[Race Preview submitted by Charissa Yang]
Hey, runners (and walkers/racewakers)! If you can make an evening weekday race, save Wednesday, August 1, 2018 for either (or both) of two Oregon Road Runners Club (ORRC) classic traditional events, the ORRC Mile and the ORRC Dual Duel. These are both small, low-key events, very fun and very well-organized, taking place at the Catlin Gabel School (8825 SW Barnes Rd, Portland, OR 97225, at the track, behind the school buildings at the north end of the campus). Timing will be provided by Huber Timing, and the race will be directed by Daniel Brewer, who’s been directing these events for years (decades?). The Dual Duel is actually ORRC’s longest running event, this year marking its 46th anniversary.
The ORRC Mile
The ORRC Mile will have 4 separate heats:
- Open and Masters Mile (combined) at 6:05 pm
- Pacers Mile (a Predict-Your-Time Mile) at 6:15 pm. The clock will be covered up and no watches will be allowed, in order to test your ability to predict your own time and pace yourself accordingly! The winner is not the fastest one, but the one whose finishing time come closest to meeting his or her predicted time.
- Elite Mile at 6:30 pm. The Elite Mile is for participants who expect to run sub-6:30 (men) / sub-7:00 (women). And, this year, the ORRC Elite Mile is also serving as the RRCA Oregon State Championship Mile event.
- Walkers Mile at 6:40 pm (free). Any walking style; this event is not judged.
Awards for the ORRC Mile:
- Open and Masters Mile: Ribbons will be awarded 3 places deep per standard 5-year age groups: “19 and Under,” then 5-year age groups until “70+.”
- Pacers Mile will be 3 deep overall (regardless of gender and age) based on how close you came to your predicted time.
- Elite Mile: The Elite Mile is the 2018 RRCA Oregon State Championship Mile event. The top winner of the men’s and women’s open and masters divisions will be crowned as Oregon State Champions at the classic mile distance. Plaques will go to the 2nd and 3rd finishers.
The ORRC Dual Duel
In its 47th year, the ORRC Dual Duel is mainly a 2-person 10-mile track relay, but also has a solo 10K option (25 laps around the track) for anyone who might like the challenge of a fast, flat 10K race. For the 2-person relay, sign up with a partner as a men’s, women’s, mixed, or racewalk team. (The racewalk division will be judged.) You and your partner will each run 5 miles, alternating single laps at a time. (If you’re wondering: yes, that’s 20 laps each!) A large transition zone allows you and your partner to vary the length of the single laps (for example, you can accept the baton later in the transition zone to make your partner run longer), which can be of strategic value. It’s a fast and furious race, much like a track interval workout, but since it’s a race, this makes it both more fun and more intense. Resting every other lap means you get to watch much of the event, too! The initial start line is adjusted to make the first lap longer than 400 meters; this is to make the full distance a true 10 miles. Breathtaking fun! Bring your camera so you can take pictures during your rest laps!
Awards for the Dual Dual 2-person relay will consist of ribbons awarded 5 places deep in each division and age group. There will be separate scoring for Running and Racewalking teams, within which there will be Men’s, Women’s, and Mixed team divisions, and the following age groups: Under 35, 36-50, 51-65, 66-75, 76-85, 86-95, 96-105, 106-119, 120+; age groups are calculated as the combined age of both partners of a team.
For the Dual Duel Solo 10K, ribbons will be awarded 3 places deep per age group as follows: “19 and Under,” then 5-year age groups until “70+.”
Free Kids’ Run – There is also a single-lap, 400-m Kids’ Run in between the Mile and Dual Duel events. See schedule below.
A personal note: These events were the highlight of the dozens of races I entered in 2017. Despite the summer evening heat (which not only was extreme last year, it caused the event to be rescheduled in order to avoid 107F temperatures!), the Dual Duel was the most fun, most intense race I’d done. Big props to ORRC, for having had coolers full of cold towels, plenty of water, and a misting station to help keep participants cool — in addition to stellar organization, free photos, and the best timer in town.
What: The ORRC/RRCA Oregon State Championship Mile; ORRC Dual Duel 2-person 10-Mile Relay and Solo 10K; and 400-m Kids’ Run.
When: Wednesday, August 1, 2018.
- 4:30 p: Registration Begins
- 6:00 p: ORRC Open and Masters Mile (combined heats)
- 6:15 p: ORRC Mile Pacer’s Mile (Guess Your Time)
- 6:30 p: RRCA Oregon State Championship and ORRC Elite Mile (Men < 6:30, Women < 7:00)
- 6:40 p: Walker’s Mile
- 6:55 p: Kids’ Run — 400 meters
- 7:00 p: Dual Duel Team Relay — All Events
- 7:00 p: 10K Solo Track Run
Where: Catlin Gabel (8825 SW Barnes Rd, Portland, OR 97225, at the track, behind the school buildings at the north end of the campus).
Cost:
- ORRC Mile/RRCA Oregon State Championship Mile— $5 per heat of the mile, except the Walkers’ Mile. Walker’s Mile: Free.Registration online highly encouraged.
- Kids’ Run— Free.
- Dual Duel— $25 per person ($15 for ORRC members) through July 30. After July 30, you may register in person on day of race for $30 per person ($25 for ORRC members).
Register online through July 30 at https://runsignup.com/Race/OR/Portland/ORRCDualDuel or in person on day of race beginning at 4:30 p.