What is the best gift for a runner during the holidays? Blue skies and cool temperatures for the Holiday Half of course. The Holiday Half is one of my December traditions. The weather varies (A LOT) but the out and back course always has a wicked hill during the starting mile and a wonderful downhill for the last mile. The 10-mile and 10K courses use the same out and back (with earlier turnarounds) while the…
Do you know the only thing better than a holiday run? A holiday run that starts at noon! And that is exactly the joy you get at the Jingle Bells Run in Eugene, Oregon on Sunday December 18. The Kids Rudolph Run is at 11:45am, followed by the 15K starting at noon with the 5K at 12:15. Now the festivities are all throughout this race. First off, costumes are strongly encouraged. Second,…
When I arrived at the Ho Ho 5K, I immediately realized I was not dressed appropriately Christmas-like! I had donned my somewhat festive tights, but my running wardrobe is decidedly lacking in red and green. I felt strangely out of place in my salmon-colored top as I was surrounded by Santa suits, ugly Christmas sweaters, Grinch onesies, and a plethora of Christmas pajama pants. It is the first time I’ve ever been at a race…
It may have been only 27*F on the morning of this year’s Foot Traffic Holiday Half and 5k, but that didn’t deter the more than 3,000 participants who were making their way to the Adidas campus in North Portland for the 8am race start. Since there is very little street parking available near the start line, Foot Traffic gets permission to use the Daimler parking lot on Channel Ave and then runs shuttle buses from…
The 2015 Keizer Jingle Dash is back again on Saturday, December 19th. The 5th annual event is seeing some changes, but the Keizer Chamber of Commerce team knows how to put on a race, so I still expect a solid event. They have done (and done well) the Keizer Turkey Dash and the Willamette Valley Marathon and Iris Runs for years now, so this ain’t their first rodeo. First, the course. Unlike years past, where the race course…
I know we haven’t even gone through our turkey trots yet, so it’s a little difficult to even think about Christmas-themed races. Keizer (Salem’s neighbor and my hometown) jumped at the chance to take over as host of the Festival of Lights Holiday Parade a few years back when Salem decided it could no longer continue. This holiday parade has been a staple in the Salem/Keizer area for the past 20+ years and the 2015 Festival of Lights Bowl…
