First Week of Spring?

Well, unofficially, that is. Judging by the number of runs this weekend anyway, I'm going to OFFICIALLY declare this weekend the First Weekend of Spring! (trademark pending). So get off the treadmill and get out there.

Oh, the photo is from a immigration policy protest...but look at them run! (Photo by Mr. Wright at Flickr.com - thanks)

March 1 / Oregon State University Spring Sprint 5k / Corvallis, OR

March 1 / Run For Luck 10k, 5k and 1 mile / Lacey, WA

March 1 / Honeywagon Runs 13.1 and 4 mile / Everson, WA

March 1 / Snake River Canyon Half-Marathon / Pullman, WA

March 1 / Lacamas Park 5 Mile / Camas, WA

March 2 / Red Lizard Five Miler / Lake Oswego, OR

Slim pickings...

Wow...we visited the 'rents last weekend over in the beautiful Yakima Valley. Well, certain parts of it can be beautiful anyway. Other parts...not so much. But it all looked pretty good on Saturday and Sunday because the sun was out and the temps were up to about 60! Holy moly guacamole! It was so nice, Jen and I headed into Wapato and did a few laps around the track at Dan Doornink Field at Wapato High School. Ah, the old stomping grounds. When I circle that track I can't help but think back to the "glory" days running the mile for the Wapato Track Team (yes, I put quotes around "glory" and yes, they called it the "mile" back then). Man, I was an Oscar Mayer Weiner back then. Going around that track, I had painful flashbacks about just dying on the final lap of the mile in meets. Getting old isn't all bad...I usually have more kick at the end of runs...and even when I can't kick, I don't really care! It's good to be a Master!

This may be the lightest weekend of the entire year. There just are not many runs out there right now. Next week looks better, so hit the Smelt Run, then come back next week and check the much longer list.

February 23rd / Skagit Symphony's Smelt Run 10k and 5k / LaConner, WA

February 23rd / Fort Steilacoom Running Club Resolution Run #3 15k and 15 mile / Tacoma, WA


Photo is another shot of me running in the summer heat of Southern California. Man, I am jonesing for summer.

Is it Spring yet?

I don't know about your running venue of choice, but the Skagit Valley has been wet, wet, wet. I'm just about sick of the rain. And though I'm a big fan of the treadmill, there's nothing like a short-sleeve run in the sunshine. Not to mention the article on the front page of the Seattle Times Wednesday morning: Is the NW Lack of Sun Making Us Sick? See!?!? This is what I'm taking about! Let's go, Spring!

Hey, if you need a race this weekend, why don't you try out the 1st Annual Live, Love, Run at Point Defiance Park in Tacoma. Not only does it meander through the most beautiful section of Tacoma, but it's a benefit for Bobby Goddard, who is battling cancer. Head over to the website and check out the story. Helping out people and running at the same time...that's what it's all about.

February 16th / Live, Love, Run 4 and 2 mile / Tacoma, WA

February 17th / Springwater Cruise Run 10k and 5k / Gresham, OR

February 17th / Orcas Island 50k and 25k / Moran State Park, WA

Arrrgghhh....

Timing, or lack thereof, is everything. I just, JUST, had my indoor triathlon article published and what do I receive in the mail from my very own athletic club, just down the way? That's correct, a notice that they'll be having their very first indoor triathlon in April. DOH! Ah well...if you're in the area, give it a try. I'm not even sure they're allowing the public or just members, but give them a call and find out. Riverside Health Club in Mt. Vernon, WA. Tell 'em Scott sent ya.

OK, but that's in April, you say. What about this weekend, you say. I'm glad you asked, because the lineup is actually pretty strong this weekend.

February 9th / Two for the Road 5k / Bellingham, WA

February 9th / Friendship Run and Tot Trot 5k / Lakewood, WA

February 9th / Sweetheart Run 4 mile / Lewiston, ID

February 10th / Truffle Shuffle 4 mile / Eugene, OR

February 10th / Valentine Marathon, 1/2, 10 mile, 10k, 5k, and 1 mile! / Olympia, WA

February 10th / Road Runner Sports Love 'em or Leave 'em Valentine's Day Dash 5k / Seattle, WA

The latest word...

Here it is, the most recent article from the Scott Lommers Article Writing Company. Not only is it a classic article that you need to read, like, right now, but it also comes from within the one, single running magazine of the year that you MUST own! The FEB/MAR issue of RaceCenter Northwest Magazine contains the 2008 Event Guide, which lists every single race in the Northwest for 2008. Runs, Triathlons, Bike Rides and Races, and Relays. Not only that, but it has the Tri NW Rankings for 2008...somehow I was left off the list. Not sure what happened there. And last but not least, they have a picture of "Jami" from last year's Portland Marathon...and she's cute! So what more do you want? Get out there and spend your 2.95, or 3.95, or whatever it costs (I don't know, I usually wait for a month and get mine from the "free pile" at my local running store, but you, YOU, need to get out there and spend your money). This is a good one.

Oh yeah, then go out and compete in one of the 10 indoor triathlons that I list in my article on indoor triathlons. They're all good too.

No Groundhog Day run???

It's a slow week for races, but beggars can't be...

So, let's take a look at this:

February 2 (Groundhog Day) / Frosty Four Miler / Yakima, WA

February 3 / Geoduck Gallup Half Marathon & 10k / Olympia, WA

February 3 / Zena Road Runs / Salem, OR

So why doesn't anyone have a "Groundhog's Day Run." How about this? You start in downtown Seattle, run around for about a 5k or so, then have to cross the finish line before the shadow from the Space Needle hits the finish line! Huh? Huh? Good, right? OK, since there's no such thing as sunlight in Seattle in February, we may have to tweak it just a little, but that's a winner, right there!

Remember, you heard it here first...

Oh yeah, the photo is old, old, old. That's me, and Carson, in the 2005 Folsom International Triathlon and I used it because I miss the weather. It had been over 90 degrees for two straight weeks in Folsom before that race...I hate January in the Northwest.

Runs this weekend...

Jeez, where does the time go? It's been a while, I know, but I'm back. So after two straight months of holiday meals, I'm back on the horse, well the treadmill, and trying to get back into some semblance of running shape. It'll take some time.

For those of you ahead of the curve (Ha Ha, that was a joke...no, really), here are just a few runs for the weekend. They're hard to find this time of year, so don't be picky. Now get out there and go.

January 26 / Freeze Your Fanny 5k / Lewiston, ID

January 26 / Winter Predictor 6k / Eugene, OR

January 26 / New Balance Winter Grand Prix Race #4 - 2 Mile / Seattle, WA

January 27 / Vancouver Lake Half Marathon / Vancouver, WA

Why yes, that is me doing a fake night run for an Adventures NW article...thanks for asking.

Finding a good run...

Far be it from me to knock someone while they're down, but...

In case you haven't already seen the Seattle Times article, the Seattle Marathon is under quite a bit of scrutiny for advertising the race as a fund-raiser for UW Medicine, but not actually giving a cent of the $120 entry fee to UW Medicine. And the article goes on to say how a large (VERY large) amount of cash is paid to race director Louise Long.

Since I've been writing articles about running, I've interviewed dedicated runners. I've interviewed passionate race directors. I've interviewed smart, funny, warm, giving, open, and just plain nice people involved in every aspect of the running world.

I've also interviewed Louise Long.

While I've got nothing against huge benefit races in general, for your next race try a small, local run. They usually give their money to good causes as well...right there in your home town.

In fact, if you're looking for a race in the Skagit Valley, try the Nookachamps Winter Runs on January 12 in Mt. Vernon. Race Director Keefer Whan is one of those plain nice people, plus he's one of the fastest runners in the area, so you can ask for tips before the race.

The photos are from last year's Nookachamps race. Yes, it was cold.

The newest bit of writing...

The latest article has hit the newsstands between the covers of the Winter issue of Adventures NW Magazine. I almost made the top billing this time. That's the one right there, "NW Night Running", second from the top. What's up top? "Cascades. A Pilot's View". Booooorrrring. Actually, I'm sure it's a very nice article...if you read it, let me know.

Anyhoo, the night running article is about, well, running at night. The boom in the 24-hour relay and the fact that anyone that runs after 4:30 this time of year is, in fact, running in the dark.

When taking some great pictures for the article (that were not chosen as worthy by the editors), at Northern State Park in Sedro Woolley, Jen and I bothered a couple of kids steaming up the windows of their Toyota. They clearly thought no one in their right mind would go to a park that has no lighting in the middle of the night. Well, they thought that right up until I hit them with the headlights. Hello!

Just a little short...

Like about 35,000 words short.

No, I didn't finish my 50,000 word novel in the month of November, so I am not a "winner" in the National Novel Writing Month that ended yesterday. Oh, I've got excuses: leaving for work at six in the morning and getting back at seven at night. Had family over for the holidays. Had to finish an article in the first week of November...but really, it's my fault and my fault alone.

For the first two weeks of November, I only had a vague notion of what I wanted to do in my novel. I spent so much time thinking about my plot and trying to make it come together that I didn't have any time left to actually write. NEXT year, I will use October for plotting and get busy writing on November 1st. This year, I finally got going during the 3rd week of November and had plenty of ideas to write about, but by then I was hopelessly behind. Sigh.

Ah well, if nothing else, I've got a nice little start on my novel and a decent idea of how it's going to get to the end. Maybe I can finish this one before next November so I can write my second one next year...and be a winner (you've got to say that in the "Seinfeld-you're ALL winners" voice for it to really work).