Nurse on the Run

As I’m sitting here on Friday afternoon, I have a few things I could write about.  I could write about how night shift is currently kicking my butt…how much coffee I have to drink, how I can barely stay awake during morning report, how I was zonkered (it’s a real word, okay?) last night and ended up sleeping until noon today.  Or how my legs have been exhausted probably as a result of this adjustment.  But I don’t really want to complain (well, anymore than I just did), and you probably don’t want to hear it.  (I’m sure you will in the future…four months of nights!)

So what am I going to write about?  The positive things in life.  I met up with a new friend a couple weeks ago, and at some point it was said, “Are you always this positive?”  Well:

1)  I guess you caught me on a good day.
2)  What’s there not to be happy out?  I’m actually doing quite well in life. 

Why?  (I’m in a list making mood, in case you were wondering…)

1. I have a job I like.  The nights might be a little wacky, but the night staff is awesome…and I get paid more on night shift.  Just saying.
2. I can run.  A lot.  In broader terms, I’m super healthy.
3. I have awesome friends and many new friends in this wonderful city.
4. In one week, I will be living the opportunity of a lifetime.

What’s that, you say?  In one week, Team Nuun Platuun will be well on their way for running the Hood to Coast Relay in Oregon!  I feel extremely lucky to have been chosen for this amazing opportunity, and so soon I’ll be living it out…time is fly!  Let’s do a little review of what this whole thing is about:

What is Hood to Coast?

Hood to Coast is known as the “mother of all relays,” celebrating it’s 30th anniversary this year of teams of twelve runners taking on the 200 mile course from Mount Hood to the coast (Seaside) of Oregon.  If you really want a more in depth look at the relay, you can watch the Hood to Coast movie, which was awesome and inspiring!

How did I get involved?

One of my favorite bloggers, Alyssa, posted her entry for a contest being held by nuun to sponsor a team of women running bloggers to take on Hood to Coast.  I immediately started brainstorming ideas to enter the contest myself, both to see Alyssa again and to run this amazing relay!  I ended up making a video where I make a fool of myself, and apparently nuun liked it before I got picked!

What exactly is nuun?

Per nuun’s website, nuun is “an electrolyte enhanced drink tablet formulated to dissolve in water and designed to keep you optimally hydrated wherever your active lifestyle takes you.”  It has no sugar, less than eight calories, and lots of electrolytes.

In my terms, nuun is small tablets that come in an easy to carry case.  The small tablets remind me of Alka-Seltzer, as you drop them in your water and they dissolve all fizzy like.  They come in a bunch of different flavors, and the flavors are very light so you don’t get overwhelmed.  (The power of Gatorade seems a bit strong to me!)  It’s nice because if you run with a handheld, you can carry extra tabs with you and have more nuun as you refill your bottle at a water fountain.  Win.

Who am I running with?

I am on Team NUUN PLATUUN, and I will be joined by eleven other bloggers/nuun staff.  So excited!!  Meet my lovely ladies:

Major Miles… aka Tricia…firmly believes "Endurance Isn’t Only Physical". She applies that doctrine by doing the majority of her training mentally. Sure, she plans on putting in some "major miles" as part of training, but just as importantly she is preparing for Hood to Coast by dreaming about running down that mountain, talking about the upcoming relay to anyone that will listen, and focusing her energy on tracking down the perfect camo print in wicking material.

"Draft beer, not people"

Captain Cupcake …Average A who keeps the Diary of an Average Runner, has this to say:  My life has become amazing once I started believing in myself and putting my mind and spirit into my dreams. This runs the gamut in every aspect of life: from overcoming addictions; moving across the country on my own; and becoming better, stronger, and faster in my own body every single day.

I am really excited to not only have the chance to run this historic race, but I am excited to team up with so many wonderful, talented, and inspiring female bloggers — some of whom I’ve admired for years!

Our third runner is the quiet brains behind ‘Operation Hydration’, Corporal Kim …our Nuun Staffer

Captain Obvious of Seattle has a superpower-esque way of making
completely useless observations to her running buddies: “Look, there’s a
slug. Don’t want to step on that.” She has been distance running,
racing and blogging about it for two years, and recently completed her
first full marathon. Captain Obvious, who blogs at Mom vs. Marathon, would like to point out that she is a mother, as well.

Running the "Bataan" leg… Captain Underpants … aka the faster bunny whose notable accomplishments include but are not limited to having run three marathons, BQ-ed and NYC qualified.  She is incredibly good at never getting injured!  Hasn’t been injured since age 16. Additionally, she’s got a couple tech-y sounding degrees that she is proud of (Engineering and MBA). (The lack of any English classes probably explains the awful grammar in her blog). She can make some mean pancakes for breakfast and a great key lime pie. She is learning to bike so that one day she can do a triathlon. 
A lover of all things crazy and that push you to the limit, she is excited to be a member of this squad because Hood to Coast is just that. She feels that to be on a team with a ton of extremely nice and inspiring women is priceless. 

General Confusion.Lisa is a married mother of two wonderful children who blogs at Discovering the Meaning of Stonehenge.  She took up running 3 1/2 years ago, at age forty.  While training for her first marathon, she discovered her love of running and fitness.  Since 2008, she has run five marathons, 16+ half marathons, six mud runs and oodles of other races.  She is a RRCA certified running coach as well as trained in pre- and post-natal fitness, teaching Stroller Strides and Body Back bootcamp classes.  Running is her escape, her fun and her “me” time.  She builds friendships around running, but also finds her “happy place” during solo runs.  
She loves spending time with her family, especially outdoors.  Hiking and biking are key activities that everyone in the family loves. Her son is following in her footsteps and recently ran his first 5K. 
In a previous life, Lisa was a casino executive (for 18 years!).  She worked long hours in a tough, people-focused industry which really gave her a thick skin. There isn’t much Lisa hasn’t seen or heard, and a bunch of women in a van during Hood to Coast will be tame compared to some of the high rollers in the casinos.

Hood to Coast has been a dream of Lisa’s for many years.  Her father ran it a few times in the 80’s and even before Lisa was a runner, she thought that HTC would be very cool. The course goes through her old stomping grounds of Mt. Hood, Sandy, Gresham, downtown Portland and the Oregon Coast.  She is thrilled and honored to have been chosen by NUUN to run on their team.

Private Chafe … aka Jess Allen aka "THE" Blonde Ponytail   Jess ran her first race ever, the Portland Marathon, last October 2010 and began her blog, Blonde Ponytail
shortly thereafter.  Jess is a recognized ninja. When she isn’t silently assassinating wrong-doers, she advises students at Washington State University where her husband coaches baseball.  Jess is a NSCA-CSCS and former Stanford University softball player. She is mom to one
fur-child, Cooper, a 3.5 yr old golden retriever.

Cap’n Crunch  introduces herself:  Hi everyone! I’m Caitlin and unlike most of the lovely ladies on my team, I am not (currently J ) a blogger! I am a part of the Nuun Event Marketing team and I volunteered myself for a spot on the team! I graduated from Washington State University in 2010 where I played soccer for the Cougs, in addition to earning my degree in Comm. I grew up in a running family and have run two half marathons in the past year. My Hood to Coast legs will be the most I’ve ever run in 24 hours and I’m quite looking forward to the challenge.

image source

Code name: Nightingale. This super secret agent is rumored to blog at Nurse on the Run. Her identity is closely guarded and all info is classified. When
sighted, she is usually in the vicinity of someone needing medical assistance… or running really fast!

Major Pain …aka H Love… whose motto and blog are Keep On Keeping On.  She tells us:  I spent my time growing up between Florida and Washington State,
enjoying the beauty of both places!  I am a small town girl who loves to
compete (with myself) and try new things.  I have always loved sports,
but running was never one of them.  I played basketball at the community college level and then finished my schooling at Washington State University!  Go Cougs!  In 2009 another mom asked me to be on a 100K relay team to run the last leg….4.3 miles!  What? It was a huge challenge.  After running those 4.3 miles I was HOOKED!  Those 4.3 miles , led to 13.1 and recently 26.2!  Being part of NUUN Platuun is a huge gift and I still can’t believe I am going to be part of HOOD to COAST!  I am a mom of three amazng kids (10, 8 & 5) who inspire me daily! I am blessed with a hard working hubby that makes me laugh and supports me in all I do.

I "stay at home" (ha, ha, that’s a joke) with the kiddos and work part time as a Early Childhood Education consultant and trainer.  I love to bust a move (no alcohol necessary) and enjoy hanging with my fam and friends.  Love, love, love, white sand beaches,the  gulf of mexico and warm sunshine!  I try to enjoy the moments I am given and always looks for ways to inspire and connect with others!  Can’t wait to "bring it" with this amazing group of women!  Go NUUN Platuun!  Hoo-Rah!!

Sergeant Style  …aka Tonia.  Here’s the short version: Mom. Runner. Wife. Triathlete. Friend. Pescatarian. Coach. Not necessarily in that order.

And the not so short version: As a former Division I Track and Field athlete, I have always had an athletic side, but it wasn’t until my second child was born that running became my passion. I began running in 2007 after I vowed to run a 10K by the end of the year. I finished that 10K and have never looked back. Since then, I’ve run 4 marathons, 10 half marathons and a slew of shorter races. Right now, I am training for the NYC Marathon with Team Grassroot Soccer.
Although, I am primarily a stay-at-home mom, I have been active in the fitness industry for five years and is am a certified running coach with the Road Runners Club of America. In 2010, I established, TMB Endurance Training, a coaching endeavor focused primarily on distance runners. I am also certified as a fitness instructor with the Aerobics and Fitness Association of America, where much of my focus has been spent in the areas of Prenatal and Postnatal Fitness.
On a personal level, I am mother to three beautiful daughters, Dizzle, Doodle, and Dilly, wife of 7 years to J and author of the blog, Racing With Babes.
Notable accomplishments: 3 kids. 4 marathons. An Ivy League degree. An a appearance in the August 2011 Runner’s World magazine.
Why I am so excited to be on Team Nuun for Hood to Coast: Well, isn’t it obvious? Hood to Coast is "the Mother of All Relays" and running it with Team Nuun is a once in a lifetime experience. Who wouldn’t be excited? Seriously, though, I am so honored to be included in this group of amazing blogging women from all over the country. I am looking forward to being challenged and forming new friendships and bonds. I know this is bound to be an experience I will never forget.

Commando  …aka XLMIC, blogger at Taking It On … lurks in the shadows until the perfect moment to jump out and bust someone’s cojones. She is relentless in everything she does. If she cannot out-and-out beat you running on the road, she will annoy you into the ground or make you laugh until you are immobilized… or you wet your pants. She appears unphased by almost any situation. She began running as a way of cross-training for her favorite sport, rowing. She rowed for Cornell University, at Vesper Boat Club, and was on the 1991 US PanAm team. After running two sub-4 hour marathons, she had four kids and took an injury-forced, 8-year hiatus from athletics. (She also has 6 grown stepkids). She resumed running less than a year ago and prefers to run at night… stealth-style… after everyone is asleep. Don’t look for her because you won’t find her that way. Just listen… she has a hard time keeping quiet for very long.

These formidable and fun athletes will present a force to be reckoned with at the 2011 Hood to Coast!

So how do I follow you during the relay??

Compliments of social media, there are a bazillion options (back to the lists!):

1. Follow me on twitter.  I have my tweets protected, but just add me and you’ll be in the know.
2. Follow my team, NuunPlatuun on twitter.  We’ll be down and dirty on our mission to make it to the coast.  No promises on the quality of the tweets!
3. While you’re at it, don’t forget to check out our partners in crime, AfternuunDelight!
4. If twitter isn’t your thing (which it should be, twitter is awesome!), but Facebook is, you can check out both teams on our facebook page, Bloggers spreading the Nuun Love – Hood to Coast 2011.

How do I get my hands on some nuun??

If you want to try some nuun for yourself (do ittttt, all the cool bloggers are!), you can save 25% off your order by using the code “nuunplatuun” at checkout.  Winning all around!

Hurry up, Friday!!

I am so excited to be joining these amazing ladies next week for a relay of a lifetime, and I’ll be sure to share all the excitement and fun with all my readers! 

Any questions about Hood to Coast?  Or relays in general?