Running for something larger than yourself is a powerful feeling. In the past, running was something that I’d do in solitude — an endless solo journey for that ever-so-beautiful runner’s high, the fire that ignites in your soul as you push the pace, the sound of your feet thudding on the ground, rooting you to your purpose as you charge towards the horizon. Though those are still things I seek, running the Hood to Coast relay with @nikerunning this past weekend changed my perspective on how they can be attained and how much more gratifying they are to find when striving for them as part of a group. During Hood to Coast, you want to give your all not for your own gain, but for that of your relay team: the people you share cramped seats, sour energy solutions, sweaty Normatec boots, “sleeping” in a field with hundreds of other runners (that was some shit, wasn’t it @tylerjoe?) and sublime moments of peace with during the 196 miles from Mount Hood to the Pacific Coast. There’s a special bond that those shared experiences build, which makes the inner fire burn a hundred times hotter. Speed is relative, but effort is not, and when you know you’re running to lift your team — the people who lift you in return — giving it everything you’ve got becomes easy. My deepest, most heartfelt thanks to the Peg Legs for all of the extraordinary experiences, from decorating the van to the entire team bounding joyfully across the finish line with our closer @liliamas_. I’ll never forget those 26 hours we shared this last weekend (a top 150 finish out of 1100+ teams ain’t too damn shabby either), and I’d run it back with ya’ll any day of the week. 📸: @nickcarnera