Paper: Oregonian, The (Portland, OR)
Title: IT'S A LONGER WAY FROM HOOD TO COAST
Date: August 24, 1989




Bob Foote never dreamed his Hood-to-Coast Relay, which gets under way  Friday at Timberline Lodge, would grow to such proportions in eight short  years.


The race has grown from eight teams in 1982 to 700 for this year's annual run to the sea. That's 8,400 runners and 1,400 accompanying vans that will cover the 187.2-mile route through the backroads of the Cascade and Coast  range to the wet sands of Seaside.The logistics are mind-boggling, to say the least. Foote, who said he ran out of challenges after running assorted marathons and ultra-marathons, initiated The Oregonian Hood-to-Coast Relay as a new challenge for runners. He revised the race this year, moving the finish line from Pacific City in Tillamook County to Seaside 74 miles north and lengthening the course from the previous distance of 168 miles. In addition, each relay team will be  allowed 12 members, one more than last year.


The race is recognized as the largest road-running relay in North America. Moving the finish line to Seaside was greeted with open arms by the Clatsop County community.


``We're delighted with our new finish in Seaside,'' Foote said during final race preparations at midweek. ``It provides us with a larger pool of  available housing, improved access to the finish, and the Bud Lite beach party right on the sand.''


The first wave of runners is scheduled to depart Timberline's lower parking lot, at an elevation of 6,000 feet, at 2:20 p.m. Friday, with succeeding waves of 35 runners at 20-minute intervals. Elite teams, including three-time winner and defending champion Killer Bees of Portland, and top challenger, Sponsors Wanted of Seattle, are scheduled to leave the lot at 9 p.m.


>From the start, halfway up Mount Hood's southern slope, to the sea-level finish, teams will run in temperatures varying as much as 40 degrees, race officials said.


According to Foote's computer analysis, the projected winner should reach the beach off 12th Street on Seaside's North Prom around 1 p.m. Saturday. The Bees, a team of former University of Oregon runners, should complete the 36 legs in about 16 hours, 9 minutes. The legs will range from 4.1 to 6 miles. The Seattle team, composed of current and former UO runners, has a projected finish time of 16:13, Foote said.


Each team is composed of 12 runners and each team member must run three legs -- about 15 miles altogether. If a runner can't continue because of injury or fatigue, the team must finish the course with its remaining members. Competition is divided into 12 team categories, including men's, women's, masters, submasters, corporate and various other combinations.


One of the popular entries back again this year is Sweet Feat, a team fielded by the Oregon Affiliate of the American Diabetes Association. All 12 runners have diabetes and will try to demonstrate the disease is not a handicap.


Foote said the race has attracted individual runners from all over the United States who will join local teams. No complete teams from outside of the Northwest have entered.


The change in the finish from Pacific City to Seaside made necessary a shift in the race's route through Portland. Runners will cross the Willamette River on the Sellwood Bridge, then will run down Southwest Macadam Avenue to Tom McCall Waterfront Park.


The stretch from the RiverPlace Alexis Hotel to the Steel Bridge is being billed as the ``Electric Mile'' and will be sponsored by Portland General Electric. During that segment of the race, teams will be judged for best overall appearance and costume.


The course then turns north and west through Linnton to Scappoose and St. Helens, then angles through the Coast Range to Mist, Birkenfeld, Jewell and Olney before cutting over to Seaside.


A traffic advisory has been issued to alert drivers to be aware of runners  and vehicle congestion in the following areas: U.S. 26 in the Sandy area, from 6 p.m. until midnight Friday; U.S. 26 and East Powell Valley Road, from 8:30 p.m. Friday to 2:30 a.m. Saturday; Southwest Front Avenue and Tom McCall Waterfront Park, from 11 p.m. Friday until 5 a.m. Saturday; U.S. 30 and Kittridge overpass, from midnight Friday until 6 a.m. Saturday; U.S. 30 in Scappoose and St. Helens, from 2 a.m. to 9 a.m. Saturday; and Oregon 47 and 202 in Columbia and Clatsop counties, from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday.


Travel eastbound on Oregon 47 and 202 in Columbia and Clatsop counties is discouraged and travelers should anticipate congestion and delays from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday.