United Relay of America 5k

Hello!

I’ve talked a little bit about this race in my posts this week, so I’m excited to finally talk more about this with all of you. The United Relay of America is unlike any race I’ve ever heard of before. It’s a triple-route coast-to-coast non stop running relay. For the first time in history, three unbroken chains of runners will relay nearly 12,000 miles across the United States.

I participated in the first stop on the red route which was a group stage that took place in Seward Park on Wednesday evening. I met up some of my Sweat Pink sisters from the area and some that traveled here from Portland to start off the race with a bang!

We got the chance to see the actual torch that those running the relay portions of the race would be carrying during their leg of the race. We even had the chance to run with it ourselves! The relay will head through 33 states spanning from the West to East coast. The three routes kick off from Seattle, San Francisco, and Los Angeles. All three legs will span just over five weeks in time, ending with a big celebration on June 4th in New York City’s Prospect Park.

There are over 1,210 stages in total and there’s still time to participate if you’re interested! Check out their website for more information!

The United Relay of America aims to inspire, empower, connect and unite people for a better world. Funds raised help support local children’s hospitals, as well as other charities to provide youth education, improve healthcare, fight hunger, end gender discrimination and provide a safe home for orphans. What’s extra special is that 100% of the event’s proceeds go directly to the causes. (I ran in support of Seattle Children’s Hospital. Click here to make a donation.)

One thing that I really like about this race is their dedication to keeping all racers safe out on the race course. Since legs of this race will take place during all hours and conditions, being aware of your surroundings is a must. We all used our headphones from Aftershokz so we can enjoy our music on our run while still being able to hear the noise of what’s going on around us. There’s a lot of noise that our headphones can drown out on our runs that can put us at risk. Think about it… cars, people, dogs… lots of things we should be looking out for on long runs alone on an open course.

Now those of you that have been reading for awhile know what I have been struggling to get back into running after this happened. I’m happy to report that with the help of this lady, I made it through my first 5k back successfully and pain free! We took a couple of short walk breaks but talked non stop the whole way. I definitely need to do more running with friends! It makes the time fly!

[Photo with Jamie King from Fit Approach.]

I’m beyond happy to get back out there again and can’t wait to what I am capable of when I am fully healthy and able to break new ground with my training. I’ve already got my eye on a couple more upcoming races and am planning a running trip with a good friend that I am beyond stoked about! More on that later…

[From L to R: Carleeh, Sarah, Kusum and me!]

Questions of the Day:

Have you ever had a running coach? Any suggestions of good ones in the Seattle area or virtual?

What is the next race on your calendar?

What are your favorite running shoes?