Paper: Indianapolis Star, The (IN)
Title: Words of wisdom from a veteran of the relay
Date: August 21, 2003

Lew Johnston, 63,  from Oregon City, Ore., has participated in every Hood to Coast Relay since the first one in 1981, when only eight teams of 12 runners competed.There are now 1,000 teams signed up, and another 1,000 teams are rejected every year. "I told Bob Foote (who runs the relay) that I don't think this is going to go over very big," Johnston said of the first relay. "And now look at it. He's really got a great race."


Johnston, who runs an average of 50 miles a week, makes the following suggestions for runners unfamiliar with the Hood to Coast Relay:


* "When you get into a relay, you can't stop moving. I think it's rougher than a marathon. A marathon, you keep going. Here, you stop and your legs tighten up. I always get out of the van and stretch. Most people sit in there and sleep. I'm too wound up. I stretch and get up and walk around to keep my legs loose."


* "Play it smart. If you feel like you need water, take the fluids. You have to have fluids in you. If you feel like your legs are getting in pain, kind of ease back. You can hurt yourself pretty good out there. When you finish the next day, you'll be walking like your muscles are all tight.


* "Last year it was pretty hot. A lot of runners were collapsing and you could see ambulances when you're running. If I want water, I have a van pull over somewhere and someone would run alongside me and give it to me and I'd hand it back. I drink a lot of fluids before I start."


* "Whoever runs leg 1 has to play it smart. You just have to take it easy or you can get pretty bad blisters. You have to take it pretty easy on first leg going downhill."


Any secret to Johnston's success?


"There's no secret. I've just been running for 35 years."