When the Going Gets Tough - H2C Leg 3

When we last left our heroine, she was finishing up her 2nd leg of the Hood to Coast relay....

With two legs done, van one had another well-deserved break.  We weren't due at our next exchange, the town of Mist, until 6:30-ish.  However, race traffic has a reputation of being extremely heavy between our current location (the Columbia County Fairgrounds) and Mist.  Last year, it took us over two hours to travel this distance.  So after I finished my leg, my van-mates wanted to hit the road as soon as possible.


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Morning zombies in Mist

Ian volunteered to take the wheel, and instantly became my hero.  Traveling from St. Helens to Mist is a confusing path of windy country roads, which is no fun to drive.  After negotiating the maze of vans and people at the exchange, he made it out of the fairgrounds and onto the correct road.  Still awake from my run, I was elected the navigator.  For awhile, the roads were clear and we sailed along.  I began to think we'd escape the congestion this year.  But then we passed a volunteer that told us Mist was only 5 miles away.  That was the kiss of death.  Two minutes later, we hit gridlock of epic proportions.  It took us nearly 45 minutes to travel those last five miles.  Everyone in the truck fell asleep, except our poor driver Ian.

Ashley and Dianthe waiting for Inessa

Finally, at 3:45 am, we pulled into a huge field near Mist, that was the designated rest area for H2C participants.  Opening the door and discovering it was freezing cold, nobody wanted to sleep outside.  So my van-mates and I opted to stay in the vehicle, dozing in our seats.  It was a cramped, uncomfortable night, frequently interrupted by the sound of moving vehicles, people calling out team numbers, and one very loud car alarm going off right next door.  Naturally, I slept poorly.  Definitely the low point of my weekend, I thought to myself "This sucks!  Why did I agree to do H2C again?"

Lots of "orphan" runners at this exchange

Someone's alarm went off around 5:30.  Tired and groggy, everyone stayed put.  But soon nature began calling, and before long we ladies had to exit our nice, warm truck to stand in an endless port-a-potty line.  Even though I'd forced myself to eat something after running last night, by morning my tummy was quite unhappy.  Running and eating at odd hours, "lava lamp tummy" is a common ailment among relay participants.  I'd hoped to avoid the same fate that plagued me last year, but no such luck.

Inessa is happy to be done with her 2nd leg!

Dianthe began preparing to run her third, and final leg.  Feeling quite miserable at the moment, I was glad it was her and not me.  As the sky began to lighten, Ashley and I accompanied Dianthe to the exchange.  The fields and roads were cloaked in a thick mist (the town of Mist is appropriately named!) giving everything a surreal feel.  People were wandering around everywhere, some draped in blankets, many looking like zombies.  It kinda reminded me of a civil war battlefield (except everyone was in running attire).  The exchange was a busy place.  Not only were there tons of people awaiting their runner's arrival, we spotted a bunch of folks who had completed their leg, only to find no teammate waiting.  These poor orphan runners kept shouting out team numbers to no avail.  One bystander told us that some of those folks had been waiting in the cold for over 30 minutes.  We guessed that many of the relief runners were either stuck in traffic, or still asleep in the field.

Race traffic clogs the country roads

It wasn't long before Inessa came streaking into the exchange.  Dianthe accepted the wristband for her final leg.  The rest of us made a beeline for the truck.  Dianthe had a short distance to run, traffic was heavy, and we didn't want to be late!  We motored through the beautiful countryside of the Coast Range.  The fog began to lift and the ultra-green hills and pastures came into view.  It promised to be another lovely day.

 

With time to spare, Amy, runner number two, jumped out of the truck and hit the honey bucket line.  As Murphy's Law would have it, her turn at the potty coincided with Dianthe's arrival.  So Dianthe had to pace around the exchange for a minute or two, waiting for Amy to finish.

More fun van deco

Then it was back in the truck, and rush to another exchange.  About a quarter mile before the next exchange, traffic came to a standstill.  As we sat, runners began passing the vehicles, and before long, we spotted Amy approaching.  Knowing we wouldn't make it in time, poor Lindsay, runner number three, was forced to jump out and follow Amy.  After running her second leg last night, one of Lindsay's knees was not happy.  Her IT band had flared up, and she wasn't sure she could run.  When traffic began moving again, we passed Lindsay on the road and saw that she was walking.  Everyone became concerned, and there was talk of sending someone back to run for her.  But in the end, we decided to let Lindsay to finish her leg. 

This team had a "convict" theme

Lindsay's leg, at 6 miles, was a long one.  This gave the team lots of time at the next exchange.  Good thing too, because it was here we encountered the longest port-a-potty line known to mankind!  Ashley and I stood in line for 30 minutes (we timed it).  And to top things off, every one of those honey buckets was out of paper (luckily a couple of nice ladies ahead of me in line had a roll and shared some squares).   Although it was tempting to run into the bushes, H2C had strict rules about only using the honey buckets.  Any team caught pottying outdoors faced disqualification.

  

I met the "Dead Jocks"

After my long bathroom wait, I wandered around checking out the action.  I met the "Dead Jocks in a Box," a team made famous by the Hood to Coast movie.  Another team had a "convict" theme.  Everyone was dressed up in orange jumpsuits, and they'd painted cell bars on their van windows.  Funny!

Then I headed down to the exchange.  Ashley and I waited for Lindsay's arrival, he more than ready to begin his final leg. The exchange was a hub of activity with many entertaining sights. Three large sewage pump trucks came rumbling down the road (cue "The Ride of the Valkyries") to clean out our overworked honey buckets. Everyone cheered the men as if they were rock stars! Then a couple of guys strung a crepe paper "finish tape" in front of the exchange, for each participant to run through. 

The mother of all port-a-potty lines

Finally we spotted Lindsay hobbling towards the exchange. She'd tried to run, but her knee had said otherwise. Lindsay toughed it out and finished her leg, even though she was forced to walk the entire distance. Although it ate up a lot of time, this ended up being a good thing. It erased our surplus and actually put us about 10 minutes slower than the predicted time. Now we were even closer than before!

Race participants wait at an exchange

Another drive through bumper-to-bumper traffic. And again, as we approached the next exchange, traffic stopped. We sat for an eternity, and runners again began to pass us by. And then Ashley appeared on the horizon. Ian, next in line, had to jump out and make a break for the exchange.

Lindsay finishes her leg in style

Ian was a true iron-man. He ran the three cumulative hardest legs of the course. And no leg was more difficult than this last one. At just over 6 miles, it climbed 600 feet in 3.5 miles to the summit of the Coast Range. By now, it was mid-day, and the sun high in the sky. Temps were getting toasty. But Ian, true to form again, absolutely killed it. 

Celebrating on the beach

My turn was next. I'd been trying all morning to quell my unhappy stomach. I knew I needed to eat something, but nothing looked good. Finally, I dove into a bag of kettle chips. The chips actually tasted good, and were able to settle things down. Oh, the power of junk food!

With the heavy traffic, I was afraid I'd end up jumping out of the truck early and making a dash for the exchange, as Ian had done. But luckily, we beat him there. Ecstatic, I even had enough time for a final bathroom break (no lines here!)

Amy, myself and Lindsay in Seaside

A very tired Ian, came storming into the exchange.  No one looked happier to be done (and I don't blame him!)  Finally it was time for my third leg.  I was so ready! 

Now that our cummulative race time had moved closer to the prediction, I was free to run as fast as I wanted.  Opening up the engines, I let 'er roll.  It was my last leg, and I was gonna leave it all on the course. 

More fun costumes

My final leg was so much different from last year's.  Since I'd run my first two legs conservatively, there was still gas in the tank.  My legs, although not fresh, didn't feel tired and heavy as they did last year.  I had a distance of 5.35 miles to cover, alternating between downhill and some rolling uphills.  There seemed to be more uphill than I remembered, but I was able to power up all the inclines no problem.  I even passed several people (woo-hoo, finally some roadkill!)  The scenery was amazingly stunning - thick forests, charming farms, peaceful pastures, and a couple of lovely streams.  Such a wonderful part of Oregon!

The monkeys reunite!

 

I'd forgotten my Garmin, so had no idea of my pace or distance traveled.  I just ran fast.  And enjoyed every minute of it. 

 

 

Team photo (minus two) on the beach

 

Finally, the blue sign announcing the exchange came into view.  Almost done!  Giving it all, I stormed into the roped off area.  Mike was there for one final handoff.  And with that, my H2C 2012 was finished.

 

Inessa finishes strong

 

My vanmates were even happier than me about being done.  Now we could head into Seaside for some food and beer!  We motored down the road, coming upon our teammate Mike full into his last leg.  The day before had been his 30th birthday.  As our truck passed by, we cheered and sang "Happy Birthday" out the windows.

 

 

Running through the finish as a team

The beach at Seaside was a wonderful sight.  Van one grabbed a plot of sand in the beer garden, and awaited the arrival of van two.  Being up half the night caught up to me, and I ended up lying down on the warm sand and sleeping for over an hour.  Some of my teammates got food, others mingled, and some cooled off in the ocean.  But I was so tired, I planted myself in the sand and rested.

 

 

We did it!

 

After waiting four hours, and getting sporadic updates from van two, we finally spotted the other monkey on a stick bouncing down the Seaside promenade.  The monkeys reunited again, we stood by the finish line, waiting the arrival of our last runner, Inessa.  Finally someone spotted her, and Inessa got a loud rousing cheer as she passed by the finish chute.  Our last runner's leg complete, the Monkey Butter Express assembled for one final symbolic team dash across the finish line.

 

 

Monkey Butter Express gets goofy (we are monkeys after all!)

 

 

Hood to Coast was just as wild, wacky, tough, and rewarding as I'd remembered.  I was honored to be a part of the Monkey Butter Express team for a second year.  Eric and Brandi did a great job as team captains keeping things organized.  Lindsay took charge and ordered us some awesome team sweatshirts (much appreciated during those cold evening hours!)  Inessa and her husband Keith again offered their wonderful beach house to the team for a place to crash after the race.  And my van one peeps - thanks for your help, humor, and support.  You guys are the best!

 

The Monkey Butter Express team ended up coming in a mere 10 minutes over their predicted time.  Looks like we are in for next year!  Woo-hoo! 

 

Will I run H2C again next year??  Wouldn't miss it for the world!

 

Into the Night - H2C Leg 2

Are you ready for part two?  Read on!

On the go all morning, and late into the afternoon, my van one teammates and I were more than ready for a break.  With our first legs in the bag, it was time for some relaxation.  Lucky for us, Amy lived nearby, and graciously let the team invade her fabulous home.


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A new monkey for our vehicle!

 

It was a wonderful break.  Everyone got to take showers, use a real restroom (I was already tired of port-a-potties), eat some dinner, and chill out on Amy's spacious patio.  We all got so comfy it was mighty tempting to ditch the rest of the race (the other van won't miss us, will they?)  But we couldn't leave our teammates high and dry, so after a couple of blissful hours, van one packed up for our trip to the next van exchange - in the heart of downtown Portland.

 

 

 

Amy puts the old monkey to use as a hood ornament

 

But before we took off, there was decorating business to attend to.  Our poor monkey had sprung a leak, and his chances of holding air didn't look good.  However, Ashley found another inflatable monkey in the back of the truck.  After blowing him up and deeming him fit, he began tying monkey no. 2 to the roof rack.  Amy, not one to waste a good monkey, decided the damaged one would make a good hood ornament.  It gave our truck a "roadkill" look.

 

 

Our monkey is strapped down tight!

 

A roll of yellow tape and some plastic webbing were employed for monkey attachment.  Ashley worked his magic and secured our poofy friend to the roof.  The monkey was tied down so tight he looked straight from a page of "Gulliver's Travels."  But he stayed put for the remainder of the race.

 

 

Lindsay and Amy ready to start our second leg!

 

So off we drove, from the eastern 'burbs into the heart of Portland.  Tooling down the streets, our truck was met with lots of points and stares from passing vehicles (Haven't those folks ever seen a monkey on top of a vehicle?)  It didn't take long before our arrival at the second major van exchange, the east end of the Hawthorne Bridge.

 

 

 

A kiss for the monkey

 

To help our van 2 teammates find us, we grabbed a smaller inflatable monkey tethered to a long stick.  There was quite a crowd of people here, and we weren't the only team sporting some sort of sign.  While at Amy's we'd all sucked down the water, getting ourselves good and hydrated.  Unfortunately that meant everyone now had to go potty.  And the organizers had only provided only four - yes four! - honey buckets at this major van exchange.  There was a tremendous line, but we girls had no choice but to wait our turn. 

 

 

 

Both vans are reunited, as are the monkeys

 

While in line someone spotted another monkey on a stick making its way toward us.  It was our van 2 teammates.  Our monkeys reunited, Eric, Brandi, Karl, Mike and Jenn joined us in the potty line and began swapping H2C stories.  Everyone was awaiting the arrival of Inessa, van 2's last runner.  She was set to hand the baton off to Dianthe, who at that moment was prepping to run her second leg.

 

 

The guys get serious (Ian, Mike and Eric)

 

It was nearly 8:00 in the evening, and the sun was beginning to set.  Dianthe donned the required headlamp, reflective vest, and blinking lights (all H2C runners must wear these items while running during nighttime hours).  Then someone shouted they'd spotted Inessa coming down the path.  Dianthe rushed out to meet her, and once again the baton was passed back to van one!  On the move again, my van-mates and I hustled back to our truck so not to miss the next exchange.

 

 

Brandi and Lindsay havin' fun

 

Although Dianthe's second leg started out running through a wonderful part of Portland (across the Hawthorne Bridge and through downtown along the west bank of the Willamette River), it soon deteriorated into a rough, sketchy industrial part of town.  Our next exchange was wedged beside a couple of warehouse parking lots.  Dianthe finished her leg as darkness was enveloping everything.  She said she'd witnessed the cops hauling away a heroin overdose victim on the west side of the Hawthorne Bridge.  Very creepy!

 

 

Catchin' up with our van 2 teammates (Dianthe, Ashley, Jenn and Karl)

 

 

Amy, adorned with several lighted necklaces and bracelets, was next on the course.   Her leg meandered through the rest of the industrial district and finally intersected with Hwy 30, one of the main routes to the coast.  Driving down this highway to our next exchange, we could see a string of headlamps bobbing along the shoulder.  Lots of runners out tonight!

 

 

 

Amy's all lighted up and ready to run!

 

 

The relay continued on through the night, following Hwy 30.  After Amy finished her leg, Lindsay took over.  The wind came up, and by the time it was Ashley's turn to run, it was howling.  Cold and dusty and a head wind to boot.  Not exactly prime running conditions.  But Ashley, always smiling, decked himself with lighted necklaces and stuck light sticks around his headlamp strap.  This man ran in style!

 

 

Getting dark at the exchange

 

Back at the van exchange in Portland, Eric warned us about a huge fire in the town of St. Helens, which was right in the middle of the race course.  Apparently a tire store had burned to the ground earlier that afternoon, and the fire was so bad it caused the closure of Hwy 30.  Now, approaching the adjacent town of Scappoose, my van-mates were pouring over their smartphones, trying to get the latest information.  At Scappoose Middle School, we picked up Ashley, dropped off Ian, and headed towards St. Helens. 

 

 

 

Dianthe hands off to Amy

 

On the outskirts of St. Helens, we ran into a roadblock.  Hwy 30 was still closed, and race traffic was being routed through a bunch of local streets.  Our truck got caught in a huge traffic snarl and we inched along through dark, unknown backroads.  It was taking so long, I began worry we'd be late getting to the exchange.  And I was next to run.

 

 

Lindsay preps for her night leg

 

Finally, after what seemed like eons, we pulled into St. Helens High School, the next exchange point.   By then it was near 1 am, and my fellow van-mates were beginning to drift off to sleep.  But I still had a leg to run, and struggled to stay alert.  Jumping out of the truck into the cold, windy night woke me up in a hurry.  Ashley accompanied me to the exchange area.  To our relief, Ian wasn't there yet.  At least we hadn't kept him waiting.  But he was now slightly overdue.  We stood in the chilly wind, waiting for our 5th runner, hoping things were alright.

 

Then we heard some other runners talking. Apparently the vehicles weren't the only ones re-routed - the runners had been too. The detoured course added almost 2 miles to an already long leg.  That explained why we hadn't seen Ian yet. 

 

 

Another successful handoff

 

 

After a long, chilly wait, and several false alarms (it's hard to spot someone in the dark!) Ian materialized out of the night.  He looked very relieved to be done.  Finally my turn!  I took off into the darkness, willing my cold legs to get moving.

 

Although this leg was only 5.23 miles, the majority of it was uphill.  It wound through the town of St. Helens on quiet residential streets.  Last year, it was my favorite leg.  This year, cold and tired as I was, I just wanted to get it over with.

 

 

 

Ashley decks himself out with lights

 

After climbing a fairly large hill, I turned into a neighborhood.  Still running slow (our team hadn't yet erased it's 20-minute surplus) I was pleased to come upon a runner moving even slower than myself.  I was finally going to get a "road kill" (a relay term for when you pass someone).  But pulling alongside the runner and greeting her, I was surprised when she asked to pace off me.  Thinking some company at this late hour wasn't a bad thing, I said "sure."  In the ensuing conversation, I discovered the girl was around the same age as my son (which kicked in my mommy instincts), and had been battling a sore knee.  Knee pain was slowing her down quite a bit, and my presence provided a welcome distraction.  We had a delightful conversation, and the miles passed quickly.  Before I knew it the bright lights of the next exchange came into view.  Another major van switcheroo, the Columbia County Fairgrounds was bustling with people, even at this late hour.

 

 

Ian, Lindsay, Dianthe and Amy waiting for Ashley to finish his leg

 

I bid my new friend goodbye, and scanned the crowd for Mike.  Hearing our team number, he stepped into the bright lights and I gratefully handed him the wrist strap.  Yahoo!  Two legs down, one to go.  Time for another break.  It was now after 2 am, and I was so ready for sleep. 

 

But heavy traffic forced us to immediately head out to our next exchange point in the town of Mist.  It wasn't too far away, and on a normal day would be a quick trip.  But as I learned last year, in a relay, nothing is guaranteed.

 

Stay tuned for part three, the thrilling conclusion to my 2012 Hood to Coast Relay experience!

 

   

 

The Hood to Coast Trilogy - Leg One

I'm gonna warn you now..... this is a long, photo-heavy post.  I tried to pare down the number of photos (I really did!).  But I don't know of a better way to convey the fun and wackiness that is the Hood to Coast Relay.  So please bear with me - you'll enjoy the story (trust me!)


Size matters!  Click on any photo to enjoy a larger version.



The starting line at Timberline Lodge

 

For those of you that have never heard of the Hood to Coast, it's a very famous relay race that's been run annually for 31 years.  Dubbed "the Mother of all Relays," it's the original race that started the current relay craze.  H2C begins high on the slopes of Mt. Hood and continues for 199 miles until it's finish at the Oregon Coast town of Seaside.  The race is run in 12-person teams, divided between two vehicles (usually large vans).  Each team member runs three "legs" of the course, that vary from 4 to 8 miles.  I participated in H2C last year, and for more information, you can read those posts here and also here.
 

 

My van one teammates

 

"Monkey Butter Express," my team from last year, invited me join them once again.  I was thrilled and honored for the chance to run H2C a second time.  Our captain drew assignments out of a hat, and I surprisingly got the exact same leg I ran last year (van one, leg 6).  But I didn't care - I was just happy to be on the team.  And besides, I really liked that leg.

 

Go Monkey Butter Express!

 

Friday morning dawned, clear and chilly.  Our team had a start time of 9:30 am, so we gathered early in Portland.  Our ride this year was a big, blue diesel suburban.  A perfect weekend home for six runners and their gear!  Joining me in van one was Dianthe, my friend and "token chick" from last year's team, back for a repeat performance of leg one.  We also had Amy, a natural born runner with long legs like a colt, and Lindsay, a young, wise-cracking teacher.  Rounding out my van-mates was Ashley, a sweet teddy-bear of a guy, and Ian, our iron-man runner, tackling the most difficult legs of this course with a smile.

 

 

Lindsay, Amy and Ian get in the spirit of things

Most H2C participants decorate their vehicles for the race.  Part of the fun is seeing all the creative van adornment.  We'd decked out our suburban with window paint and stuffed monkeys the night before, but upon arrival at Timberline Lodge parking lot, Ashley tied a large, blow-up monkey on top.  Now our vehicle was complete!

 

Dianthe, our first runner, is pumped and ready to run!

Dianthe was our first runner, taking on the very difficult leg one for a second year.  This leg descends steeply down the Mt. Hood, dropping 2,000 vertical feet in a little over 5 1/2 miles.  But Dianthe regularly runs in the mountains near her home, so she was ready.  Bring it!

 

 

Elvis was running H2C too!

Our designated start time arrived quickly.  The race organizers start teams in waves of 20-30 every 15 minutes throughout the day.  There are 1,000 teams that compete in the H2C relay, and the staggered starting times attempt to spread out the crowds and ease congestion on the roads and exchange points.

And Dianthe is off!

 

Lining up on the starting line, Dianthe was joined by a life-size cut out of Elvis.  A team called "Elvis has left the van" brought him along for the run (I'm not sure how long he actually stayed with his teammate).  Each team was introduced to the cheers of the participants.  Then the announcer led the crowd in a countdown and shouted "get outta here!"  Dianthe sped through the starting chute and down the road.  Monkey Butter Express was on its way to the coast!

 

 

Fun team van

 

With Dianthe on her way, we remaining teammates jumped into "big blue" and headed down Timberline Road to the next exchange, in the town of Government Camp.  Passing runners on the road, my vanmates cheered and hollered, and Ian rang a cowbell.   Dianthe got an especially loud reception as we motored by.

 

 

An Elvis sighting...

 

The first exchange was swarming with runners and brightly decorated vehicles.  While waiting for Dianthe, I busied myself taking photos of the wacky sights.  I even met Elvis!

 

More fun van decor

 

Some teams got real creative with the paint.

 

Exchange one - it's Amy's turn!

 

Amy was next up. She lingered near the exchange area, waiting for Dianthe's arrival. Soon we spotted Dianthe barrelling down the road. She handed off the "baton," a flexible bracelet that you slapped on the next runner's wrist. With Amy underway, it was time to jump back in the truck and head for exchange two!

 

This van had Elvis hair

This was one of my favorite car decorations.  It's a little hard to see, but it's the Elvis team, and the black fuzzy thing on top is supposed to be his hair (complete with sideburns!)

Loved all the creative vans

 

Some teams even build custom carriers for the top of their vans.  I'll bet people sleep up there (when the vehicle is parked I hope!)

 

Exchange 2

 

From Government Camp, the course took runners along the side of US Hwy 26, the main road from Portland to Mt. Hood.  As we passed Amy, striding along the shoulder (making running look easy) my van-mates and I showered her with loud encouragement.

 

 

The handoff to Lindsay is complete!

 

Next up - Lindsay!  Amy zoomed into the exchange and the wrist bracelet was passed to our leg three runner.

 

Ashley running his first leg

 

After Lindsay it was Ashley's turn on the course.  His leg, 7 miles in length, was quite a bit longer than the previous three.  The extra distance gave us the opportunity to stop halfway and cheer him on.  It must've helped, as Ashley killed his leg! (woo-hoo!)

 

Multitude of vans at an exchange

Although the weather was sunny, the temps remained in the low 70's - very pleasant!  So much better than the broiling 90 degrees I endured last year.

The handoff to Ian

 

Runner number five, iron-man Ian readied himself for his first leg.  Ashley steamed into the exchange with a happy grin, handing the bracelet off.  With Ian underway, only one runner remained - me.  It was time to start prepping for my turn.

 

Dianthe tries to revive our poor deflated monkey

 

Someone noticed our inflatable monkey starting to sag over the car window.  Stopping halfway into Ian's leg to cheer him on, Dianthe discovered our poor monkey had sprung a leak.  It looked like he was melting. 

 

Some costumes are just wrong....

Part of the fun of H2C is people watching.  Some participants sport wacky costumes.  We spotted this guy as our vehicle was pulling out of an exchange.  It's like a train wreck - you can't look away.  (I also couldn't resist taking a picture)  As you can see, some folks go waaay overboard with their dress!

 

Dianthe, Lindsay and Ashley waiting for Ian

 

Over twice as many teams submit applications to run H2C than the 1,000 spots available.  Teams are picked by a lottery.  Monkey Butter Express was lucky enough to be chosen again.   Once gained entry, teams must provide an estimated total time of completion.  Start times are assigned based on this prediction.  In the past, many teams overshot their completion times, causing unexpected congestion.  This year, the organizers added an incentive - teams that completed the course within 30 minutes of their predicted time would gain an automatic entry into next year's H2C.

 

Go, Ian go!

Naturally, my team's goal was to finish the course within 30 minutes of our predicted time.  But the first five legs are downhill, and by the time Ian finished his run, our team was already 20 minutes ahead of pace.

The baton is passed to me

 

So the goal for my first leg?  Run slow!  I thought to myself "no problem!" 

 

Nice Hood view

But that's easier said than done.  After Ian handed off the wrist baton, excitement got the better of me (as it did last year) and I took off running like a bat out of hell.  And starting on a downhill grade didn't help.  But my Garmin reminded me to slow up, until it felt like I was creeping along at granny pace.  Running slow was proving to be more difficult than I imagined.  Runners by the dozens streamed by.  It was really hard on the ego to be passed so many times!

Amy, Ian and Lindsay

But compared to last year's horrible hot weather, this year my leg was downright pleasant.  Leg 6, at 6.75 miles, was the longest of my three relay legs.  It follows the shoulder of Hwy 26 into the town of Sandy.  I travel this road every weekend during ski season and know it well.  I began to enjoy the reduced pace.  It forced me to "smell the roses."  It was fun to see familiar sights loping along at a 10-minute mile pace.  And once I reached the town of Sandy proper, I enjoyed running along the sidewalk, peering into dozens of small businesses lining the main street.  Passing a bank sign, it advertised the temperature a perfect 72 degrees.  So different from last year's unbearably hot meltdown!

Finishing my first leg

 

In no time at all, I found myself approaching the exchange at Sandy's Safeway parking lot.  This was a major van exchange point.  My job was to hand the wristband over to van two's leg 7 runner.  I'd never met Mike, their first runner, but looking ahead I spotted a young man with the same bib number.  To the cheers of my teammates, I rushed in to the corral, passed off my sweaty wristband, and wished Mike good luck.  And with that, my first leg was in the bag!

 

It was now van two's turn on the course.  My van one teammates and I had a break of several hours while the next six runners completed their legs.  It was time for some R-n-R. 

 

But leg two was coming up fast........ and our adventure was just beginning.  Join me and my Monkey Butter teammates for my next blog post - the night run.