REJECTED.

If you've read about anything round these parts, it's Hood to Coast.  It is THE race of my year.  Even when I first became a runner long long ago in 2008, I KNEW that I wanted to do Hood to Coast.

So I put in an application.
But in 2009, it was not meant to be.  REJECTED.  

So for 2010, I tried again.  You get to go in a "special" lottery if you've been declined the year before, so we supposedly had much better odds.  And SUCCESS!  We were in!

 Van 1 is the best, by the way. 

And it. Was. AWESOME.  It did NOT disappoint.  Hanging out with my favorite people in a sweaty van all weekend is truly the best.

So after one of the best weekends, ever, we were understandably greedy for more.  So we applied again for 2011.  And to my very pleased surprise we were ACCEPTED again!  Even without the special lottery.

In 2011 the extreme heat and extreme traffic issues put a little damper on our fun, but we still had a blast.  And of course, we wanted more. 
So we applied for 2012.  But, like 2009, it was not meant to be.  REJECTED. 

Lucky for me, Nuun was accepting applications for their 3 awesome teams, and I got picked!  And I had THE TIME OF MY LIFE running with them in 2012.  Thank you again Nuun.  But my poor teammates didn't get that experience.

 Van 1 Team Morning Rockstars

So of course, we applied again, in that special lottery for those who are rejected, for 2013.  But this time, the special lottery didn't hold any specialness for us.
Because the word just came, that for 2013 we are  REJECTED.
 
And I am disappointed.  That's for sure.  I feel a little like we got a bit screwed by all the people last year who earned a guaranteed entry through their brand new rule: that if you finish within 30 minutes of your predicted time you get an automatic entry.  I heard that an estimated 350 teams (out of only 1,050) got guaranteed entry through that method ALONE (there's other ways to earn it too).  You can bet if that'd have been a rule during 2010 or 2011 we would have gone to the EXTREMES to make that happen.  Which I'm sure a TON of teams did.  But that left way less spots for those that didn't have a team last year.

But oh well - what can you do?  Except apply again next year!  And start thinking up some Nuun Hood to Coast application ideas....!

Anyone have a team I can be on?  Or an idea for a different relay we should enter?