Hood to Coast Movie

What do you get when you combine 197 miles, 12,000 runners, 3,500 volunteers, 2000 vans and all 50 states? You get an amazing adventure titled Hood to Coast, the largest relay race in North America as it stretches 197 miles from Mt Hood OR to the Pacific Ocean in Seaside OR.

Or as Bart Yasso of Runner’s World describes it, “Hood To Coast is a must-do in a runner’s life.”  and Director, Producer (and most importantly, runner) Christoph Baaden has captured it on film for us to experience it.

Here is a quick synopsis of the film:

HOOD TO COAST follows four unlikely teams on their epic journey to conquer the world’s largest relay race. Each year 1000 teams (12,000 runners) in 2000 vans cover 197 grueling miles as a relay team, putting themselves through an arduous physical journey that as an individual would be impossible. Some run to test their personal limits, some to overcome personal obstacles, and others leap in blindly looking for a way to shake up a complacent life. As we follow these four teams, we realize that winning isn’t everything in a documentary that takes a celebratory look at personal motivation and attempting the extraordinary.

Hood to Coast is playing in 350 theatres nation wide, for one day only (check listings here) What is posed to be the biggest running events nationwide. Stay tuned for additional content covering this event. For now, take a look at the trailer:

Running in Sydney (Adventure 1)

In another country and want to get to know the area? Just bring your running shoes. And that's exactly what I did when I was in Sydney, Australia in late November. It was a last minute trip that left next to zero time to plan on how to get around. So I threw my running shoes in my luggage and less than a week after finishing the ING New York Marathon, it would be great to get in a nice and easy (and scenic) run.

So I when I woke up the first morning, I put on my running gear, loaded a backpack with a map, some water and made my way to the lobby... only to find out that it was pouring rain. I was already dressed and set to go, but wasn't anticipating the rain drops so I decided to see if I could wait it out. I went to the hotel's business room and jumped on the Internet to kill some time. After about 30 minutes and the rain still falling, I decided that I wasn't going to let the rain stop me. Screw it! I was going to go run in the rain. I threw on a hat I bought the day before (the $3 tourist hat with a kangaroo on it) and started plotting away. I considered running while holding an umbrella, but thought that might look dumb (says the guy in the kangaroo hat). I got about a mile in and it started raining harder and I was already drenched. I decided to swoop into a 7-11 (yes, in Australia) and buy a poncho. Now I was thinking! So I threw that on and away I went. This was a much better way to run in the rain... it kept me completely dry, although my clothes were already wet. As you can tell, my running brain doesn't function outside the US.


I really wanted to see the ANZAC bridge, so I made my way in that general direction. I reached the bridge quicker than expected, so I decided to run across it. It was a shorter distance than I anticipated, so I kept going... seemed like that right thing to do. I saw a park on the other side and thought: "who doesn't like to run in a park?" After that, I headed down what looked like a nice neighborhood and ended up in cozy neighborhood/downtown area. I passed a bakery and immediately decided it was a good time to grab a bite to eat. I settled on a white-chocolate blueberry scone with an orange juice and rested for a few minutes while I ate my delicious breakfast and watched the locals go about their daily business.

After I was done I realized that I put my backpack down in what started as a dry spot and was now a puddle. PERFECT. So I put on my wet backpack on my wet clothes and covered it with my water proof poncho and headed back to the hotel. All in all, it was a "interesting" run. I got my 10 miles in, ran across an amazing bridge, had a great breakfast and WAS IN SYDNEY! Can't beat that I guess.

Here is a photo of the experience... so if you happened to be in Sydney and saw this crazy guy running in wet clothes and a wet backpack with a kangaroo hat covered by a poncho, it was probably me. Seems like a safe bet.

200th Post: NYC Marathon Recap

With so much excitement surrounding the ING NYC marathon, this may be one of the toughest recaps I have had to write due to the fact that there is SO MUCH to write about. I will try to cover as much as possible, while still keeping it a decent, readable length. Of course, things will be missed and left out, but none-the-less, if you ever get a chance to run the event and participate, DO IT!

The race starts off with a very early start time to catch either a ferry or a bus to the start line on Staten Island. My ferry time was 7:00, but due to some well advised information from past participants, I was informed that you can catch the ferry at almost any time. I decided to take the advice, but not risk being too late and caught the 7:30 ferry. That still left me almost 3 hours until my start time of 10:40. (Yes, the race starts late in comparison to most races).

Luckily, I was running with a friend, Larry, so the wait wasn't that bad and it also gave me chance to relax and get ready before the race. I took "throw away" clothes to keep me warm and it definitely came in handy. As I was sitting down chatting with Larry, I mentioned that we should have written our names on our shirts (another tip we were given for the race — people will cheer you by name all along the course). I said sarcastically "Anyone have duct tape and a pen?" And sure enough, the lady next to me did. So I wrote my name and taped it to my chest. It was fate I guess.

At the start line (which was very well organized and managed) we were sent off with the blast of a cannon and the playing of Frank Sinatra's New York, New York... rather fitting. So the first 2 miles are the steepest uphill across the Verrazno-Narrows Bridge (see photo). There were tons of people around us and it would stay consistently packed the entire race. It wasn't crowded to the point of being un-runnable, but if you wanted to maneuver forward, it would take some in-and-out motions.

We then headed into Brooklyn which was full of fan support and vibrant cheer. There is definite momentum going in and through Brooklyn and there is cheering the whole time, except for a very quiet section as you run through a Hasidic Jewish neighborhood. But as you continue out of Brooklyn and into Queens, the energy is constant. Through the first 8 miles as we exited Brooklyn, we were at a comfortable pace, but flying through the course. I was checking my watch, but not keeping as close of an eye as I should have been.

As we hit the 13.1 mile mark, we were well on pace for our estimated finish time, coming through the half-way point at 2:10:38. I was hoping for somewhere around a 4:25-4:30 finish, so we were doing fine with a 5-min. cushion. I could tell that my legs were feeling fatigued (and it was earlier than I would have hoped), but the only thing to do was keep pushing forward. I suppose I should have taken a more serious note of the time and slowed down a bit, but with the crowd energy and the thought of finishing before 4:25 creeping in... I was the stubborn runner and just kept pushing on.

As we started to go across the Queens bridge (mile 15-16) and head into Manhattan, I could tell that I was slowing way down. As excited as I was for running across the QB (even if it was the bottom portion), this by far was the toughest part for me. What's funny, is that this leads into what should have been the most exciting part of the course — a straight 3 mile shot down First Ave. where the streets were as packed and as energetic as I have ever seen. It was like being in the center of a parade and a crowd 3-4 rows deep cheering you on the entire way. If this was the section to pick up some time and fly through to the finish, it was the perfect setting.

Unfortunately it wasn't meant to be. Fatigue continued to creep in and with a slight eye on my watch, the time slowly ticked away. I kept clipping off miles and fed off the energy of the crowd... from people screaming our names, to a lady handing out cookies, we were going to finish this race. With one more borough to complete the five, we headed in and out of the Bronx. Entering Manhattan again we came into another high energy section, Harlem. After that we were running parallel to Central Park on the Upper East Side making a right into Central Park just before the Guggenheim Museum.

Once we were in the park, we were covered by lush trees and cheered on by people the entire way... I got the feeling that this incredible journey was almost over. Larry and I continued to keep our legs moving, but Larry could tell I was tired and he stuck with me the whole way. As I saw 4:30 come and go, I saw an opportunity to finish strong. I looked at Larry and said, let's run this last mile in under 10 min. So we put on our fast pants and started passing people. As we got around the 25.5 range, I noticed a camera crew in a golf cart focusing on a single runner. As we passed him, I turned my head to see who it was and sure enough, it was Edison Pena, the Chilean miner. As people chanted "Chile, Chile" Larry and I continued our strong run to finish just over 4:41.

It was quite an event from start to finish. I definitely think that it is a race that must be experienced. If it isn't on your radar, I highly suggest considering it or putting it on your "must race" list. I'm a really glad I decided to run it and got the chance to run with a good friend (MFC). Not to mention that I was able to come back from a heart-breaking ITB injury in July and recover enough to not only finish it, but to put up a finish time I'm happy. It's more than I could ask for.

NY Marathon (Before)

It's been awhile since my last post and it was 80% on purpose. This is my 199th post and I was saving my 200th post for the NY Marathon recap. Which will be up mid-November.

This was my very first time entering into the NY lottery and luck of the runner, I got in! Then I got hurt. Then I got better. So, it all worked out I guess.

I'm sort of on the fence on how I feel about this. I was super excited to get in and run one of the most exciting events out there. But I always wanted to run this race when I was ready to set a great time. Hence my not entering the last 2 years. I was in line to make this fast NY marathon a reality, but then injured my IT 4 miles from a 4:20 finish in Seattle. With limited time to rehab and build up my miles, it would have to be a recovery time with zero set backs... which it was. I was able to build up to 22 miles 2 weeks before the race which left me enough time for a taper. Had there been any hiccup in my recovery, a 20+ training run wouldn't have been possible.

NY is setting up to be a good/bad combo. I got in (good), I get hurt (bad). I recover enough to race (good), I won't be able to go fast and risk re-injury (bad).

So I have to change things up and make marathon day a good/good. The current plan is to run with a friend of mine and just enjoy it. I'll be running the NY MARATHON for crying out loud. Running next to the likes of Oprah, P. Diddy, Katie Holmes, Edward Norton... Ok, I don't know if any of those people are running it this year, but they have run it in the past and seeing them in running gear next to me as I run through Brooklyn sounds fun. So let me have my moment...

I'm planning on 10 min miles and finishing around 4:30. That's a comfortable pace where I shouldn't run a risk of bothering my IT. (pun totally intended).

I'd love to hear last minute tips from past participants or words of advice from you fellow runners, feel free to throw them in the comments below.

Steamtown Marathon — 10/10/10

With many races being held on 10.10.10, we needed to find a story to share, and we found a great one. Ladies and Gentlemen, our guest blogger for today is Teena Renfrow.

As a runner of over 30 years, I am relatively new to the running of half marathons and marathons. My second marathon on Oct 10, 2010 in Scranton, PA was such a joy to run, I felt compelled to share it with other runners. Steamtown is a small marathon limited to 2,500 runners. It sold out in mid-July. It is touted as one of the fastest marathon courses in the US due to its net drop of nearly 1000 feet over the length of the course. Some might think that is a good thing although I must admit I was concerned because downhills usually kill my knees. Nevertheless, I signed up for it along with my husband and his son.

Arriving in Scranton on Saturday to pick up race packets, the expo was small. No featured speakers. No elite runners. But the day was a beautiful autumn day in the low 60’s and the fall foliage was in abundance. However, notices warning of the starting temperature to be at 30 degrees were placed throughout the venue.

Race day arrives. After not one, but two, alarms that had been set declined to go off, I happened to check the time as I could hear people bustling around outside the motel room. Sure enough, it was after 5:00 am. Buses were running from downtown Scranton to Forrest City, where the start was, from 5:30 to 6:45 am. We hurried through our pre-race ritual and managed to get to the buses by 6:30. A 45 minute ride through the hilly countryside took us to Forrest City. Luckily one of the schools hosted the runners so that we were able to stay nice and toasty until it was time to start the race. Race time was at 8 am so this was much appreciated.

Everyone was encouraged to hit the starting line about ten minutes before eight. A prayer was given, the national anthem sung and then cover your ears because the cannon was shot to start the race. The race starts out with one of the steepest drops in the entire course. Then there were a few gently rolling hills before settling into the downhill decline for which it is known for the next 13 miles. I had been warned not to try and make up too much time on this as you would need leg strength at the end of the race when some uphills kicked in at the 23rd mile. So I paced myself conservatively and settled in to enjoy the view.

And what a view! The hills were alive with color, the sky was void of clouds and a crystal clear blue. We traveled through many small towns along the way and each community was so welcoming it was hard not to smile the entire way. Besides the regular aid stations set up by the race committee, it was as though each town tried to outdo the other on who could be the most hospitable. Cheerleaders, bands, tables of cookies, bananas, orange slices all were offered along the way. Some homes also set up their own welcoming committee and at times, a single car might be open with its radio blaring to encourage us to keep running.

In between some of the towns, the course wound its way into some very nice trails alongside a rushing river. The softer touch of the ground was extremely appreciated at this time for the toll taken to the knees of continuously going downhill. I wish I could have taken the time to get some beautiful pictures of this scenic area, but I was focused on getting a better time than my first marathon so kept chugging along.

Once we got into Scranton, the crowds thickened dramatically. About three miles from the finish line the crowds were so thick, you wouldn’t have been blamed if you had thought you were at the finish line. Houses competed to see who could blare music the loudest or who had the best Halloween decorations. This also is when the hills started to kick in. I live and train in Bethlehem, PA and we are not without our own hills here. Most people — at least those running my pace — started walking once they reached these hills but I suddenly felt right at home. I cranked up the pace and reveled in the spectators encouraging me to go faster. The last three miles were the most fun — I was in the home stretch and nothing was going to stop me now. One last push about a half mile before the finish line and then it was downhill to cross. As I got to the finishing mat, the announcers called my name — and then felt inclined to add that “Teena has a nice kick!” — which only made me smile bigger than before as I crossed the finish line at 4:29:56. Someone put a medal around my neck and I don’t know if he thought I was going to collapse or what, but he continued to hug me so that I just had to tell him that I just knocked 30 minutes off the time of my last marathon. He was thrilled and said I must have listened to my coach. I replied — I did! He said, it sounds like the coach knew what he was talking about. Again I replied — yes he did! I’m not sure who this man was but he seemed to be as happy for me and my time as I was.

So I’m not a fast runner but I do love to run. Sunday’s race was just about as perfect as you could hope for with the scenery and temperatures. The crowds and hospitality were just an extra bonus. I would encourage anyone to run Steamtown but register early and book a hotel room as soon as you register. There were no rooms to be found on race day.

And now that I have run this enjoyable small town race, I am looking extremely forward to my next marathon — my dream marathon — the ING NYC marathon! Talk about 180 degrees! Having completed Steamtown, my confidence is now high and I can’t wait for the next marathon in less than four weeks.

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Thanks for the amazing race recap Teena. And WOW! Shaving 30 mins. off your time is a testament to your training. Very impressive... you are more than set for NYC. Maybe I'll "run" into you. :)

If you'd like to share your comments below or on Teena's facebook page, feel free to do so, It's one heck of an accomplishment.