I’m running up a newly-tarred road, and at the end of it I can see water. My legs feel tried but I carry on. When I come to a stop at the boat launch, the landscape opens up. I am at the mouth of the Columbia River, a natural boarder that separates the states of Washington and Oregon. In the grey distance I can see the Oregon town of Astoria, made famous by the Goonies. To my right is Cape Disappointment, shrouded in mist with ominous dark clouds hanging over it. The tide is out and I can see ducks and other water fowl on the mud flats.

I am here because my co-founder Rob and I are on a three week road trip from Vancouver, British Colombia, to Phoenix, Arizona. During these three weeks I still have to train for Man v Mountain.

Today I am running through the town of Chinook, Washington, a small fishing town that by luck of geography is on one of the most picturesque highways in the world. Highway 101 stretches from Northern Washington to the Mexican boarder and snakes along the coast.

Running gives ample opportunity to  explore Chinook. I pass the only bar in town, whose special today is fried spam and eggs for $6.99. Yum… In less than a mile I see two churches, a drive-through espresso shack with Wifi, and another shack selling crab meat. There are a smattering of houses, many flying the Star-Spangled Banner. It’s not much of a town. A stop-off to other places. However,  the view over the Columbia river and Cape Disappointment did not let me down. Next stop: Portland.