Community Vibes at the Lake Oswego Lake Run

The Lake Oswego Lake Run is just around the corner! This well-known hilly race includes a 10K, 5K, and a Kids’ Dash. And, as always, the annual Family Fun Festival will be held at the finish area – Millennium Plaza.

Proceeds from this event go to Northwest Housing Alternatives. There will also be a food drive for low-income seniors living in Lake Oswego, so don’t forget to bring a few non-perishable food items on race day.

Northwest Housing Alternatives builds new homes and new opportunities for seniors, families, veterans and people with special needs across Oregon. With more than 1,900 homes across the state, NHA is one of the largest providers of affordable housing in Oregon.

In addition, NHA provides homeless intervention programs for families in Clackamas County, including operating the Annie Ross House family emergency shelter for families experiencing homelessness.

Both the 5K and 10K routes include great views, but the 10K loop goes almost completely around the entire lake. It’s a challenging route, but the finish is all downhill! I’ve run this race multiple times and it is truly a love-hate relationship. I love the challenge, but I do have some of those “What was I thinking?” moments.

One of the things I really appreciate about the Lake Run is the community feel. The course goes through neighborhoods where you’re guaranteed to see people out in front of their houses cheering. I’ve even seen impromptu “lemonade stands” set up by kids along the way. It’s a fun event for both the participants and the community.

The other thing that adds to the community feel of this run is the Family Fun Festival in Millennium Park. After finishing, you can meander the vendor booths for snacks, fun gift items, and even enter some drawings. There will be a DJ, beer, games, and vendors. It is truly a festive, small community feel from start to finish. While I am usually looking forward to running in this race, I won’t be able to this year. So, get out there and run it for me – and report back! I hope you enjoy this one as much as I have.