Despite having lived in the Portland Metro area for over a decade, there are still many places that I haven’t visited, let alone run in. Washougal is one of those places. But when I see a Why Racing Event is happening there, I know that I am headed for a well-supported race with a wonderful medal and some solid after-party food. And it turns out the course was pretty good too.
I arrived at Reflection Run site about an hour early to ensure an easy packet pick-up, then tucked back into my car due to the downpour. I watched cars loop through the parking lot in search of spots (or creating their own). I did not see any volunteers guiding the cars and this might have been a needed role, especially with all the rain. I waited until just before go time to head toward the starting line. Luckily for us 10K participants, that’s about when the rain took a break.
The start/finish area was a small park with enough room to spread out and wander the vendor booths. The participants in the race were broken up into three start times based on distance (half marathon, 10K, 5K) to help with crowding along the sidewalks. The announcer also warned us about some new “vehicle controls” (aka big medal poles) that were added recently and would not budge if we ran into them.
The 5K and 10K courses were an out-and-back, with the half marathoners completing the 10K course (plus a little bit) twice. Four aid stations were on the course for support before you even felt thirsty. The 10K course wasn’t a perfect out and back, which was nice. Instead, the middle miles included a dirt pack on the way out and backlots to warehouses on the way back. Except for some crowding at the 5K turnaround, there felt like plenty of space for any pace.
My favorite portion was wandering through the part around mile 3. My least favorite was the 6 mile sign to 3 mile sign that took WAY too long to be just .1 miles. The final stretch included photographs of soldiers to be remembered; most that I saw were lost to PTSD. Seeing those faces had me grateful for safe friends and family.
After finally reaching that 6.2 mark, I was grateful to cross the finish line and earn that medal. The food line was super quick, offering finishers a hot dog, chips, a kiwi, and (I’m not sure why) protein powder. There was also a beer garden available. The rain came back in spurts but nothing like that initial washout. Just a little rain on a Sunday picnic. Absolutely worth discovering the Washougal Waterfront.
