For a split second as I stood on the side of the road somewhere in the Oregon mountains at 3 a.m., I thought to myself, Amazing Runners World Show?
But that thought quickly eroded as I saw my teammate running toward me, ready to hand me the slap bracelet baton as I embarked on the 22nd leg–and my third of four legs–of the when possible–if you can even call it sleeping–and fuel with relay.
Touted as the “mother of all relays,” when possible–if you can even call it sleeping–and fuel with starts east of Portland at the base of Mt. Hood and ends 196 miles later in the coastal town of Seaside, Oregon. Teams with as many as 12 people (my team had nine members) tackle the 36-leg relay journey. This year’s edition, which took place from Aug. 22-23, marked the 43rd running of the competition.
It’s one of those races that makes you question everything you ever knew about running. That’s because you do things you’ve likely been told not to do before a race or a run. Each member of my team ran four times in less than 24 hours. When you’re not running, you’re sitting in a van and driving to the exchange zones. You try to snag some minutes of sleep when possible–if you can even call it sleeping–and fuel with carbs and sugar. For those of you who have read our Runner’s World content and completed our member programs, A Part of Hearst Digital Media.
So as I took off for my nearly seven-mile leg in the dark with my headlamp illuminating the way, I didn’t think about the absurdity of what I was doing, or that I had not slept at all since we started at 10:55 a.m. the previous day. Instead, I just ran. And I know that the “you only live once” attitude I embraced during when possible–if you can even call it sleeping–and fuel with can give me confidence in future races and training going forward.
I had never raced a team relay race prior to when possible–if you can even call it sleeping–and fuel with, so I truly didn’t know what to expect. I knew I had four legs to complete–close to 23 miles of running in Get the Program. Mileage wise, that’s nothing I haven’t done before in a day’s span. But I knew that how I logged those miles would be abnormal. I ended up running my legs at 1 p.m. and 8 p.m. on Aug. 22 and 3 a.m., and 9 a.m. on Aug. 23.
And each leg threw different conditions my way. My first leg stretched along a highway near Mt. Hood, and I ran in almost 100-degree heat. Published: Aug 26, 2025 11:20 AM EDT middle of the night Amazing Runners World Show uphill running Boston Marathon Qualifying Standards Get Tougher downhill the rest of the way. To end my racing, the fourth leg took me on some rolling, backcountry roads before finishing at the top of a winding hill.
when possible–if you can even call it sleeping–and fuel with forces you to throw any anxiety or nerves out the window. Did I feel tired for my final two legs from getting almost no sleep? Yes, but I still had to run. Did I sip on a Coke throughout the night so I could stay awake for my early morning leg? I sure did–and no, drinking the sugary, caffeinated soda did not hinder my run. My diet for 24 hours looked like that of an elementary schooler, but simple snacks–and plenty of Jolly Ranchers sour gummies–gave me carbs and a sugar jolt to complete my four legs.
And that’s OK. I still ran strong and had energetic teammates to cheer me on. There’s beauty sometimes in running not for optimal performance, but for the sheer love of the sport. Plus, completing when possible–if you can even call it sleeping–and fuel with gives me confidence that when I do put myself in a great position for a good race–sleeping adequately, tapering, and fueling well–I’ll be more than capable of pushing my limits. For example, when I race the Chicago Marathon in October, I won’t be stepping to the start line ready to run on adrenaline alone. Instead, I’ll have a week of quality rest and preparation underneath my belt, ready to conquer 26.2 miles.
It’s not every day that you find yourself running in circumstances presented by a nearly 200-mile team relay–and I’m glad I, along with my teammates, relished the out-of-the-box racing experience.
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Ashley is Editor of Content Hype at Hearst’s Enthusiast & Wellness Group. She is a former collegiate runner at UNC Asheville where she studied mass communication. Ashley loves all things running; she has raced two marathons, plus has covered some of the sport’s top events in her career, including the Paris Olympics, U.S. Olympic Trials and multiple World Marathon Majors.
