Early Saturday afternoon, sun tentatively peered out in Seaside after a morning of rain, wind and bluster. The tally of Hood to Coast Relay funds raised to fight cancer was more than $500,000, but only the runners knew how hard those dollars had been earned.

“We actually saw a tree crack in half,” runner Travis Huntington said after the race. “The true Oregonian spirit came out.”

Teams started at Timberline Lodge at Mount Hood, about 90 miles southeast of Portland. The first runners hit the gate Friday at 5 a.m., and teams followed until about 4:15 Friday afternoon. Racers headed westward through Portland, Scappoose, St. Helens, Mist and Jewell before heading into the final legs and finish in Seaside.

More than a thousand teams of eight and 12 runners participated in the 198-mile course. Waiting were 3,600 volunteers, merchants, family members and fans.

While the beach was closed to runners and spectators because of the day’s high winds, that didn’t bother the finishers.

“The winds came up, then the rains started and it became really fun,” Matt Garnett of Madison, Wisc., said after the race.

This was the 10th Hood to Coast in a row for Matt Garnett’s group, which included members from Seattle, Portland, Minnesota and Utah.

Garnett said during his run he thought about stopping only briefly, but then realized “all the cars were going in the same direction. “It was crazy. The winds were insane. People were really earning it.”

One of the last groups to leave Mount Hood, Garnett and his teammates crossed the finish line in Seaside at 1:30 p.m.

Tony Martinez, a Spanish citizen, and Joe Jamaze of Germany represented an international team. They waited at the finish in front of the Shilo Inn on the Prom with iPhones and selfie sticks, waiting for their teammates to cross the line.

Runner Bob Foote conceived and founded the Hood to Coast Relay in 1982 with eight teams and has filled the team cap on the opening day of registration for the last 17 years straight. Organized by the Seaside Chamber of Commerce and Gold sponsors, which include Providence Health & Services, Nike, Widmer Brothers Brewing, Dick’s Sporting Goods, Mazda, LED Lenser and GNC.

Huntington’s 12-person team was largely comprised of runners from Portland, San Francisco and Seattle. His teammate Katie Woodward said she had run a previous event in 2006.

At the finish line Saturday afternoon, fans awaited runners to complete the challenge. Selfie-sticks and group shots, medals and T-shirts made it all worthwhile for the participants.

Woodward shrugged off the difficulty level. “It was more bonding than hard,” she said.

While the beloved Seaside Chamber of Commerce beer garden was halted due to high winds on the beach, most racers planned to recharge after the race at one of Seaside’s local watering spots with teammates and friends.

”We’re looking to have a great time in scenic Seaside!” runner Garnett said.