Hood to Coast 2011

The first time I ever did HTC was over 12 years ago. I did it twice and I'm pretty certain that I vowed at that time that I would never do it again, but it's like having a baby, time goes by and you forget about the pain and lack of sleep and pretty soon you're ready to pop again. So it was with HTC--a twelve year hiatus and I was ready to tie up my laces again.

Overall it was a really great time. And I know myself well enough now to say yes, I would do it again. Since I tend to enjoy breaking things down into lists, here are a few reasons why I'd repeat

1. Doing something different and fun together with Tommy.

2. The excitement and support that everyone around you seems to offer. It's like everyone has been implanted with this happy chip.

3. Running in the night. Something I would normally never do, but it feels so good and the air is clean and crisp. Sounds cheesy, but it really is exhilarating.

4. Becoming so tired that everything around you is funny. At one point I had just set up my sleeping bag to sleep. Right as I was dozing off I was awakened and asked to move to a different location. That location was right next to the outhouses, the food station, and the exchange where all the numbers are screamed through a megaphone. The whole experience was so ridiculous that Tom and I just had to laugh about it.

5. The feeling of finishing your 3rd and final leg.


And now, of course, the reasons I would never want to go back.

1. Waiting and driving, driving and waiting.

2. Having to sit my stinky, sweaty body down in a hot van with people that I've met only hours before.

3. Running in the night and wondering if some thing or someone is going to jump out of the bushes and attack.

4. The PAIN...ohhhhh the pain.

5. Running for many miles in addition to no sleep.


This is before Tommy's night run.
Getting all prepped up for running in the dark.
This guy was from one of the "elite teams". We gave him a ride because his van had left him. Luckily time wasn't really a concern with us, so we left no one behind. He was actually flown in from Chicago to run the race. While we were all running 9 and 10 minute miles, he was keeping a 5 1/2 minute mile pace.
Just an idea of the crowd at one of the van exchanges.
Peggy (Tom's coworker) who organized it all.
John (our driver) who chauffeured us around everywhere. He was awesome.
At our first van exchange in Sandy.

Just admiring my pedicure from a few weeks ago.
Destination--beach. We stayed at a beach cabin when it was all over and soaked our aching feet in ice cold ocean water.

And lastly one of my favorite parts of doing Hood to Coast....



was coming home to these two smiling faces.