Logistically speaking

A lightly-traveled and commercially underdeveloped forest “highway”. Then a series of winding roads on the edge of civilization illuminated by the faintest of moonlight. A busy metropolis shut down for the morning’s wee hours. Finally, an arduous climb towards a majestic peak while all the foot traffic is going the other way. This is the landscape the UltraLords have chosen to traverse just to reach the starting line of their “official” race.

There will be no schools throwing open the gymnasium doors or church groups hosting BBQs when we meander through on Thursday afternoon through Friday morning. No rows of porta-potties occupying the far-flung exchange areas. No volunteers to remind us of the turns or to caution other road users of our presence. In the calm before the storm, we may go completely unnoticed except for an ambivalent cow or horse, but better them than a perturbed, energetic and unleashed rural dog of size…

The cell phone coverage will be spotty. The pavement will undulate but for a long while will otherwise be indistinguishable from what we saw an hour before. What time is it? Where are we? Are you sure we go this way? Who’s turn to run? Can we sleep a little yet?

If you are thinking, how hard can it be, it’s just the same course run the other way, then you need to think again. Individually, we have to consider how to pace ourselves to get through 8 legs and between 40 and 50 miles; collectively, we need to know when to begin the trip so we aren’t late for the mountain “start”. As a courtesy to the tiny communities we will be visiting, locating real bathrooms is the right thing to do. Where are the points that will allow for safe handoffs and runner support?  What are the alternatives to a deserted bike path before dawn arrives and far from van access? How long, and where, can we hope to break away for a shower and a snooze? What is available if we run into a medical or vehicle issue? How do we carry out our little relay without interfering with the opposing hordes fighting for the same narrow shoulders? When can we ditch some of our laundry? Or get a cup of coffee, for criminy sakes?

Not to mention the before and after lodging, managing the charity angle, all the documentation and publicity that might occur, and all the usual Hood to Coast stuff like enticing volunteers, securing appropriate transportation, ordering team t-shirts, getting 9 busy people in 3 cities to interact in person once in a while, and a whole lot of praying that we don’t need to find an alternate at the last minute. And more. And more after that. And stuff I’ve already forgotten or haven’t yet remembered the first time.

I’ve always said that the easiest part of a relay race is the running. Never more true than this time around. But I wouldn’t have it any other way.

Steve