Paper: Columbian, The (Vancouver, WA)
Title: TRADITION BINDS HOOD TO COAST VETERANS
Date: August 24, 2000

When it came time to run his third and final leg of the 1994 Hood to Coast Relay, Keith Ketring would have paid 50 bucks to anyone willing to take his place.There were no takers. In fact, none of his teammates had the energy to leave the van and encourage the relay rookie.


So Ketring powered through, experiencing the sense of accomplishment that inspires thousands of runners to return each August for the 195-mile race from Timberline Lodge on Mount Hood to the beach at Seaside, Ore.


Ketring will participate in his seventh Hood to Coast on Friday and Saturday. It is an experience he wouldn't miss.


"It's a very unique athletic activity," Ketring said.


>From the team chemistry that builds in each van, to the competitive fire that pushes the runners over hill and dale, the Hood to Coast is a motivating event for runners of all abilities, he said.


Ketring's team of runners from Clark County  named A Big Kick in the End is among the faster local teams. Last year, it finished second among Clark County teams, reaching the beach in 22 hours, 29 minutes and 40 seconds. It finished 57th overall among the 972 Hood to Coast entries.


This year, the team isn't expected to be quite as fast according to Ketring, now in his fifth year as the captain. Six runners return from last year, but injuries and relocation forced Ketring to replace half the roster.


Ketring, Odene Turner, Branic Howard, Randy Bruner, Mike Bruner, and Alisa Wise are veterans of A Big Kick in the End. This year the goal  based on the 10-kilometer times provided by the runners  is to finish in about 22 hours and 45 minutes.


As one of the faster teams in the field, A Big Kick in the End will leave Timberline at 8 p.m. Friday. The late start time means the team can stoke its competitive fire and gauge its progress by passing teams that started earlier. Ketring said one of his most satisfying Hood to Coast experiences was catching and passing a runner he chased for the final 2 miles on the final leg of the relay several years ago.


A Big Kick in the End is one of two teams that include runners from Columbia Ultimate Systems, Inc., a Vancouver software company. Owner Larry Bair has been sponsoring and running on a Hood to Coast team since 1991.


Shaun Simpson has run for each of those teams. This year, he is the captain of Physically Bankrupt, the company's team made up of less competitive runners.


"For me, (Hood to Coast) has been a goal every year to just stay in good enough condition to run," Simpson said.


The Hood to Coast Relay sparked an interest in running Simpson said he lacked prior to the experience. It inspired him to complete two marathons, curious about the debate over how running 26.2 miles in one stretch compares with the Hood to Coast challenge.


Simpson said completing a marathon is more difficult than finishing a Hood to Coast Relay.


"But the Hood to Coast gives you a good feel for what it's like to run a marathon," he said.


Friday and Saturday, 12,000 runners will experience the Hood to Coast. Many, like Ketring and Simpson, will be renewing a tradition.


"It's a lot of fun. For some it's pretty much the one big running event of the year," Ketring said.


An event, Simpson said, that helps many enjoy the benefits of a healthy lifestyle.


"I just try to carry on the (company's) Hood to Coast tradition," Simpson said. "It helps spread the message that you can have good health and feel good through running."


HOOD TO COAST AT A GLANCE


* WHAT: A 195-mile relay from Timberline to Seaside.


* TEAMS: 1,000 teams of 12 runners.


* LEGS: 36, ranging in distance from 3.9 to 8.2 miles.


* START TIMES: 9:30 a.m. to 8:45 p.m. Friday.


* RELATED RACES: 125-mile Portland to Coast Walk and High School Challenge.