Race Preview: Cook Park Marathon, Half Marathon and 5K

The culmination of the Firecracker Triple over the 4th of July weekend are these races at Cook Park in Tigard. Slated to occur on Sunday the 6th, it would be a great way to wrap up the holiday. Advertised as a 'fun run' the event is not chip timed, and takes place completely within the parks boundaries. All three events are capped, with a total of 100 participants allowed.

All participants will receive a finishers medal, and there will be awards for the top finisher in each gender for every race. The full starts at 7, the half thirty minutes later, and the 5K at 8. The site states that packet pickup begins at 7am as well, closing ten minutes before the start of each race. Early registration has already passed and the costs are now $30 (5k), $45 (half), and $50 (full). You can register at the page here.

Seeing as the entire route is contained within the park, it is run on a loop course. The loop itself is 4.37 miles of paved and dirt trail. The half traverses the route three times, the full, six. There is a different 3.11 mile loop for the 5K. The route itself is not closed, but there will be volunteers along it. Participants in the long races are responsible for ensuring that the volunteers at the start/finish area record their laps to ensure they are counted correctly. There will also be one aid station in that area with Gatorade and possible gummi bears and other standard long run fare.

The official site has a little more info about the event and contact info for the race director if you have any more questions. I’m in the mood for some speedwork, so I signed up for the 5K. This is a beautiful place to run, even though the course will definitely not be a ‘fast’ one. I couldn’t think of a better way to wrap up a holiday weekend.