High Desert Relay

I ran the Hood to Coast High Desert relay race this weekend with a group of mom friends from the neighborhood - some of the same ladies that I ran the big 2-day/36 leg Hood to Coast with two years ago, and two new friends. The race started at Brasada Ranch near Prineville and looped 72 miles around the high desert. Everyone on our 6-person team was supposed to run two legs, with distances ranging from 4-8 miles. 

I drove down on Friday after work and stopped at Smith Rock State Park to stretch my legs after the long drive. I've never been there at sunset and it was gorgeous. 

Our team, the Foxy Soles Two, met up at the restaurant for dinner, and then tucked into our rental cabin early. Unfortunately, one of our runners, Haley, became violently ill overnight with food poisoning and was unable to join us for the race in the morning.

I was the first runner for our team, with a start time of 5am. It was completely pitch black in the morning and only 36 degrees, so I was dressed warmly and had flashlights and a reflective vests. Everyone came to see me off and then jumped into the van to meet me at the first exchange. I ran down a path to the road and then along the road's shoulder, enjoying the bright stars. I even saw a shooting star!

I was so happy after my run was over -- giddy with euphoria and exhilaration. I ran about 9 minute miles and was content with that -- the footing was a little uncertain and I was cold. My second leg was supposed to be number 7, but since Haley was out, I moved up and ran leg 5, starting around 8:30. This leg was absolutely amazing and beautiful, 8 miles starting at the Prineville Reservoir and running alongside the Crooked River through a deep canyon. The weather was perfect and the scenery outstanding, and I felt really strong; I ran 8 1/2 minute miles the whole distance.

After that I had a much longer break, until 2:30 or so. Four of us runners decided to split legs 10 and 11 in half (not technically allowed, but we just drove the van to the halfway point and switched there, because no one was up to a full 3rd leg on so little rest). It was hot in the afternoon -- 75 degrees and just brutal sun reflecting off the blacktop. I ran the second 3 miles of this leg, up a long long hill, and was just happy to get it done.

I got some pre-leg 3 photos in the desert - you can see Mt Hood behind me, and also the Three Sisters.

And finally, here we are at the finish line, waiting for Cassandra, our final runner, to bring us home.

We ended up finishing in 2nd place for women's teams, behind the 1st place women's team by a mere 3 minutes. We were 14th overall, out of 50 teams. Not bad for a team of 40-somethings who were missing one of their fastest runners!

Dinner and celebratory bubbly on the deck, with the other Foxy Soles (the other half of our 2019 HTC team). We showered, we sat in the hot tub, we all fell asleep early.