Now that life has finally started slowing down, I ecstatic to formally announce that I’m going to be on Team Nuun for this year’s Hood to Coast relay! I couldn’t be more thankful and honored for the opportunity to create new, real-life bonds with a group of seriously inspirational women runners. And now that I’ve done my first relay, I know exactly how epic they are. In the words of Kristen Wiig from SNL: “I’m so FREAKIN’ excited!”

If you’ve never heard of this race, Hood to Coast is a 198-mile long, 12-person relay from, get this, the top of Mt. Hood to the Pacific Ocean in Seaside… in OREGON! (I’ve been dying to go to Oregon forever now, so this fact alone makes me pretty darn happy). Not to mention it’s been dubbed the “Mother of all Relays.” Talk about the perfect setting for some Nuun-fueled scenic running and friendship forming!

Here are the official Nuun teams – I’m on Team Watermelon (heck yes!): Learn a bit more about my awesome teammates by checking out their blogs below:

Team Watermelon – 

Mallory – Run Eat Run Eat

Kara – Welcome to Karadise

Hannah – Fit Girl Happy Girl

Sarah – Run Far Girl

Catey – Random Thoughts from the Zoo

Meghan – Shoe Stories

Lisa – Run Wiki

Lindsay – Twisted Running

Devon – Dev on Running

Team Lemonade – 

Leslie – Triathlete Treats

Lisa – Lisa Runs for Cupcakes

Jolene – Journey of a Canuck Mom on the Run

Andrea – the MF Dre

Kristen – Defy Your Limitations

Kimberly – Healthy Strides

Karen – Reason to Play

Jesica – runladylike

Jenny – We Wander and Ponder

Holly – Leaps of Faith

And here’s a shapshot of what my legs will look like (I’m so ready to take on that “very hard” middle leg!). Let’s go Van #2!

Thanks again to Nuun for selecting me to your team! I really can’t express how excited I am to take part in what I’m sure will be an unforgettable weekend!

Now I’m certainly no relay expert yet, but since my first is still so fresh in my mind, here are a few tips, tricks, and FYI’s I learned at the Golden Gate Relay:

• Invest in a travel pillow! It’s pretty small and will make the unfortunately very uncomfortable van a bit more bearable when you’re attempting to sneak some sleep in between your runs.
• Also invest in your own headlamp…unless you’re into using a still-damp one from your teammates. Yuck! We’re going to get to know each other very well, but sharing sweat is a little too personal.
• Pack for any kind of weather regardless of what the forecast says. I experienced both blazing heat and freezing, gail-force winds in a 30-hour period. It was lovely.
• Bring cozy clothes and flip-flops for the time in between legs. You’ll want to shed those sweaty layers ASAP, and there’s nothing better than a dry, warm sweatshirt. Speaking of sweaty clothes, also bring a few plastic bags to dump those in post-run.
• Because showers are few and far between, a small hand towel or moist towelettes are a must.
• Eat real meals when you can, especially if you’ve got more than an hour or so before your next leg. It might not be your ideal pre-run food, but you’re body with appreciate something more than Twizzlers and crackers. That being said, also bring/buy foods that do work for you, too!
• Same rule applies for bathroom breaks. Have the chance to use a real bathroom instead of a porta-potty? Use it.
• Bring a car charger for your phone. For obvious reasons, you won’t spend much time near an actual outlet all weekend.
• Give up worrying about your appearance (or body odor for that matter) from the start. We’re hardcore women running a relay, right! =) When I finally got to shower and looked in the mirror, I realized I looked like a frazzled, sweaty mess, but I figured, eh, whatever! Made that first shower that much sweeter, though!
• Via Leslie at Triathlete Treats: When packing, pack all three sets of clothes in seperate big ziplocks and post-run just put the sweaty clothes back in the bag.
• Finally, if you’ve never run a relay and have a question about running one that I didn’t talk about above, post a question in the comments section below! Add your own tip, too, if you’d like!  

QUOTE OF THE POST: Life is either a daring adventure or nothing. – Helen Keller