PORTLAND, Ore. -- Thousands of runners from around the U.S. and the world competed in the 27th annual Hood to Coast relay Friday and Saturday.

Organizers said this year the event was so popular they had to turn away hundreds.

Around 17,000 runners and walkers participated in the relay race. Runners started Friday at Timberline Lodge and traveled a 197-mile round, ending at the Oregon Coast in Seaside. Runners walked from Portland to the coast.

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The running relay is split into 36 legs, with runners each covering three legs of about five miles. The event ends with a beach party and live music by the Seaside Promenade at the Oregon Coast.

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Much of the proceeds go to benefit the American Cancer Society.

Race marred by accident

For the first time in the race's long history, a runner was struck and seriously injured by a vehicle. Chelsee Caskey, 18, running for her Lincoln High School team, was struck from behind while running along Highway 30 near Rocky Point Road.

Caskey was listed in serious condition but her family told KGW that she was expected to survive.

The driver, 20-year-old Chrystal Marie Meyer of Rainier, was also hospitalized with minor injuries

More: Teen runner struck

Team highlights

Among this year's highlights - runner Kathy Ryan and her Heart and Sole team -- Ryan suffered a heart attack on the course last year and was revived with CPR b y two members of another team. Ryan was recently cleared to run the event, with precautions in place to ensure her safety, race officials said.

More: Hood-to-Coast runner revived on course

Another highlight: The first blind team to compete in the Portland-to-Coast leg of the relay. The team of men and women all between 20 and 60 have never participated in such an event, organizer Annie Ingram said.

Doctor Irv Handleman, a surgeon for Retina Northwest was inspired by his part in the 2007 relay and a blind employee who is now part of the team. Veteran runner, Lisa Miles, came up with the idea to have “ghost walkers” help out, according to Ingram.

Another team honored American troops fighting overseas. The "360 Goes 180", a Vancouver team, aimed to boost morale while their teammate, Jeff, ran at the base he's stationed at in Iraq and “passed the baton” by telephone.

Also this year, a documentary team had film crews all along the course, shooting the event for a documentary on the fabled relay event. Film for Thought Inc. will shoot the feature-length documentary currently named Roadkilled and Still Running for theatrical, TV, and DVD release.

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