Seaside, OR - These posts were taken from the Oregonlive.com blog
Post Hood to Coast -- Thus
concludes another year of Hood to Coast and this one proved to have
everything--good competition, fantastic weather, and a new personal
best time. We found ourselves in a see-saw battle with the Bucknell
Alumni team that has won the event in years past. At the first exchange
zone we held a 30 second lead and after the first full rotation we were
up by approximately 2 minutes. There were swings in the lead by 2-3
minutes in either direction until the 26th leg, which is about 150
miles and 13 hours into the race when both teams handed off at the
EXACT same time! It was more reminiscent of a 4X400m relay than a 197
mile race. With a man down for the final rotation we fell off the pace
by a few minutes and settled for 3rd place behind Bucknell and the
Gleukos Fast Fuelers who started 45 mins behind us. The members of the
team shared their thoughts during and after the race (which are in the
videos above), but the general consensus was that we gave it a great
effort and will be back next year with a renewed sense of motivation to
stand atop the relay racing zenith again. Hope everyone had a great
time and we'll see you all next year!
Hood to Coast is off! -- Tight Race At First Exchange. Posted August 25, 2006 After
the first van exchange in Sandy Team XO holds a narrow lead over the
Bucknell Alumni. Both teams started at 7pm along with the rest of the
elite teams, except for the Gleukos Fast Fuelers who went off at 7:45.
In a sea-saw battle through the first van both Bucknell and XO has held
respective leads of approx 2:30 and at the final exchange Team XO clung
to a 30 second lead. It looks like its going to be a tight run between
the two teams, and should be interesting to see how the Gleukos team
factors in as well.
Hood to Coast is Tomorrow! -- Some Final Motivation. Posted August 24, 2006 Hood
to Coast kicks off tomorrow morning, and either you are feeling
ready...or you aren't. Either way, there isn't much you can do between
now and then to improve your performance so your best bet at this point
is to just get as excited about it as you can and give it your best
shot. In an effort to help with that, here are some examples of
motivating performances that should inspire you to your best Hood to
Coast ever (or at least a good try)! * Kenenisa Bekele wins the 3k at the Indoor World Championships. * At the height of the British dominance in mid-distance running,
Sebastian Coe wins the 1980 Olympic 1500 final. His World Record in the
800 stood for nearly 20 years. * After being denied a Gold Medal in the event that he had dominated for a decade, Hicham El Guerrouj finds redemption in a stirring final lap of the 1500 in Athens. * There is a reason why Steve Prefontaine has achieved cult-level status in the U.S, he ran with a flare and passion that captivated anyone that saw him compete. * In one of the biggest upsets in Olympic history, virtual unknown Billy Mills of the USA outkicks the heavy favorites to win the 1964 Tokyo 10,000--a feat never accomplished before or since.
Blogging During The Race -- We will be blogging during race day/night as much as possible. Posted August 22, 2006 We
will be blogging during race day/night as much as possible. Obviously
there will not be a connection through the coastal range, but we should
be able to provide some updates around the first couple van exchanges
and again after the race. Hope everyone is feeling ready for this
weekend! Happy running.
Final Preparations. -- Take The Elevator. Posted August 21, 2006 As
we approach the last week before the Hood To Coast relay, lectures
about training become insignificant. One fact remains: if you didn't
follow that training routine, you are in trouble! Well, maybe not
trouble - but you'll be hobbling around on the sands of Seaside in a
little more pain than necessary- which is never fun, because you may
spill your beer!
But what can a runner do
during this last week to prepare for the grueling all-night-run-a-thon
that we are about to undertake? One word: rest. This isn't the time to
get in another one or two stringent workouts. This week should be
devoted to easy slow runs, a little pace work, sleep, lots of
stretching and a healthy diet. This is a week when you should take the
elevator instead of the stairs.
Easy runs
should dominate your workouts this week. Except for some pace work,
you'll want to be running at 70-75% effort while dropping your daily
mileage. That means that if you plan on running 8 minute pace during
the race, your easy runs should be at 10 to 10:30 pace. The goal is to
allow those muscles to rebuild and repair so you can thrash them in a
few days.
You do, however, want to
remember what race-pace is! It sure isn't fun to start a Hood To Coast
leg 15% faster, or slower, than pace and realize you are way off pace
halfway into your run. It doesn't make your teammates too happy,
either. (It's also no fun to be unprepared at an exchange zone when
your team comes in, but that's another story!) Depending upon your
fitness level and the amount of training you have been doing, you'll
want do some pace work on Monday and Wednesday or just on Tuesday. I
typically like to do 5-8x400 meter and 3-4x800 meter laps at the track
with 2-3 minutes of rest in between on Monday so I can make sure I'm
getting those exact times. Be sure to focus on what your race pace
feels like in your legs, in your breathing, in your arm swing. You want
to focus on that fluid body motion and replicate it 3 times this
Friday/Saturday. Then, on Wednesday, I like to do a couple 400 and 200
meter strides just to feel that pace, again with 2-3 minutes of rest in
between. If you don't feel up to two workouts this week, just do one on
Monday or Tuesday. And, obviously, tailor the workout to suit your pace
and needs.
Lastly, overall rest in your
daily life is extremely important! Make sure you get the maximum amount
of sleep possible this week. Make sure you don't run around too much at
work. Make sure you eat healthy so that your body isn't stressing to
digest food. And make sure you stretch, primarily your legs, thoroughly
each day. Race day is coming, people, let's prepare!
Who Are The Favorites? -- Quick Hits From The Rumor Mill. Posted August 19, 2006 As
the Hood to Coast chatter starts to pick up in the final weeks leading
up to the event, conjecture runs rampant. Heading into the 25th running
of the biggest relay in the world there are some teams looking to make
a big impression and stake their claim in the sand at Seaside. How
legit are their claims? That remains to be seen, but on paper there
appear to be some impressive rosters.
Most
notable are the Gleukos Fast Fuelers, a team from the Palo Alto area
comprised of runners on the Farm Team. Coach by the legendary Frank
Gagliano and featuring 2004 Olympian Jonathon Riley, this team is
taking aim at the course record of 15:44 which is around a 4:48 mile
pace. As we stated earlier in our first blog posting, the chance of
this actually happening is slim to none, but if they come even remotely
close the rest of the race will surely be for second place. The
Bowerman International team returns this year after a runner up finish
in 2005 and have beefed up their roster with Mike Donnelly, a full time
Nike employee who placed 3rd in the 10k at the 2004 Olympic Trials.
Another team to keep an eye on are the much-improved and ever-popular
Synthesis of Beer and Insanity team captained by Chris Johnson of
Siuslaw HS. Also, after a 4th place finish last year the Rabid Dogs of
Marina, Ca have apparently put together a tough squad.
One Week Until Hood to Coast. -- Tips For Tapering Properly. Posted August 17, 2006 With
just a week to go until the Hood to Coast kicks off hopefully you are
feeling confident about your training. If you have remained as
consistent as possible up to this point then you are probably as
prepared as you are going to be. The most important piece of your
training in the final week is to be sure you are rested and ready to go
at the starting line. This phase of training is called "tapering" and
the goal is for the runner to be fully recovered from previous workouts
while simultaneously being completely rested for the race ahead.
Doing
the right kind of taper is an art unto itself since the final touches
to any training program come during this phase. Here are some tips to
getting the most out all the hard work you have done. * Cut back on the distance and intensity of your training runs during
prior to the race, eliminating intense efforts. You may want to take a
couple days off to ensure that you are fully rested. * Listen to your body. There are no workouts the week prior to HTC that
will enhance your preparedness for the race. An important rule of thumb
is that "less is best", particularly if you are feeling either
physically or mentally tired or your legs are fatigued. * Keep stretching as much as possible throughout the week. After you
run, lay on your back and elevate your legs against a wall to flush the
lactic acid from your muscles. * Consider getting a leg massage a few days before the run. * Clip long toenails and treat blisters ahead of time so that you don't
encounter any issues during the event.
Footwear 101. -- Proper Shoes For The HTC. Posted August 14, 2006 n an event as rigorous as this relay there are enough obstacles to
overcome along the way, having an additional battle due to improper
footwear makes it nearly impossible. With Hood to Coast less than two
weeks away, you should already have your favorite pair of running shoes
ready to go. If not, there may still hope. Here is some basic
information to help find the right shoe for you.
To begin with, each person has there own specific needs--there is no
single "best shoe" for everyone. The first step in finding a good shoe
for you is to identify those needs based on the shape of your foot and
the biomechanics of your gait. One way to do this is to conduct a "wet
test" on your foot. This will give you an indication as to what type of
arch you have and in turn which category of footwear would be best
suited for you.
The first of these
categories is a neutral foot strike. This means that you have a normal
arch that causes your foott to land on the outside of the heel and roll
inward to absorb shock. This is typically the trademark of a relatively
efficient runner that does not need the benefits of a motion control
shoe. A moderate stability or neutral shoe should suffice.
The
next type of runner has a flat arch which is indicated by a gait that
strikes on the outsole of the heel and pronates inward rapidly
resulting in a toe off on the extreme inside of the foot. Over an
extended period of time this can cause a variety of issues and
injuries. When choosing a pair of shoes you will need to look for
something with a firmer midsole and dual density material on the
lateral side to reduce the degree of pronation.
Finally,
if you have a high, rigid arch then you will need a cushioned shoe to
assist with shock absorption. The shoe should be flexible and allow for
natural motion of the foot to maintain optimal propulsion.
Once
you narrow it down to the type of shoe that you need it is important to
take a variety of other factors into consideration--past injuries,
terrain, leg length differences, mileage, etc....if you are unsure
about how any of these affect you another alternative to the wet test
would be to go into a local running specialty shop and get custom
fitted. Locally, Portland Running Company is a great option that has
been providing this service for years. Their staff can analyze your
gait and make a recommendation based upon a quick diagnostic run at
their store. Remember though, at the end of the day it is you who has
to run in the shoes--make sure they have a natural, comfortable fit on
your foot.
Some final pieces of advice: * Run in shoes that have approximately a thumb nails width between the
end of your toe and the end of your shoe. * Bring an extra pair of shoes to HTC as a backup. * Try to avoid running in a new pair at the race, preferably have some with a few miles on them. * If you feel that you need a new pair at this point, try taking the
insoles out of your old shoes and placing them in the new ones to
simulate a "broken in" feel. * Wear good socks and be sure to have body
glide or some type of blister protection on hand.
Watch Those Exchange Zones! -- The Logistics of Hood to Coast. Posted August 9, 2006 Each year as the Hood to Coast approaches, teams plan on having fun and
giving it their all. If their efforts fall short of victory because
another team was faster, then so be it--congratulations are in order.
But the worst thing that can happen is to lose time due to logistics
such as vehicle failure, getting slowed up in traffic, or missing an
exchange between runners. The latter can occur because of lost van
drivers, poor communication, lack of sleep, or tricky cell phone
coverage.
Last
year going into the third van exchange we had a slight lead over Nike's
Bowerman team when disaster nearly struck: most of the people at the
Columbia County Fairgrounds, the sleeping area at zone 18, were awoken
with the screams of "Where's Destry???" As our "self proclaimed"
captain had just raced to the finish of his second leg, he found no one
to continue the trip to the next checkpoint. Due to a combination of
trying to get some sleep, limited cell phone coverage, and a parking
spot located a quarter mile away from the exchange zone, our next
runner was changing into his racing shoes far out of earshot. Here are a few tips for Hood to Coast teams to avoid confusion at the van exchange zones:
* Walkie Talkies can come in handy in places where there is no cell coverage * Give a call to the other van to give ample warning as to when you will likely arrive * Have someone with the runner who is running the first leg of your
group (legs 7, 13, 19, etc) to grab their warm up clothes if your team
arrives sooner than expected * Warm up with the exchange zone in sight * If possible, make sure each van has someone who is familiar with the
area. (Last year, our vans were split 6 Oregon runners and 6 Washington
runners, and somehow all 6 Washington runners ended up in the same van.
Of course, the Washington van then missed a key bridge going into
Portland). After a few tense minutes Destry eventually sprinted his way back to
the exchange zone and we were able to recover . Once the dust settled
we were able to laugh it off and chalk it up to a lesson learned.
Hopefully you can do the same and avoid any costly mishaps on the roads!
Can You Imagine? -- A brief history of Team XO Posted August 7, 2006 Founded in 2003, Team XO is a track club that was started by dreamers,
specifically for dreamers. Much like the meager beginnings of the NCIC
All-Stars, what began with a box of tee shirts and an inspired vision
has evolved into a mission. The two teams have combined resources this
year to make the best roster possible. With a 4th HTC title on the
line, can you imagine?
Team
XO was founded and created by former University of Oregon Track
Athletes. We are based out of Eugene, Oregon, home of historic Hayward
Field and Track Town USA. The team is comprised of primarily post
collegiate athletes that train in the state of Oregon or graduated from
the University of Oregon. Team XO has been created for elite post
collegiate Track & Field / Cross Country athletes looking to
continue their athletic career, while competing at the highest possible
level. Although creation remains in the early stages, the vision is
clear. We look to provide a home and unified team atmosphere where
driven, elite athletes can work together to achieve success both
individually and as a team. We are always looking to expand our team
with even more talented athletes that share the same drive and passion
that it takes to excel at the highest level. In doing this, we look to
become the premier Track & Field Team in the Nation.
Off the track, field and trail, we try and extend our vision of the way
we feel our sport should be. We host an elite team high school track
meet at Hayward Field called the XO Invite, direct and coach a fun low
cost athletic kid's camp called the XO Athletic Camp, and volunteer
hundreds of hours a year in our community. Team XO Highlights:: :: One of the most dominant post-collegiate track and field organization in the Nation. :: Coordinates Over 60 Elite Athletes and Counting. :: Brought 8 Olympic Trials Qualifiers to Sacramento (How many to Eugene?). :: Partnered with the NCIC Allstars to help the team win its 3rd
consecutive Hood to coast relay! :: Produced our first video - if you
haven't seen it you should! - Its on the website- :: Coached the Lane Distance Project Training group which propelled
Lane Community College's Cross Country team to it's first National
Championship in 17 years! :: Received Over 300,000 hits on our five websites ( teamxo.com ). :: Won over 20 road races while participating in 40 all over the Nation in 2005 :: Hosts a high school meet with over 1000 athletes and 4000+ in attendance (XO Invite at Hayward Field). :: Directs a complete men's and women's cross country and track and field team. :: Administers a high caliber, low cost youth athletic camp every summer (XO Athletic Camp). :: Gives hundreds of volunteer hours a year to the athletic community.
Eating Properly For The Hood to Coast. -- Tips For Healthy Eating. Posted August 5, 2006 Preparing for the Hood to Coast often involves exercising to a degree
that your body may not be used to. Therefore, eating properly has more
to do with your Hood to Coast training and performance than you might
think. A correct balance of food will not only keep you from tiring as
quickly, or "running out of gas", but also aid in recovery after the
relay. Nutrition is only one piece of your preparation, but an
important one that should not be overlooked.
One
essential tip is to eat fresh foods. Fresh meats, vegetables, and
fruits have the ingredients the body needs to perform at its best. In
addition, due to the amount of calories the body is burning, protein
bars are a great supplemental source of energy. A strategy the helps
keep the body running at its best is to eat steadily throughout the
day. This is especially important when you start upping your training
for the Hood to Coast. Be sure to take in a solid breakfast, it does
not have to be large, but get your body some fuel to burn. In addition
have a mid morning snack of fresh fruit or vegetables. When you eat you
should not be starving, feed your body consistently. I tend not to get
too worked up on watching the number of calories as a set number,
because it varies with every individual, but figure out for yourself
what feels right. Meals should not make you feel heavy, but satisfied.
The
idea of carbo-loading before the race is something that many people see
as important. In all reality eating a large "high carbohydrate" meal
such as spaghetti the night before does not really give you all the
energy that you will need to make it through the race. Consistently
eating properly as you train leading up to the event is will cause your
body to store up energy naturally. When you begin to taper your
training in final preparation for the race your body will build up a
reserve due to less energy being used than your regular training
regiment. If you are eating consistently and just back off the training
a little you will have the needed energy naturally. Instead of
overeating the night before the event, continue to eat a balanced meal
that your body is used to. Also, if you happen to have a late start
time on the day of the race be sure to eat a meal of substance around
noon so that you will have some fuel that night.
A few simple tips to help you stay on track: * Shop on the outside edge of the grocery store. This is where you will
find fresh foods. Things that need to be refrigerated are good for you,
because they are not as processed * Eat a variety of foods and eat consistently, but in moderate quantities throughout the day. * Drink plenty of water. Coffee, soda, and even sports drinks should be drank in moderation. * Make sure and eat breakfast, it will start your day off right. * Avoid over-eating at one time, only eat until you are content. Sample daily menu: Breakfast: 1-2 eggs either scrambled or hardboiled, a piece of whole
grain toast or a bagel, some yogurt and fruit. Mid morning snack: Fresh fruit or vegetable Lunch: Tuna/ Chicken salad Mid afternoon: Protein bar and Fruit Dinner: Chicken or Beef fresh steamed vegetables, whole grain breads. A
pasta dish with either a meat or vegetable sauce is another
alternative. Dessert: If you have followed your routine consistently throughout the
day, feel free to indulge a little bit.
Reflections on DIII Athletics. -- A few added thoughts... Posted August 1, 2006 On the heels of a week that announced the failed drug tests of Floyd
Landis and Justin Gatlin I reflected on how fortunate we were to have
competed collegiately at the DIII level. This may sound like a strange
statement as most athletes dream of being stars at powerhouse DI
schools, but I think in this era of athletics there is more truth to it
than ever before. Sports are surrounded by so much controversy and
distraction that it becomes easy to forget why we are out there in the
first placee. This is prevalent on a daily basis as headlines are
filled with stories about shady recruiting practices, legal issues,
performance enhancing drugs, gambling violations, athlete kickbacks,
team scandals and coverups. These issues threaten to taint the games
and sports that we have grown to love.
But
not at the DIII level. Sometimes we competed in front of 2000 fans,
sometimes only 200, but the passion was always the same. We didn't
practice everyday because our scholarship depended on it, we practiced
everyday because we loved our sport and we took pride in what we did.
We gave it our all on race day because our teammates and coaches were
depending on us, not because our potential contract was depending on
it. After college we didn't go on to sign endorsement deals, but we did
go on to sign grad school applications and job acceptance letters.
Looking back, we participated in something quite rare--one of the few
truly pure forms of sports that is left, and personally I'm very proud
of that. This spirit has always been at the heart of our team.
A brief history of the NCIC All-Stars. Posted July 28, 2006 The NCIC All-Stars, running this year as the Team XO All-Stars (more on
this later) first participated at the Hood to Coast back in 2000, but
the history of our team extends beyond that. Comprised primarily of
runners who ran collegiately in the NCIC (Northwest Conference of
Independent Colleges) the members of this team competed with and
against eachother at small DIII schools in Oregon and Washington (some
of us even ran together in high school). Through the course of those
years friendships were created and after graduating we decided that it
would be fun to put a HTC team together.
Our
first year was an eye-opening experience to say the least. Most of our
roster was finalized in the final week before the event, and we ended
up a man short which meant 3 guys had to run an extra leg. Our
transportation consisted of a late-70's model Suburban and a borrowed
mini-van, both of which looked like they were ready to give out at any
moment. Our team attire consisted of a hodge-podge of old singlets,
road race tees, and shoes with more miles on them then the vehicles we
were riding in. Very few of us knew the course or how to approach the
prospect of running 3 times in 24 hours. After the race we took in the
evening festivities at the beach but had to pile back in the vans and
drive back to Portland that night as we had nowhere to stay in Seaside.
When it was all said and done, we had struggled to a modest 8th place
finish. Most of us could barely walk the next day.
Still,
we were hooked. It had become the highlight of the summer, group emails
would start in June and the excitement would build until the weekend of
the event. Everybody looked forward to it. However, not much changed
over the next couple years--guys still had to run extra legs, we rode
in horrendous vans, achieved mediocre results, and continued to make
the late night trip back to Portland afterwards. Then, in 2003, a
member of our team was purchasing shoes at a local running shop, PSA
Wilsonville, and began talking with the owner about the team. The owner
(Bill Carly, a local runner himself) took interest and offered to help
us out with some uniforms, shoes, and supplies. It was only a couple
months before the event, but he worked hard to secure whatever he could
for us. For the first time, we actually looked like a team. And when
the race started, for the first time since the group of rag-tag runners
got together, we actually FELT like a team.
With
most of Hood to Coast being run through the night it is easy to lose
track of your competition and maintain a grasp on exactly what place
your team is in, but we knew we were running better than we ever had.
As we approached Seaside our estimation was that we near the top 5, and
if we were lucky maybe somewhere around 3rd place. As we waited on the
beach together for our final runner to come in the announcement was
made that the first elite teams were about to finish. As we
collectively leaned in to get a look at the winning team our guy
rounded the final corner, and to our surprise, our name was called!
Bewildered, we all stood there for a second and stared at eachother in
dismay before joining the anchor leg and crossing the line together in
jubilation. We had somehow won the Hood to Coast.
Admittedly,
our time that year was one of the slower winning times in race history,
but we have since bested it by over an hour and hope to continue
improving. The competition has also improved though, with one team even
flying in an Olympic Gold Medalist! However, we have been fortunate to
win the past 3 years with solid team efforts that have involved all 12
individuals giving their all. Most of the members of the NCIC All-Stars
joined Team XO after college, a track club based in Eugene, Or. This
years team is comprised of primarily the same runners as years past,
but with those close ties to Team XO (it was founded by a member of the
2003 team) and with the NCIC no longer being in existence (it is now
the Northwest Conference), this year we have joined that club to create
the Team XO All-Stars. Our goals continue to remain the same however;
run hard and most importantly--have fun!
A brief history of the Hood to Coast Relay. Posted July 26, 2006 Each year during the final weekend in August, runners from all over the
globe travel to our fair city and pack themselves like sardines into a
van that quite literally smells like the aforementioned marine life to
embark on a 198 mile jaunt all through the night. Over hill and dale
with little or no sleep, it is a journey that begins with friends,
co-workers, co-cancer survivors, family members, or in some cases
complete strangers--but over the course of 24 arduous hours lifetime
bonds are forged. These bonds are shared on a level that each person
who has participated in the event understands is very unique--12 people
who may have had very little in common at the start, but share a
tremendous sense of accomplishment at the finish line. In short, if The
Breakfast Club were to meet Chariots of Fire, it would be the Hood to
Coast.
Odds
are that if you live in Oregon you have probably known someone in your
social network that has participated in Hood to Coast. Or perhaps you
have tried to drive through downtown Portland and wondered why streams
of runners were plodding along Front Street with flashlights and
reflective vests in tow. It is truly an event that captures peoples
attention one way or another. Now in its 25th year, this is a quick
look at some of the history and memorable performances involved with
the race.
To understand the Hood to Coast
relay, it is imperative to know a little about its founder--Bob Foote.
An avid runner himself, Foote was a member of the fabled Oregon Track
Club and participated in marathons and ultra-marathons for years.
Needing a new challenge, Foote applied his detail-oriented nature (he
was an architect by trade) with an impressive sense of vision to create
the Hood to Coast, which on August 7th, 1982 made its maiden voyage
from Timberline Lodge on Mount Hood to Pacific City on the Oregon
Coast. There were 8 teams with 10 members, primarily composed of
Foote's friends, and exchange zones were every 5 miles. The event grew
from there and eventually the finish had to be moved to Seaside in 1989
to accommodate the increasing numbers, and ultimately a 1000 team cap
was imposed in 1999. At 12 people per team, that is more participants
than the Olympics and the World Cup combined, unleashed on the
highways, byways, and backroads of NW Oregon.
An
endeavor of this magnitude involves a great deal of support. The title
sponsor for the past couple years has been Fred Meyer. Nationwide
Insurance, which was formerly the title sponsor, is still involved on a
gold sponsorship level, as well as McCormick and Schmicks, Henry
Weinhards, Nike, The American Cancer Society, and Kink FM. Also, each
team is responsible for providing 2 volunteers.
During
the course of the 25 years there have been some memorable performances
and impressive teams. The super-human course record of 15:44:55, set in
1995 by Nike Mambu Baddu, was organized by Alberto Salazar to cover the
course (which has subsequently changed and is slightly longer now) in a
blistering sub-5 minute per mile pace. You can liken this to the Wilt
Chamberlain 100-point game of relay race records--it will very likely
never be touched. Mambu Baddu won multiple HTC titles, as have other
teams such as the Bucknell Alumni, the Killer Bees, the Atlanta Track
Club, and most recently the NCIC All-Stars (the team writing this
blog). Some of the other division winners last year were Baba Yaga in
the Women's Open, Team Endorphiends and Tahoe Trail Babes in the Open
Masters, Bowerman International and Nike Team Pixies in the Corporate
Open, and Santini Popeyes and Olive Oils in the Mixed Corporate. It
should also be noted that ultra-marathoner Cindie McKenna has routinely
run the ENTIRE race SOLO, which is an impressive accomplishment by any
standard.
This blog is designed to provide
information on the race as well as any tips or advice that might help
anyone that is participating. We hope to cover everything from the
background of our team to training and diet tips or which shoes to
wear. Feel free to make suggestions or ask questions if you have any
topics of interest and we will gladly cover them. Until then, happy
running!
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