Free Therapy: Cascade Lakes Relay 2018 Just Us League

by Jodi

The first weekend of August 2018 I ran in my fifth consecutive Cascade Lakes Relay (CLR): 216.6 miles from Diamond Lake to Bend through some of the most beautiful parts of Central Oregon.  I love the rugged beauty of the course.  I embrace the challenge of surviving the harsh elements.  The temperature swings from extreme heat to very cold desert nights.  The mosquitos and bees can be super annoying.  Much of this race is run on single track trails and gravel roads, without support from your van.   And all of the course is at elevation - a race factor that is hard to train for when you live at sea level.  It's grueling and magnificent and altogether amazing.  Every.single.time.

This year I ran with the Just Us League - an all women team that my training partner captains.  We wear red capes the entire race that signify our camaraderie and our love for the race.  I ran Leg 3 (with one leg change in the middle) for a total of 23 miles, 17 of it on trails or gravel.  I loved every mile, even the hard ones when I struggled with my breath control.

Van 1 Ladies 

Van 2 Ladies

We arrived at Diamond Lake the night before the race and checked into our cabins.  As our van settled in for the night we discovered a common theme.  Each of us had walked through personal tragedy, sorrow, or suffering in the months leading up to the race. Our training had been one of mental strength... choosing joy each day in the face of suffocating sorrow.  Our legs and lungs weren't as prepared as we normally are for the race, but our minds were strong.

This year, CLR was free therapy.  Each woman in our van needed encouragement.  Friendship.  A place to be raw.  Grace to run slow and use our time in creation to breathe in. Breathe out.  We needed each other.

She-Wolf Costume Leg.  OH MY GOODNESS! #amazing

Ran into some of my Hood to Coast teammates.  

We cried together. Prayed together.  Laughed together. Cheered each other on.  Danced on the side of the road at all hours of the day and night.  One of our teammates even put her shoes back on and ran with a teammate who was suffering from a broken toe for the last two miles of her leg.  We needed each other.

I like this random photo...

I got my special Five Year shirt.

My friends who don't run, think I'm crazy to run every day.  But honestly... this is why I run.  You can't put a price tag on friendships that are forged in the fire of sweat, tears, and shoulder-to-shoulder of running together.  Some of us started our weekend as strangers, but we all left as friends.  Thank you Jesus for knowing just exactly what we need.  And thank you Cascade Lakes Relay for putting on this race.  I look forward to it every single year.

Oh.. forgot to mention we finished 216.6 miles in 30 hours, 25 minutes and 21 seconds, for an 8:26 average pace.  We won our division and got 32nd place overall. Well done ladies.

podium picture

#whyirun #runeveryday #runstreak

And just for my reference because I sometimes come back here to look up stats.  I ran Leg 3 (for legs 1 and 3.  Leg 2 for the 2nd portion).

Leg 1: 7.8 miles - 7:32 pace (some downhill and the rest flat. Four+ miles of dirt trail; the rest pavement)
Leg 2: 8.9 miles - 8:15 pace (climbing in the first three miles, the rest rolling.  All gravel)
Leg 3: 6.05 miles - 8:51 pace (all uphill on pavement.  Breathing was really difficult.  Had to slow down to catch a breath and be able to finish)