RY Coaching

Mount Hood at the start of the Hood to Coast Relay

The Hood to Coast Movie is finally arriving in theaters across the country for one night on 1-11-11.

For those of you who have heard me talk about my experience with the Hood to Coast Relay, or any of my major running experiences for that matter, you’ve listened to my enthusiasm and inarticulate expression of how these experiences affect me.

I’m going to the movie so I can see how this documentary captures the essence of the event, which really is unlike any other running experience.

The Relay Experience

Participating in the Hood to Coast Relay is an unforgettable journey with 12 team members, running along side a thousand other teams, over 197 miles  for approximately 30 hours depending on the speed of your team members.  One half of the team piles into a vehicle and starts at the top of Mount Hood outside of Portland and the vehicle tag-team game begins across the the beautiful Oregon landscape. The two vehicles, each holding 6 team members, meet up at designated exchange points across the course until all the team members are reunited on the sands of Seaside, OR and cross the finish line together.

You Can't Handle The Truth after crossing the finish line on the beach of Seaside, OR

Each team member runs 3 legs out of the planned 36 legs.  The 197 miles is divided into varying lengths and difficulty levels, making it accessible to competitors of varying ages and abilities. You’re sleep, nutrition, and hygiene deprived, but find yourself digging deep to get out of the vehicle one last time for your third and final run because you’ve come too far to let yourself and your team mates down.

The Movie Event

The director of the Hood to Coast Movie contacted me after I mentioned the movie on Facebook and Twitter. After talking to him and hearing his personal experience with the Hood to Coast Relay, I think he is sincere in his desire and enthusiasm to capture the essence of the event on film. But what I really got from him was his desire to show the true running spirit that encapsulates all running events and the runners participating, showing how we push ourselves to achieve the goal of crossing the finish line.

To find a theater near you showing the Hood to Coast movie go to the website hoodtocoastmovie.com.

Inspirational Experiences

I’m taking my boys with me to view the movie so they can see the zany journey their mother experiences. I’m hoping they’ll get a glimpse into why I find running so inspirational and my desire to share it with others through my coaching. It may be a tired cliche’, but these experiences are life changing by giving you a fresh perspective on life and the human spirit.

The Scenery: Lanscapes…

Mt Hood glowing in the evening sun, Van 2 Leg 8

Darkness means head lamps, reflectors, and flashers (that one's for you team captain)

Seaside, OR

Finish Area

…and Costumes

The Mullet Van - and yes, they ran wearing the hair

Team Taco

Inky Oinkers? Saw their van the whole way

You never know what you'll see along the way