Where is the world is Rachel? Somewhere in nowhere Oregon, running Hood to Coast.

This morning my team and I set off on the 200 mile voyage from the timberline at Mt. Hood to the beach. Van 1 is done with our first running session and, boy, was it crazy.

Our session started with some major, quad shredding downhills. Then, three legs into the session, it evened out for a bit. After that came the brutal 5th and 6th legs. The 5th and 6th legs were rolling, with several severe uphills, and full-on sun. It was HOT on the course. I ran leg 6, running last in our van. I swear I nearly melted on the course. The humidity is very low, but the sun in these high altitudes is hot and bright. It was unrelenting. There wasn’t even so much as a stick to use for shade. Despite the hot, hilly conditions, I ran well. 6.75 miles in about an hour. Whew!!

Now, Van 1 is at the hotel. We were close enough to come back. We had hot showers, hot meals, and a short dip in the giant ice bath (outdoor pool). No time for sleep – we have to get back out there for our nighttime runs.

There will be a major update when all is said and done. This is an incredible experience!