Written by More miles on my journey…
Had the opportunity to meet with some running friends in Portland to participate in the annual Hood to Coast 196 mile relay run. The relay starts at the base of Mt. Hood and winds its way down through multiple towns, through Portland and ends on the coast at Seaside.
I have participated for over 21 years in at least one annual relay with this same core group of people. Of course, this is not for everyone as it takes a special type that is ok sitting in a vehicle for hours with 4-5 other sweaty people, some dealing with pain and cramped muscles and ALL greatly fatigued due to a lack of sleep and always being on the move. For me, it reminds me a bit of my days back in the military with my team, and suffering together while also finding ways to have fun and make the very best of the experience.
During our ~28 hours from start to finish, I logged another ~27 miles over multiple legs over the course. A few being very hard, with a lot of uphill and steep downhill sections. Running in the darkness is my favorite part. I suppose it is the solitude, the shrouding mystery of the night and the spirit of adventure. There’s a comfort I feel in it; a familiarity of pushing myself in the darkness to achieve the next step of the relay journey.
Overall, my leg times were decent and I came out of it without injury. I too get to add more miles to my black belt journey and feel a great sense of satisfaction and gratitude for another great set of experiences.