I’ve made the trip out to Forest Grove a few times for the Viking Vengeance, mainly because I love small town races that are supported by and created for the high school athletics teams. What is great about this event is that you have up-and-coming high school runners pushing the pace, at a time of year when there is no high school competition. Following them are hundreds of community runners, and a large number of fitness walkers showing their support as well.
The courses are primarily run on city streets and the B Street Nature Trail, with short sections along Highway 47 on the pedestrian trail. It’s a pretty flat route, well-marked and supported with volunteers to keep you on course. Both the 10k and 5k courses are linked from the bottom of the webpage here.
When: Thursday, July 16, 2015
What time: The kid’s 0.14-mile run starts at 6:15p, followed by the 10k at 6:30p and the 5k at 6:45p.
Where: Forest Grove School District Office at 18th Ave. and Main Street.
Register: You can register for $30 online here, or print out a registration form from the website to send in. Day of race registration is open from 5:15-6p for $35. For participants aged 13 or younger running the 5k or 10k, the races are only $15. There is also a “Future Cross Country Runner” kids race for ages 8 and under.
If raffles are a draw for you when considering which race to run, this is the run for you. Take a look at the sponsor list on the website, which includes Jamba Juice, Bob’s Red Mill, and Sports Authority, among many others. And good luck!