Hood to Coast Relay underway
PORTLAND, Ore. – Thousands of runners are racing from Mount Hood to the Oregon coast Friday in the world’s largest relay race.
The 31st annual Hood to Coast Relay started Friday morning at Timberline Lodge on Mount Hood. 1,050 teams of 12 will run 199 miles, making their way down the mountain to Portland, then to the finish line in Seaside, Ore.
Friday, teams will exchange runners in Portland on the Eastbank Esplanade, south of the Hawthorne Bridge.
- Are you running or volunteering at Hood to Coast? Tweet your photos to @KATUNews
The event’s two other relays also begin Friday. 400 walking teams will take part in the Portland to Coast Walk Relay and 50 high school teams will run the Portland to Coast High School Challenge Relay.
Both races begin under the east side of the Hawthorne Bridge.
The Oregon Department of Transportation issued a traffic advisory for the following areas that will be affected by relay runners and walkers:
• Highway 26 (Mt. Hood to Gresham): from Friday, Aug. 24, at 4:30 a.m. to 11:45 p.m.
• Highway 30 (Portland to St. Helens): from Friday, Aug. 24, at 5:15 a.m. to Saturday, Aug. 25, at 8:40 a.m.
• Highway 47: from Friday, Aug. 24, at 4:00 p.m. to Saturday, Aug. 25, at 12:30 p.m.
• Highway 202: from Friday, Aug. 24, at 4:00 p.m. to Saturday, Aug. 25, at 8:30 p.m.
• Young's River Loop: from Saturday, Aug. 25, at 2:00 a.m. to 4:45 p.m.
• Lewis & Clark Road: from Saturday, Aug. 25, at 4:30 a.m. to 8:15 p.m.
• Highway 101 (Seaside area): from Saturday, Aug. 25, at 4:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m.
The Hood to Coast began in 1982 with eight teams. 17,500 people will run or walk in this year’s relays. All 50 U.S. states will be represented, along with 36 countries.
In 2011, the event raised over $517,000 for the American Cancer Society. 436 cancer survivors are running or walking in this year’s relays.
Read more: Organ donors, recipients raising awareness at Hood to Coast
Online: Official Hood to Coast website
Just don't run faster than 20 mph through Portland or you could be cited for speeding! LOL
Time for the annual "dump" in soneone's front yard along the route! Are we having fun yet?
Up here on Mt. Hood we keep hoping and praying they will relocate this to the highway between Bend and Burns
where they won't disrupt thousands of people lives and they can RUN till their hearts collapse!!!
@FLATFOOT2810Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Oh, pull yourself together, it's a celebration and it's only a couple of days out of the year. You can handle it.Â
I miss the days before two Meniscus surgeries killed my streak of 6 hood to coast relays in a row:(
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how intelligent. let's see if we can turn an already dangerous highway into a "sidewalk"/high-speed-thoroughfare for a day, when traffic is already heavy due to friday/weekend traffic and commuters. that's safe.
arnold  .....sill in stupid world....go back to your bong...brainless
@arnold You're not from around here are you?
can anyone tell be if, "gimpy" from DOC is running this year?Â
Please do us a favor and avoid Longview at all costs this weekend. We have enough crap going on with a stupid Squirrel Festival, a dumb bike race, and a retarded car cruise. We don't need Hood to Coast support vans to add to the mess.
 @JLO You sure are a barrel of fun.
Don't forget the Meth Festival...oh...right....that is everyday in Longview.
On the one hand, you're in luck -- Longview is far enough away from any portion of the race that all the "supporters" of the Hood-to-Coast Relay will be far away.
On the other hand, "Hey, everyone! Â Longview is gonna be a happenin' place this weekend! Â Let's all go there!"
LOL
Be safe, runners and walkers! And, drivers along the way? SLOW DOWN! Take your time and may everyone get safely to where they're going.
 @Gravity Works! I'll drive my normal speed, which is as fast as traffic will allow without exceeding the posted limit. Runners and walkers, stay out of my way. Van drivers, you are not the only people in the universe. Others have things to do, so move it. Why can't this giant pain in the ass start 24 hours later and not coincide with a Summer Friday commute time?Â
 @I_Miss Because, believe it or not, the entire world actually DOESN'T revolve around you. Shocking I know.
Have fun runners and walkers. I have done three HTC's. Longest 24-36 hours of my life. Looks like the weather will be great. Be safe out there.
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