What does it take to form a relay walk team for events such as the Portland to Coast Relay Walk or the Willamette Valley Relay Walk? I have 11 years experience of being a team member, team captain, or chief logistician for a succession of happy relay teams. Avoid the pitfalls that lead to team strife and reach the finish line as friends. I shall use the Portland to Coast Relay Walk as an example. While there has long been a guidebook for Hood to Coast Running teams, I know that walkers have needs and logistics different from the runners. You can apply much of the logistics to other relay walks.
Forming a Portland to Coast Relay Walk Team
- Dates: The event is usually held the last weekend before Labor Day, but it may vary. Check the HoodtoCoast.com web site in early October for the date. The walk begins on Friday and ends on Saturday.
- Location: Portland, Oregon to Seaside, Oregon. Major van exchanges in St. Helens, Mist, and west of Olney.
- Team Composition: 12 walkers are standard for the team, although you may register a team with fewer walkers. The team may be all of one gender or mixed. Mixed means at least 6 women - if you have 5 women and 7 men, you are a men's team. There are age division categories as well: Masters if all members are over 40, Supermasters if all are over 50.
- Registration fee: $852 per team in 2006, due by check (no credit card payments) with registration. Non-refundable. Fee may change from year to year - upwards. The fee is the same regardless of the size of your team. Check for current at the Hood to Coast site.
- Registration Deadline: There is a limit of 400 walking teams. In recent years they do not reach that limit until spring. Registration opens in mid-October. The 1000 running team slots are filled on the first day of registration. The walk might return to nearly that level of popularity, so it pays to register immediately in October to guarantee a team slot. However, the registration fee is non-refundable.
- Other Expenses: You will need to budget for gas and van expenses. It is very difficult to rent vans in the Portland area for the event, you are best off if you can borrow vans. You will need to determine food, camping or hotel expenses, team shirts, water, sports drink, etc. You will need either to collect this from the team members or to locate sponsors.
- Three Volunteers Required: Each team must provide three volunteers, 16 years old or older. The Portland to Coast assigns them to work a 4 hour shift on the course at exchange points, etc. directing traffic, calling out numbers, etc. The team may state general preferences about the day/time their volunteers work, but they may be assigned to locations and shifts from 2 am Friday through 1:30 pm Saturday. They must go to a short volunteer training session in August. If they do not attend the training session (or if you don't attend in their stead - 1 person per volunteer) your team is disqualified. If your 3 volunteers do not show up on time and work their full shift, your team is disqualified even if you finish the relay.
- Vans: Each team is only allowed two vehicles on the race route, so the team of 12 splits up between two vans. There are restrictions on where your second van may be on the course, so read your official handbook carefully if you have a team of fewer than 12 or are in vehicles that don't hold 6 persons.
- Housing/Camping: Teams may camp out along the way at designated sites, or rent hotel rooms or houses in Seaside. If renting, you should attempt to book 6-12 months in advance.
- Radios: You will need to provide your own radios to communicate between your walker, your van, and your second van. Please note that cell phones do not work on the course between St. Helens and the final exchange before the finish in Seaside - that is 3/4 of the walking course. You will want radios.
Next: Team Member Requirements
