SimplyComplexJen

I suck I admit it... I've been back 2 weeks and haven't told my Hood To Coast Story. You can't laugh too much at this pic, I hadn't slept in about 36 hours and ran over 17 miles....

After the shittiest year (2006), I would have to say 2007's best event was the HTC race.

By a series of other runners either a) not showing *grrrrr* or b) our best runner getting hurt, I ended up with one of the hardest (the hardest?) leg of the race (see chart for leg#3).

I shouldn't complain... some people had to run 4 instead of 3 legs.

When I looked at the hill, I was thinking NO WAY!!!! I wish there was a pic of my passing off my bracelet because when I was done I was the BIGGEST smile on my face.

What did I learn on this race?
(i'm sure I'll have to write multiple times on it... I learned so much about myself and running again)

1. I need to train harder and smarter (I don't have the luxury of running 2x/day like pre-bebe)
2. I need to improve my attitude (that hill was mostly mental)
3. Even ziplock bags can't hide the smell of those funkadelic clothes of 6 runner in a van for 30 hours
4. I'm addicted to relays I think
5. rinse and repeat #1

BTW, if you've read this far and have not a clue what HTC is, try here: http://www.hoodtocoast.com/

it's 12 runners, 197 miles divided into 36 legs, each of us rotating and taking 3 legs.

We run from Mount Hood to Seaside, OR.





My 3 legs were the following:

#1. The first run out of Van #2.... I didn't warm up properly and my time, form, and everything about this run sucked. Unfortunately, it was also my easiest..... though it was definitely my worst.

LEG 7

#2 This run was in the middle of the night, like at 2am. The runner before me saw a meteor shower while we are running through rural oregon, I wasn't that lucky. I was a little worried simply because they had a motorcycle cop and a patrol car going through the leg at least 4 times... I felt safer, but wondered if something had happened that warranted this.

Leg 18

#3 The best and the worst of my race. I'll admit, I walked a part of that hill, I hadn't slept in over 24 hours, not eaten enough, mentally was freaked out, and frankly, the altitude climb of this run was a lot steeper than it looked in the graph below. I was the least experienced runner (well, in the last 5 years... pre-abby I would have rocked this hill and then laughed) and running a "very hard". I'm just happy I finished it in so-so time and the sense of accomplishment it awesome!


Leg 29

I loved it, I know I didn't prepare as well as I could (and that embarasses me)... I have every day (starting today) to improve... so here I go.....