Hood To Coast

Update #6

We're done!

The beach is kind of drizzly, so we hit the bar. Word is still out on whether we won first place, but we all got medals, so I think we probably did win.

I'll keep posting photos, so check the stream. I'm out for now.

Update #5

Van 1 is done! And they only gloated about it a little. But we are painfully aware that they are now relaxing at the beach with margaritas. Or whatever they serve in Seaside.

Peter's running a long eight-mile leg while the rest of is have gotten to bang out quick little four-milers. But he's really fast, so maybe it's karma.

Time passes...

Just two legs left, Kim's (35) and Jessica's (36). They will almost certainly be in the rain, something we clearly inadequately planned for. Then: Beach party!!! Uh, yeah.

Holly is really wet. Her review of leg 34: "That really sucked."

More photos are up on the Flickr stream.

We're almost done!

Notable quotes, vol 2:

"Josh, give her your pants." "I'm wearing them!"
"When I close my eyes, tonight, I'm going to see butts."

Update #4

Newsflash: running is hard. Honestly, I'm not sure I can recommend it.

Yes, I've finished my second leg (#19), a hilly up and down six miles on country roads in Columbia County. At three in the morning. But now I can take it easy til about noon.

Before my run, though, was our triumphant return to Portland. Jessica, who traveled all the way from Washington, D.C. for this run, ran leg # 12, and was welcomed at the Hawthorne Bridge by her enthusiastic family, who even ran a bit of the final leg with her. She was very touched.

Then, at our rest stop, Kate had made us a big dinner, and cookies, and she wouldn't even let us do the dishes. So nice.

We slept for an hour and a half there, as if that was going to do a lot of good.

Party's back out on the road, on a grueling all-uphill leg. We just stopped to cheer her on, and she was chugging right along. "She's in the zone!" Jessica noted.

Other notable quotes:
"She's a goo-eater."
"I forgot to drink my canned coffee before my leg, and I'm very angry." "That's you angry?"
"The baby head is in the door!"

Don't call us for the next few hours -- we got no cell phone coverage. Yes, cancel your planned 5 am call.

Update #3.1

Oops, sent that out a little prematurely.

It got dark during that last leg, #10, but it's a clear night with a big moon.

Jessica's leg, #12, finishes at the Hawthorne Bridge, and it's where we stop and rest while van #1 heads back out. Word is Kate is cooking something up for us back in Portland. Pictures to follow, surely.

KATU News is here on the trail! Cool.

Map from starting point to Leg 11:

Update #3

Holly just came in from 6.7 miles on the Springwater Corridor and Kim headed out. Jessica is just about going crazy for anticipation for her leg.

Update #2

I ran! Felt pretty good. Which is lucky, cause I have it do it two more times.

Now Patty is out, running leg 8, and looking strong. I suspect she is aiming to sustain a very mild injury that will, nevertheless, prohibit her from completing her assigned legs. So we are providing her a lot of encouragement, cause I don't want to run any extra legs!

We pulled into the transfer and found our volunteer, Lizzie, laying down the law. A traffic control assignment suits her nicely. Before she realized it was us pulling in, she gave us her angry face when we didn't obey her hand signal. Oops, our bad!

Check out up to the minute photos on Flickr.

Update #1

Wow! I'm about to start my first leg, and we saw a guy who just finished, stumbling around, supported by his two friends. Turns out he has heatstroke, and he's being tended to by a nurse. And emergency services are on the way.

So, we're going to try to avoid that!

Update #0

UHAC will be posting Josh's Hood to Coast updates from the road! His team is Mary, Angie, Nicci, Lisa, Hayden, Karen, Josh, Patty, Peter, Holly, Kim, and Jessica.

He has an iPhone, so mainly as a means of showing it off, he'll be writing reports from along the relay.

Their first runner hits the pavement at about noon. Josh will be in the second van, starting about five hours later, so unless something really interesting happens, we won't hear much til the evening.

The rest of the updates will be first person from Josh, and I'll try to update them as he sends them.

Josh's team started at 12:15pm. Here is a map of the first leg: