PTC

The year before last I did the Portland to Coast relay race. It is always the last weekend before Labor Day and it is a total blast. I wasn't able to do it last year, so I quickly signed up again to do it this year. This is the 27th year of this race and people come from all over the world to do this. The runners have to do a lottery just to be considered, so it is no small event. We had a team of 12 women and we walked 127 miles from Downtown Portland to Seaside. There were 400 walking teams and there are 1000 running teams that go from Mount Hood to the Coast. It is fun to be a part of it.

Here is one of our cutely decorated vans!


And here is the group I was with in Van 2.
L-R; Me, Patty, Allison, Kris, Liz & Shannon!



Here is Shannon giving Liz a quick drink while she is walking her first leg of the race.

This is a picture of the beach at the finish line. It was so gorgeous there. The energy was tremendous. Shannon was our last person of the race and she finished her leg here at the beach and we all walked to the finish line together!

Each team has a name, usually a clever one. The teams decorate their vans and some even wear costumes! We were the "Happy Feet" and our van had a the little penguin on the back. We wore bright shirts which helped us stand out, however, costumes can be difficult when you're in your groove! No wigs or hula skirts for us.

We had 2 vans with 6 women in each van. Each one of us did 2 legs of the race with varying degrees of difficulty. Of course, there is a major climb in elevation heading to the coast and we go all through the night. I realized that I had left the big city when I got a bit creeped out during my pitch-black almost 8-mile leg when a pair of eyes were watching me. No cars around, no one else close by....I picked up the speed before soiling myself. Seriously.
Everyone out there worked hard for sure! I always have that nervous thing going before any competition, but needless to say, it doesn't get much better than being in a van with a bunch of friends, laughing and enjoying ourselves while encouraging one another to do our best! And most of the people out there are the same way and you can't but help feel the love!

Here is Kris and I at the finish line with our medals. We sure look happy despite the fact that we've had no sleep and no showers. And oh yeah, wasn't I wearing the same clothes the day before? It is amazing that Kris is standing after being that close to me. Whew. The smell of victory!