Hood to Coast, the largest road running and walking relay race of its kind in the country, according to organizers, takes to the roads, highways, and streets beginning early Friday morning, Aug. 22, at Timberline Lodge.
The relay features thousands of runners and walkers from as many as 40 countries and 50 states, as well more than 3,000 volunteers along the route from Mount Hood to Seaside and continues all hours through Saturday evening, Aug. 23.
Officials urge drivers to travel cautiously, as the relay puts runners on the roads at all hours. The nearly 200-mile route sometimes puts participants near busy auto travel lanes, especially:
- U.S. 26 from Government Camp to Sandy
- OR 212 from U.S. 26 to Boring
- U.S. 30 from St. Johns to St. Helens
- OR 47 along the Nehalem River
- OR 202 (Nehalem Highway)
- Short sections of U.S. 101 near Seaside
The relay continues through the night, so even in the wee hours drivers may encounter delays along area roads, especially near exchange points where teams swap out runners – in a parade of vans and large SUVs – for the next leg.
The event website has a detailed, interactive, route maps that show both specific roads used as well as checkpoints and exchange points. This can be helpful for drivers who wish to avoid delays and for those who want to cheer on the runners.
Last year, Hood to Coast runners got rained on. They’ll LONG for that weather as western Oregon will be under an extreme heat watch this year with temperatures reaching 100 degrees Friday, and the upper 90s Saturday. Temps at the coast should be cooler, but even the overnight runners will have to contend with temps in the high 60s or low 70s, especially in urban areas.
For more information on the relay, check the website: hoodtocoastrelay.com.
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