Hood to Coast 2011: The Good, The Bad & The Ugly

I’ve pretty much covered all the Good the Hood to Coast Relay experience had to offer. Now it’s time for the Bad and the Ugly.

During the welcome party Nuun graciously threw for the teams the night before the race, I spent my time puking in the Nuun office bathroom trying to will myself well.  As I lay on the bathroom floor of my hotel room at 3am Saturday morning, it was pretty clear I had the stomach flu. All I could wish for was a flu of the 24 hour variety.  But what I was really thinking about were the big hugs given out to my teammates before I realized I was sick.  I’m pretty sure I passed it on to about 6 other people (not counting my family at home who spent the weekend puking as well).  I’m lucky anyone on Team AfterNuun Delight or Team Nuun Platuun is still talking to me.  I’m also lucky our team vans were pre-stocked with Pepto Bismol, Saltines and all the Nuun I could drink to fight off total dehydration before the race even began.  It was pretty UGLY.

Traffic is always a bit of an issue with the Hood to Coast race, but this year, with the addition of a few hundred more teams, the traffic was RIDICULOUSLY BAD. Runners were making it to transition areas before the vans. The terrible traffic also lead to the biggest disappointment of the race: not being at the finish line when Megan, our final runner, crossed. Big Boo.

The final “Bad” thing about the relay experience? Not being able to get to know the 18 other awesome girls on the Nuun teams as well as I got to know the girls in my van.  I’ll have to keep admiring them from afar.

You can find all my Hood to Coast posts HERE.

If you’re interested in trying Nuun ( a product I used and loved way before I was on their “team”), use “afternuundelight” at check-out for 25% off (until September 30, 2011)!