8/23-24/2019
Hood to Coast – that iconic relay race of the PNW. Despite being turned off by the corporate vibe, I find myself on a relay team for another year. However, this year two of my team-mates from work are also running. Maybe call it a bonding experience. And I need a bunch of extra mileage as part of my Pine to Palm training. Might as well get in some extra night running too.
I’m in Van 2 Leg 9 again this year. Decorate the van and make the drive to Sandy High School for the first exchange with Van 1. Cheer for my friends. Chat with Ted – an interesting triathlete with serious training goals and race experience. I takeover at the start of the bike path. A good segment to begin my portion of the relay. Essentially flat with fragrant berries lining the route. Teams are still sufficiently clumped that I can pass at least a few competitors. Something that distracts me from the desire to stop and eat said berries. Keep the pace chill. First of many legs remaining.
Hand-off and shuffle for a few extra yards to even out my mileage. 3 more legs takes us to downtown Portland where we loose Ted and Van 1 takes over so we can get a few hours sleep. Not too many as Van 1 is moving fast. Less sleep but guaranteed night-time miles. Part of my planned Pine to Palm training.
I’ve convinced Ramya and Radu to let me join them for their night legs so I can get in some extra mileage. My goal is at least 30 miles over the two days. Don my night gear (so much gear…). After we find our Van 1 counterpart, Ramya and I head off into the night. This is only my second solid night run while training for Pine to Palm (post-work runs don’t count) and I’m excited to get in some miles in the dark. A good chance to confirm that my night gear is solid. We run on the flat/downhill sections and mostly walk the uphills. I keep rough track of our mileage with my Garmin (which has minimal accuracy). It’s good encouragement in the second half of the leg to keep us moving.
Ramya is happy to finish her leg and Radu happy to start his. We transition from pavement to dirt road and head up a gradual incline. I’m excited to be running on dirt again. The only disadvantage is the constant stream of cars passing, causing dust to blow into our eyes and mouths. I’m glad I’m wearing my glasses. Radu finishes his leg and I’m on my own. This is a fun leg. More dirt and net downhill/flat. My legs are more tired than last year but I still push the pace a little. Just 5 miles and they go by quick until the very end. Try to stay sufficiently far away from the line of cars while still maintaining my footing.
Back in the van. My adrenaline is high from running 3 straight legs in the dark. It wears off fast as we start the drive to the next checkpoint and I try not to doze off. Three more legs pass by as I doze before Van 1 takes over again. Some confusion at this hand-off but things eventually get sorted. We all sleep for a bit before driving to the next location. The sun starts to rise over the field of parked cars and milling people. As long as I’m not in the van, the sunlight raises my energy levels. I make sure to get in some calories before it’s time for my next leg.
Cheer for Maria, she hands me the bracelet, and I take off. Another fun leg. Rolling hills and the smell of the approaching coast. This is the leg where I get to sort of race. I push the pace a bit with the hope of averaging slightly sub-8 minute miles. It’s also a fun leg to see how many people I can pass. I shout “good job” as I pass people but I don’t count this year. Push up the hill and glide back down. Good temperatures for running. Slightly less than a mile left as I pass a man and yikes is he ticked. He really picks up the pace and I follow suit. I’m not going to let him overtake me after reeling him in for a while. I really should get back out on the track again. A final push to the handoff. One more leg left to run – Ted’s final leg. But first a bit of time to rest and recover.
Soon enough it’s time to run again. Final miles of the race. My legs start a little stiff but loosen up as I get going. Mix of flat and rolling hills. I’m looking forward to finishing the last of my miles. Another long day planned on the trail tomorrow but I’ll enjoy a full night of rest this evening. As I approach Seaside, more people start showing up on the path. Spectators, runners, walkers, dogs, bikes.
It gets confusing near the finish line. The team needs to cross the finish line together for a picture. We figure it out and cross the finish line. Thankfully not as chilly on the beach this year. Not sure I’ll go back but it was fun two days.
Trail Distractions 