For the last year and a half I’ve been running consistently. I began in an effort to drop some weight and get in shape. When asked last fall to be a part of the Relative Effort Hood to Coast relay team, I eagerly accepted and turned my efforts to staying in shape so I was able to be a part of this difficult race without embarrassing myself. Now a couple days after the race, I’m pleased to say I accomplished that goal.The Hood to Coast relay is called the world’s largest relay race. It begins at Timberline Lodge on Mt. Hood, and ends 197 miles later on the beach in Seaside. Each team includes twelve members who run three legs with 1,000 teams competing.
My anticipation for the race centered on the physical demands it would place on my body. As the race unfolded, however, I quickly realized that it was as much an emotional assault as it was a physical strain. During the entire 30 hours we raced I slept for just 3 hours. My diet was unbalanced and sporadic. It was unlike anything I had ever experienced.
As you run a total of three legs, you go through a progression of thought with the start of each leg. The first is challenging but not much different than a regular jog when you’re training. Maybe you’re running at a weird time, like the middle of the night, but you’re ready for it and your energy level is good. Then you try to sleep a little before your next run which is approximately ten hours later as the other eleven members of your team run their legs before it’s your turn again.
The second leg is a challenge because you’re physically tired due to a lack of sleep. Then your diet comes into play as it’s difficult to eat a good meal at odd hours. So you start to run and realize that you just don’t have the energy you had for your first run, and, oh yeah, I get to do this again in another ten hours! When your second leg is finished you are relieved, but your third leg is hanging over you like a ton of bricks. You try to rest and eat right so you’ll be ready to give it your all on the third leg, but it’s more a mental challenge than it is a physical one.
Finally your third leg begins and with each step you remind yourself that this is it, you’re almost done. I had the thrill of running the final leg of the race which meant I got to run into Seaside and across the finish line. Exhausted and thinking only about the next step to follow, I trudged along coming into town. As I approached the Seaside promenade I passed teams who had already completed the race. They clapped and cheered me on. It was just the encouragement I needed to propel me to the end. Then finally, I saw the finish line and heard our team number and name called. It was a beautiful sound to my ears and an accomplishment for our team that will not soon be forgotten!
It was huge for me that Megan was able to make it out to Seaside to be there for the completion of the race. She and Ruby were waiting for me as we crossed the finish line as a team. The race alone was a big highlight for me, but sharing it with Megan made it even more special.
The team I ran with was a group of relatives; all tied to the Brackett and Hanna families. What a blessing it was to hang out with this group of relatives for the 30 hours and 14 minutes it took us to finish the race. Van #1 consisted of Michelle and Brian Monroe, Dave and Sarah Hanna, Grant Brackett and Becky Brackett. Van #2 consisted of me, Glenn Brackett, Linda, Ricky and Brandy Brackett and Chris Grant (Dave and Chris are missing from the team picture above). Although I knew everyone prior to the race, with the exception of my new friend Chris, it was so much fun getting to know everyone better as we encouraged each other on through each leg of the race. It was fun meeting up with Van #1, who we only saw every six legs, to exchange stories of success and humor. The only disappointment of the race was that poor Chris hurt his knee on his first leg. And I only say it was a disappointment not because he couldn’t finish his legs, but rather because we didn’t get to hang out with him for the remainder of the race. That’s the only thing that would have made the experience more fun for me!
The day after the race, muscles in my legs that I didn’t know existed throbbed. Sitting down and standing up was arduous, and forget about stairs. And I slept like a bear in hibernation. Overall, it was grueling, painful and a complete blast. If asked today if I’m in again for next year, I’d say “Yeah baby – 110%, as long as everyone returns!” The fun of the race for me wasn’t the individual feat as much as it was the overall accomplishment of the team and the fun we had running the race together.
Thank you Relative Effort for making such a positive, lasting memory!
Scott
