Hood to Coast 2011 Results Finally Up!

Yeah, it took a while, but all the results are finally posted.

Check them out right here at the source.


That is a really tall guy in that photo...

Serious Crowding at Hood to Coast

The Hood to Coast Relay expanded by 250 extra teams this year. That's 3000 extra runners on the course! And 500 extra vans!

Now, you would think that someone would have thought to think, "Hmmm, maybe this could cause some congestion problems..."

You think?

Oh boy, here comes the pain:

First, the Oregonian talks about the main issue: too many runners. I give HTC spokesperson Jude Hubber credit here; he seems to realize they made a mistake. And it sounds like they're going to drop the number of teams back down next year.

The Oregonian Running Bloggers get into the discussion here and here and here. They make some good points, but man, the reader comments are just brutal at times.

Hey, let's face it, the HTC seems to have overstepped the team limit, that's clear. But enough with the "they're just in it for the money!" crap. A race like this is hugely expensive to run and find me another race that donates $500,000 to their charity. Go ahead, find one.

There isn't another one. HTC gives a lot of money to a good cause. People need to hold that up in front. It's a touch more important than the "all those HTC runners are so entitled and rude" comments.

Let's hope Hood to Coast shrinks it up a bit next year and we get a more positive light shining on the running community once again.

Hood to Coast 2011 Results

Made you look!

Yeah, they take forever to post the results over at the official Hood to Coast site, but there is a decent article over at the Oregonian.

I can tell you that the hometown Bowerman Athletic Club team won the HTC...and then didn't win...because they received a time penalty for missing an exchange and having the same runner run two consecutive legs. Man, that's a big mistake right there - how's that happen?

So anyway, the Knoxville Track Club, which finished a mere 21 seconds behind anyway, takes the official victory.

There you have it.

Woodstock on Wheels!

Yeah, I wish I had come up with that line, but no, it was a Hood to Coast Relay spokesperson, Jude Hubber. Which leads me to...

A new article is out! That's right - new ink, hot off the presses!

So the August/September issue of RaceCenter is now on the newsstands. Grab one before they're gone. As I've mentioned, I've got a little article in there about the Hood to Coast Relay: 30 years old this year! Wow. And I still have not done it. I need to get on that.

Check out the article in digital format here.

This is also the 2011 Women's Issue with all sorts of women-like stuff to read...and inspire...if you're a woman...I guess. What do I know? Just read it.

And it's got Kara on the cover, so that's all good.

Hood to Coast Relay Bingo!

I know, I know, I don't usually talk much about the various relay races in the NW. But it's not because I don't like them - I think they're amazingly fun. If you want to make a few new friends, ride around with five other sweaty people in a van for 24 hours straight. Trust me, you'll be friends by the end.

Anyhoo, the reason I don't talk about relays much is because relays are events that take long, careful planning. They take organization and leadership. They take teamwork and foresight.

And let's face it - that just ain't what the R's is all about.

But if you're doing Hood to Coast later this month, try out this very sweet Hood to Coast Van Bingo game from Widmer Brothers! That's good, clean fun.

Have fun out there, HTC'ers!