The Teddy Opener Distance Carnival on March 3 offers competitive racing opp for local runners

Friday, March 3rd, there will be a track meet under the lights at Roosevelt High School. The Teddy Opener Distance Carnival includes a 2k Steeplechase, a boys & girls distance medley relay (DMR), men’s and women’s open 3ks, and a co-ed track 10k. After the youth DMR there will also be a Superhero Half Mile, a free all-ages race where costumes are encouraged.

Roosevelt High School track photo from school website by Jonquil Vann-Tessmer. Note: the weather probably won’t be much like this on March 3.

Registration for the individual events is $15 per person and $30 for a DMR team, and includes a t-shirt for the first 100 participants. The meet is scheduled to start at 5:30p and events will run on a rolling schedule (no set times, but you’ll know what’s next).

This likely won’t be a big event, but there will be some great local runners there. The meet is being organized by Jake Stout, a North Portland runner, to benefit the Roosevelt High School track and field program.

Interested? Sign up online here; you’ll need to create a free account but it only take a minute. Even that guy that likes to run half-marathons on the track is excited about it. Bill Aronson, who happens to live in North Portland, says, “RHS is a fantastic track! Many of us in St. Johns work out there regularly. The best HS track in the city, in my opinion.”

Spectators are also welcome. Track meets like this can be a good way to introduce younger (or older) runners to a different side of the sport. There will be concessions available for sale so you can skip dinner at home and just get some snacks at the meet. Takohachi, a Traditional Japanese Drum & Dance Ensemble, will perform during the 10k – it will be a super-cool atmosphere in which to watch a track meet. Watch the video below to see them in action.

Roosevelt High School is located at 6941 N. Central Street off Lombard Street, not too far from Cathedral Park in the St. John’s neighborhood.