Well here it is. I will do my best to remember everything from the weekend. That I can write about. With 8 ladies in a van with no sleep we can get a little goofy. So I will try and keep it to the facts.
Woke up at 3:45. The night before I had set my alarm clock for 4, but I woke up before the alarm went off because my daughter woke up and thought I was late. But that was fine. Shut the alarm off. Got in the shower, shaved my legs. :) Out the door I went. 4:25 am. Perfect. I got to church, that was where we were meeting. Half of the ladies were there. So we started packing up. The van had been decorated the night before and it looked great. I loved watching peoples faces when they saw our van along the course. They got a kick out of it. We were out of the parking lot by 5 and found the starting line with no problems. Had to wait around for about 20 minutes for the 6 am starting gun. And away our first walker went. The sun was sort of up. And it was a little cloudy. But that was good. Then it wouldn’t be so hot. Then we all piled in the van and off to meet her at the next point.
A little background real quick. This race is normally walked with 12 walkers. This relay has 24 legs. We walk it with 8 walkers in one van and we each do 3 legs of the race. The first 2 years I did this race I did it on a 12 person team. Then a couple of us decided to try 8 and I will never go back to 12. I like doing it that way. You really get to know your friends. I mean REALLY get to know them. But it is fun!!
So, it was my turn next. I was walker 2. 6.06 was the mileage I was going to be doing. Walking along a busy road. Which I found out at the end of the race that a teenager from one of the high school teams was hit. That is my biggest fears is that I am going to be hit from behind along that road. The race has us walking the same direction as traffic. Which I grew up knowing that you walk against traffic. Anyways. It wasn’t my section of course that she was hit, it was the next leg. But I understand how it could have happened. I passed only 3 people and was passed by 7. Not too bad. I felt great. The weather was perfect for the race. My first walk I did 14 minute mile pace. That is what I did last year, so I was happy with that.
Everything else was going really good. I have two complaints about the race in general. One, was that they only had 6 port-a-potties at some of the check points. This is not good when you have 400 walking teams going through and everyone is having to go potty. I waited 30 minutes at one place to go potty. It has never been like that before. It did eventually get better as the teams spread out. But I think people might have been drinking less because they didn’t want to wait in line to go potty. My second complaint was that when you got to an exchange point the traffic was so bad that you couldn’t give your walker support because you knew you had to get your next walker to the next exchange. It is hard to explain, but basically the Portland to Coast Committee better rethink how they do things next year. This year was terrible with their timing of things.
My second leg was at 5pm. It was warm out, but we were starting to get up in the hills. And by a creek so it kept it a bit cooler. This leg was 6.81 miles. 1.5 miles straight up. Then 1 mile down and the rest of it rolling hills. I can’t remember how many I passed or how many people passed me. I did catch somebody right at the end. She had pink hair. She was a walker from a team called Hunt for the Cure. So they were breast cancer survivors. They all had matching outfits and had a great attitude out on the course. I walked this leg under 14 minute mile pace. I don’t know my exacts yet because our team captain has all the times. I can’t wait to get them so I can have a better idea. Last year I did these same legs and I walked a little bit more than 14 minute mile pace. So I improved. I will give my props to running. I think that helped.
I had to walk that leg with my reflective vest on. It was starting to get dark. We were having a blast. Laughing. Making jokes. Last year I had fun. And I did again this year too. I am doing it again next year too. We just have so much fun.
Everyone was doing great on their legs. We were moving along great. No injuries.
My third and final leg was at 2:30 in the morning. I had been up for almost 24 hours with NO sleep. I was feeling great. Excited that I was almost done with my portion of the race. It was COLD!! But once you start walking you warm up. This leg was 5.85. I was not looking forward to walking that far. Then someone on my team says ”it is only 5.35″ I looked at the map and sure enough it was 5.35. Yeah!! It’s half a mile shorter than I thought. Amazing what .5 mile will do to make me happy. :) So, my walker handed off to me and off I went. In the dark. I had bought early this year a light that attaches to my hat and it was great. My hands were free. I had listened to my ipod my first two legs but this one I wanted to be able to hear what was going on around me. It was DARK out there. The only time you could see everything around you was when a car went by. Remember the scene in Pee Wees big adventure, when he puts on the light glasses? That is what I expect when I look around me while walking. So, I keep my head looking forward and keep bookin’ along. Sub 14 minute mile pace for this leg too. I was on fire!
And I felt great. Glad to be done.
Couple good things that happened were that while we were parked at one of the stops a van pulls up next to ours and this guy gets out. I just happened to glance at him and I knew him. He was my high school math teacher. From 20 years ago. He was a driver/coach for one of the high school teams that was running. I told him about the 20 year class reunion coming up and he wants the info. I think he is only about 5 years older than me. We were his first year of teaching. He couldn’t believe that I recognized him. I liked him as a teacher.
Then at the next exchange my daughter was there volunteering so I was able to see her.
We had a great time and I look forward to doing it again. I think in the 32 hours I was with my team I only closed my eyes to rest for about 10 minutes. I never slept the whole time. I slept about 45 minutes on the way home. Because I rode home with my daughter. She drove. :) Then met the ladies back at the church and helped clean up the van.
To tell you the truth I ate pretty good along the course. Lots of water. String cheese, wheat thins, grapes, turkey sandwich. A baked potato(with butter and sour cream). Then for lunch on the way home a shrimp salad and clam chowder.
It is going to take me a few days till I am walking normal and then I am going to start running again. I might even post a picture if I find one I like from the race.