HOOD TO COAST!!!!

FOR 36 HOURS - NO SLEEP, NO SHOWERS, NO PRIVACY, NO RUNNING WATER, ONE MEAL, 16.6 MILES OF RUNNING, SITTING IN SWEAT AND FILTH, THROWING UP, BEING CLOSE TO STRANGERS.......

LOVING EVERY MINUTE OF IT!

WHO COULD ASK FOR ANYTHING MORE!!!

*RUNNING WITH YOUR HERO

*HAVING THE BEST VAN EVER

*GREAT TEAM SPIRIT

*LOOKING GOOD IN NEON YELLOW

*HAVING FAMILY THERE TO SHARE THE FUN

HOOD TO COAST WAS SO GREAT THIS YEAR I WAS RUNNER NUMBER 12 RUNNING LEG 12, 24, AND THE FINAL 36TH LEG ACROSS THE FINISH LINE AND LOOKING BACK I LOVED EVERY MINUTE OF IT THE RAIN, THE PEOPLE, THE RUNNING THE WHOLE THING I AM BLESSED AND HONORED THAT MY DAD ASKED ME TO BE APART OF HIS TEAM IT WAS TRULY AMAZING! I ONLY WISH I COULD RUN AS FAST AS HIM!!! NEXT YEAR PERHAPS. I LOVE YOU DAD! THANK YOU!

Read on for leg by leg details..

Van 1 started running at 9:30am. We left Vancouver around 10:30 in the morning Friday the 28th. Nice and sunny day. We were all full of excitement. Got up to the first exchange post at Fred Meyer relaxed, talked with other vans and tried to keep our nerves to a minimum. As van one got close Dad got ready to run and the fun began. The exchange happened and we got instruction on all the timing devices and we jumped back in the van to head to the next exchange. Well this is the first on many wrong ways we went. luckily Rod had the fancy phone with GPS who got us back on the right path. the exchange went off well and dad did great! We headed off for the next exchange while I was getting more and more nervous. Being the last runner has its down sides and nerves was one of them. finally it Ralph was running and my turn to take the exchange. While waiting for Ralph to run in we realize I need a reflector vest and flash light it was still light out side but rules were that at 6pm-7am you must wear the vest luckily Mark was prepared and had his personal vest which was of course sweaty and gross from his run but rules are rules and we slipped the vest on grabbed rod headlight (he was prepared to) and then Ralph showed up. I was off and ready to run but I had forgotten to go to the bathroom, grab a piece of gum or get a drink of water! You think I was flustered or nervous or something. With in feet of starting some hot shot decided he wanted to pass me which I couldn't let go with out a little sprint battle in the end I knew there was no way I was going to keep up and told him good luck as I set my actual pace and ran. I wanted my van to stop and give me water half way though and quickly realized that the trail I was on was not going to allow that! It was a beautiful run though by the train tracks and by the river I even had a water skier wave at me so I waved back and kept running I pasted a more people than pasted me so that felt great!

The next exchange was under the bridge and it went off great no problems. now it was time for some sleep!! We only wish! We drove to the fair grounds and settled in for a short nap when there was the most annoying volunteer who decided to yell at every car trying to park. Not only was he yelling through the sleep area he was yelling,"THIS IS THE SLEEPING AREA!!" So after trying to sleep for a while we gave up talked to the car next to us and my dad got ready for his run. It was way dark at this time but we met up with van one and the exchange went great! Though when I looked down my dad hadn't handed me his phone so we called it and he had taken it for a run with him! We woke the few who did manage to close their eyes and hoped back in the car for the next exchange. On the way we pasted dad and so I ran to him and took the phone so he would have to worry about it! We ran through the night and then it was my turn again. About 3:45am no sleep but so excited. Slipped on the sweaty reflector vest and was off for my next run. I hate the dark and trees! So I decided my goal was to find some one to run with but there was no one in my sight! I saw a reflector vest way up ahead of me but no one close. Finally I saw a three shadows on the trees, from a passing car and thought some one is behind me I will slow and run with them. When the car got closer though I realized that it was only me! So I decided to pick up the pace and catch the person up ahead so I ran faster and did catch them but instead of running with them saw another person and decided to catch them I did this repeatedly and ended up with my best time. 9.20 minute miles this may be slow for some but I trained at a 10 minute mile pace when I arrived at the exchange no one from my team was there not my van not van no. 1. So I yelled my number repeatedly until my dad ran down and said they aren't here yet. Now what was I suppose to do? I hate standing still. But I did and I wasn't the only one there was about 10 runners waiting for van 1 to get to the exchange. After what felt like a long time some one ran up to me and said my name I asked if they needed the flashlight handed him the exchange bracelet and he ran off. I ran to my dad and he said van 1 still isn't here. I was a little scared realizing that I just handed off to someone who might not of been on my team. He said who did you hand off to? I felt a little worried when I said I don't know someone said my name so I gave it to them. At that time another runner from van one caught up to us and said sorry and let me know I had handed off to the right person. Asked how long we had been there, which had been 8 minutes. We exchanged info and papers with van 1 and were off again.

I tried to eat the other half of mySubway but it didn't taste quite right after running so I didn't finish it. Then as we were driving through the curvy mountains I got way car sick and ended up losing the little bit of food I needed. We got to the next exchange point and tried to sleep there but after a short while they kicked us out of the exchange point and sent us to the sleeping area. We did manage to get some sleep around a whole 20 minutes maybe even a half an hour if we were lucky. As the sun came up it was our time to run again. Leg number 3 every one was excited this was the last run. The exchange went great with van 1 and they headed for the beach. My dad ran and he did great finishing his run and bragging that he was now done running. All runners ran through the sprinkles and rain, and then my last run again, I was nervous hoping to not look to tired and wiped out as I cross the finish line. It was great I ran up a trail hill and there was so much dog poop and back berry bushes that I ended up having blood on my leg but no big deal this was the end! So I pushed it hard up the hill and I LOVED the down hill part! It was great, then when the ground leveled out I really felt my energy drained. I pushed through and made it so close and then slowed to a walk to two steps and some people were cheering me on, while sitting in the front yard I could walk I had to finish. so I ran and hoped that I was making good time and would finish. I loved when I ran across the timing pads knowing that my time was then calculated. Looked for my team to run across the line with me and they weren't quite there yet but almost. So I got to take a quick recovery breath and then ran across the line with my team.

I LOVE HOOD TO COAST!

It was so much fun we got our team pictures hung out for a little bit and then headed to Astoria to get some food on our way home. Food tasted so good. No more nerves to make my stomach ache and great to be with my family and most of my van. I really hope that I will be able to run next year and every year! I thank my dad for getting me into running and letting me join his team it is a privileged and honor not only to run Hood To Coast but to run with MY DAD!!!