Hood to Coast On My Mind

This is what awaited finishers of the Hood to Coast relay at the finish in Seaside in 2011. This is one of the reasons I want to take part in this race. At what other event can you bond with your team over a 24 hour race and each be running towards a common goal? Where else can you start in the snow and end on the beach? 

I was born on the Oregon Coast in a little town called Coos Bay. It just happens to be the very same town that the legendary track athlete, Steve Prefontaine grew up. Steve was one of the first athletes to be sponsored by Nike and he is a legend because of his incredible running skills on the track and his refusal to give up in any race. His life was tragically cut short, but his memory lives on. 

In short, I was born in a running town, a town with a fighting spirit, a town on the Oregon coast, not far from Seaside. My family moved to Salem, OR when I was young, just an hour and a half south of Mt. Hood. The Hood to Coast relay is a race that has personal meaning for me because of it's location and it's ties to four of my favorite things: Oregon, Running, Nuun and Nike. Over the next few weeks I will be making my video to earn a chance to run Hood to Coast with Nuun Hydration. Wish me luck!