I never seem to be in town for a race on or around the 4th of July however, since I had no plans this year due to work I decided it would be a good time to get out and dress up. This year was the first year that the Red, White, & Blues race incorporated a 5K to the lineup of the half marathon, 15K, and 10K distances that were already underway from previous years. Due to an injury that I’ve been nursing for the past 6-8 weeks I opted to take it easy on the distance and go for the 5K.
The course for the 5K is relatively flat and meanders around the Historic Willamette Main Street and through the surrounding neighborhoods. I was extremely impressed with the police directing traffic for this race as you are running through public roads that are still open to neighborhood traffic. As this was the first year for the 5K there were between 50-100 runners which included a bridal party with the bride wearing a white race tee to stand out (and she did). My wife made it her goal to try and stick with them but they were pretty quick. Seeing everyone dressed in their red, white, and blue was fun and festive and typical of what you’d see for a 4th of July run.
As with most of the Hood to Coast Race series you’re guaranteed some pretty cool race swag and after party festivities and the Red, White, & Blues was no exception. Everything is well organized, fun, and a great time for runners of all ages and skill levels. I joke that I only run for the free beer afterwards but really, I can’t think of a more American way to finish than with a hot dog and a beer!
Results
2019 Half marathon, 15K, 10K, and 5K results can be found here.
