What is the Portland to Coast relay?
The Providence Hood & Portland To Coast Relay is the most popular and largest running/walking relay race in the world, drawing participants from over 40 countries and all 50 states. Known as the Mother of All Relays, the event takes 8-12 member relay teams through the unique and beautiful Oregon terrain, starting from the iconic top of Mount Hood (if you’re running), or at OMSI in downtown Portland (if you’re walking), with all 1,500 teams ending at Seaside on the Pacific Ocean. This 196 mile relay (128 miles for Portland To Coast) has filled its team limit for the past 36 years and on Opening Lottery Day for 32 consecutive years!
Movers & Shakers answer your questions:
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How many people are on a team?
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We have a full roster of 12, so each team member walks two legs.
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How many miles do you walk?
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This race is a relay, so although the course is 128 miles, we will conquer it together! Each walker walks between 8-14 miles total, depending on specific legs (ranging between 4-8 miles each). Every leg varies in distance and difficulty (elevation, terrain).
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Do you have to walk in the dark?
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Yes! Surprisingly, night legs are a favorite for many runners and walkers! The relay spans 24-36 hours, so if you’re running after 6 PM and before 7 AM, you are required to wear a headlamp, reflective vest, and a front and back LED flasher as you walk along the course in the dark, from highway 30 to traversing up and down the coastal range.
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What about physical safety?
Our number one goal is for everyone to be physically safe on the course. PD is very unpredictable; medications don’t always work, and symptoms are varied, complicated, and, at times, painful. Each van has at least one medical professional on board. First aid kits are stocked to manage a bloody fall, and both vans travel with walkie-talkies to communicate with their walkers.
Most of our walkers with PD report having a successful first leg, fueled by adrenaline and fresh bodies, while experiencing a challenging second leg. Van Life, which is synonymous with sleep deprivation and uncomfortable seats, doesn’t serve their rigid, cramping bodies well.
And yet, each and every walker successfully completed their two legs with grit, determination, laughter, and good cheer.
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How do you travel when you are not walking?
Each team uses two vehicles with six walkers per vehicle. While most teams use minivans or Sprinter vans, we use 12-passenger vans to get around. We also have two specific drivers per van, so our walkers don’t have to take turns driving. Teams cleverly decorate their vans with paint, markers, signs, lights, blow-up toys, etc.
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Why do you use such big vans?
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Our 12-passenger vans will be our home for 36 hours. Our walkers who have PD need to have as much room as possible to navigate entering and exiting the van safely; to have adequate space to stretch out as much as possible to relax/stretch muscles and to relieve/ease/suffer through dystonia; to have adequate space to move around when experiencing dyskinesia; to have adequate space for everyone’s personal belongings and team supplies like medications, walking aids (canes, trekking poles, special shoes), fold up chairs, yoga mats, first aid kit, required nighttime safety gear, drinks, water, food and snacks.
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What is an exchange?
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An exchange is where a walker hands the slap bracelet to another walker. The exchanges are vibrant, exciting hubs of activity supervised by thousands of fabulous volunteers.
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Where do you sleep?
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Sleep? What’s that?! Most teams sleep in either their team van or at designated sleeping fields that are roped off at specific exchanges. However, we are grateful for our friend and supporter, Marki, for sharing her lake house in the coastal range with us every year! Parkinson’s bodies really appreciate a bed and space to spread out. Van 1 will try to sleep for a few hours on Friday afternoon, while Van 2 will hopefully catch a few zzzzzs Friday night.
Do you need volunteers?
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Yes! If at least one team member lives within a 100-mile radius of Portland, your team is required to supply three volunteers to support the race/event infrastructure. All volunteers must complete an online safety training. HTC/PTC could not put on the largest running/walking relay race in the world without the help of thousands of committed volunteers! Movers & Shakers are grateful to have such wonderful friends fill this role for us. We love and appreciate our fabulous volunteers!
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