Georgia, it would be at least 300+ miles across...It wouldn't be possible to run all day except for limited time in the Spring and Fall but there would be a good 4 hours in the morning and several more in the evening.

I think it would be cool if at least 2 barefooters ran together the whole time if possible...maybe more around the bigger cities...
 
#31
I just want to lend a loud

I just want to lend a loud shout of support. (As you all know, I have a penchant for such ideas.)

I am with Jimmy: Virtual is cheesy. We want a baton that gets sweaty and dirty and stuff. The baton should be filled with Water from the Pacific that then get's dumped in the Atlantic.



Here's an idea that might make it workable, but this would cost money and especially time for the participants:

You could set it up as a relay like the Hood-To-Coast in Oregon.
  • You would set up a team of runners (60 to 100 people total).
  • Each runner would run 10Km at a time, then recover while others ran.
  • Support vans would ferry the resting runners (but not all of them at once, see below).
  • Each runner would commit to joining in for a specified stretch--like the equivalent of his/her state.
  • New runners could join as it got closer to their home. That way the van would only have to be big enough to carry, say 10 runners at a time, although you might have 100 or more total participants.
Playing this through...

The US is about 5000Km wide, but let's add a 1000Km, since we are runners not crows. So, we would need 600 10Km legs. If each person runs 10 legs (100 Km = 60 miles), we would need 60 total runners. We divide them into groups of 10 people. Which means that a group would cover together 1000Km.

It would mean that a runner runs about 1 hour* (10Km), then gets 9 hours of rest before running the next leg. It would, therefore, mean a total time commitment of 100 hours (as the group of 10 covers their 1000Km), plus the time to get to the start and finish. Well, that means 5 days time.

I think that would work. You could raise the number of runners and vans to make it perhaps more workable.

Let's keep working on the concept in this thread.

Oh, how I wish I could join in. But, my home is also not exactly on the map, as I live in a town called Bonn (Germany).

Cheers,

Paleo



* I am aware that for some people a 1 hour 10K is a fast pace. I am just using the number because it is easy to calculate with (and it's not totally unrealistic, on average).
 
#32
So Paleo, you just did all

So Paleo, you just did all that fancy math and sounded pretty convincing. And then you go and say something like this:

Paleo said:
Oh, how I wish I could join in. But, my home is also not exactly on the map, as I live in a town called Bonn (Germany).
Click to expand...

I don't get it. You do remember that Germany is only the size of Washington and Oregon together, right? So even though there aren't as many of us here, I'm sure that with the help of a few European vacationers, we could scrape together something. Besides, I'm also pretty sure TJ wouldn't have stickied the thread if she didn't believe that this could be an across-the-world relay. ;) So, whaddaya say?
 
#33
I have, in fact, been mulling

I have, in fact, been mulling a Germany or a Europe event (although, I am not sure it will be feasible if Russia ever becomes a member of the EU).

I would, in fact, consider taking part in the American event, if the timing is right.

A Germany event would be about 1100 Km, if we go north to south--that means we need only 11 people, if we stick by the math I did above (although, I realized later that the recovery time of 9 hours, repeated 10 times would be quite challenging, even for the fittest among us).

So, further reactions to the relay concept, regardless of country or continent?

Cheers,

Paleo
 
#34
Why do these things always

Why do these things always come up when I am thinking about similar crazy ideas?!

I was just thinking about how to do a 200 mile relay. Now you got me thinking about cross-country relay!!!

I want IN!!!

I've got some ideas, but I need to sit down and focus to get them all down on paper. I'll also check in with the San Francisco Chapter folks to see who's in.

I think my wife is gonna kill me on this idea! :p
 
#35
4-5 days might be too much.

4-5 days might be too much. The Ragnar relays are popular and they stretch 2 days but each runner only runs about 20 miles. I'm too dumb to convert that now. I would estimate that there are quite a few of us who could run more than 10 km at a time maybe we could string together half marathons and get more rest?
 
#36
Or maybe some of the legs

Or maybe some of the legs could be different lengths based on people's abilities.. we have several ultramarathoners who could probably do longer legs.. and some people who would max out at a 5k... and maybe people could move to different sections, so that they could stop in a hotel and rest until their next leg (so more than 10 hours between possibly.. maybe more like 2 legs a few hours apart that are shorter or one longer leg, and then repeat the next day...

just some thoughts.
 
#37
That idea sounds so cool. I

That idea sounds so cool. I would love to do something like that depending on the distance and geography. I'll keep watching this thread to see where it goes.
 
#38
Cool idea that I would

Cool idea that I would support and run 20 miles or so for - but the pessimist in me says no way you can make it through the middle of the US. We will have way too many people on the coast and not nearly enough for the interior.
 
#39
good point, but maybe people

good point, but maybe people would be willing to travel- either from states not on the route, or to represent places they have lived in previously or were born in and no longer live in.
 
#40
This thread has my

This thread has my attention. I'm down for a little friendly cross-country competition!
 
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