The 10th annual Mt Tabor Doggie Dash took place on Sunday, August 24th at Mt Tabor in Portland. I didn’t have a dog handy, but enjoyed watching all the excited four-legged running buddies. With the temperature around 70* and most of the course on shaded park streets, conditions couldn’t have been any better for the 275 participants who finished the 5k and 8k.
I got to Mt Tabor about an hour before my race started. Packet pickup was quick and easy, as was bag check. There were water bottle filling stations and water tables for humans, as well as wading pools and water dishes for the dogs. Music was playing, and several vendor booths were happy to talk about their products and offer samples. Schedule announcement were easily heard throughout the event space. The kids run was held first, and its entirety was fun to watch!
Mt Tabor Doggie Dash
Next up was the 5k. Since the course was a bit convoluted with repeating and varying loops through the park, I was worried about not even being able to find the start line, which was was higher up on the hill. I needn’t have worried, since 5k-ers were asked to gather at the 8k start line, and a race volunteer lead the group up the road to the 5k start line. We started on an uphill to circle the top of the mountain. The following downhills were fast and easy. The course was very well marked, except around the finish line: The sign that read “first lap go straight” was partially hidden by the sign that said “finish turn right.”
Portland Skyline
After passing the start area, there was another slight downhill to the reservoir (offering beautiful views over Portland), then a climb circling around it. The water station was at the 5k’s mile marker 2 (the 8k would pass it at mile 2.3 and then again at mile 4), and it was well stocked with water cups and electrolyte drink for runners, and a big water bucket for the dogs. Another uphill, downhill, and final uphill took me to the finish line in a time I was happy with.
There were many things for runners to do after the race. Music was still playing, there were hamburgers and hotdogs, as well as Lagunita’s beer. All the vendors were still set up, and the pet food company was happy to send special treats home with me for my cats. Awards were given for the top finishers in the Open and Masters divisions. Overall, this was a very well-done race. It is small and fun, and the scenery is beautiful! I hope to participate again next year.
Complete results are available online here. Since both courses had runners pass the finish line on one of the loops before crossing the finish line on a later loop, it is possible that some people crossed the line too early.
