Ragnar Announces Operation Ragnar Afghanistan Remotely Involving Soldiers in Ragnar Relay Las Vegas on Veterans Day Weekend

Published on Wed, Oct 30, 2013 (2:50 p.m.)

Submitted by Ragnar Relay Series

Ragnar Relay Series, the leader in overnight, team running relays, is connecting runners in a US desert with those in the Afghanistan desert in what’s been dubbed “Operation Ragnar Afghanistan.” Sixty active duty military members will participate in this year’s Ragnar Relay Las Vegas from their camp in Afghanistan.

Spearheaded by military chaplain Stephen Roberts, the five mixed-coalition teams will start on Friday morning, November 8 along with their 5,700 fellow runners in Las Vegas, Nevada. Teams will run the 189 mile course in the Nevada desert while the soldiers do the same in their desert terrain. The soldiers will run the same leg distances as the original course from Canyon and ends to Lake Las Vegas. Ragnar Relay Series is providing shirts, slap bracelets, runners’ bibs and medals to the participants.

The timing of Ragnar Relay Las Vegas is especially poignant since it is being held during Veteran’s Day Weekend. Ragnar hopes to honor the service of our military by reaching out via social media to its running community to get words of encouragement for the troops posted on Facebook. They also are asking runners to bring signs or write on their vans and take pictures of their team to post for the soldiers as well.

“When we learned of Captain Robert’s idea to run in one desert while we’re running in a US desert, we thought it was a great idea,” said Tanner Bell, co-founder of Ragnar Events. “We hope they have a great time in their race and experience the spirit of Ragnar. We’re honored to be a part of it. These folks are true heroes.”