Runscapes #11

I'm going to try and start my runs earlier in the day as it is finally warming up. I sure don’t like running in the heat of the day!
PS.
I’m temporarily trying out Vimeo for posting my Runscapes videos. The seem to have more options then YouTube - but they do take longer to process.
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Runscapes #2

This is just the first mile of Beacon Drive. It winds through orchards and farmer's fields. In the summer cows and horses bask in the sun!
[I really miss the sunshine this time of year...]
Thanks for watching : )
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Fall Race Report

If the air is cool but most of the leaves are still green – Is it still Fall?

Yes, it was a spectacular day for the Fall Festival Run.
It’s a 50 mile drive to Corvallis – So we headed out early - early enough to take in the sunrise…



I felt strong and awake – might have been the illicit half cup of joe I drank.
I know one thing for sure, running a flat 5k is a whole lot easier that a hilly Trail race.



The course crossed through the Oregon State University campus. Scenic, but involved plenty of sidewalk running :0


Where's my chip?


The 5 K Winner was Benjamin True A23y M1/21m Eugene OR 14:14
That’s a 4:35 pace!
I, surprisingly, placed. (Well - there were only 400 runners in the 5k.)

Favorite Shirt Quote:
Ride High (?/?)

Race Chatter:
Runner #1 –“My IT Band burns every time I race.
Runner #2 “Why?”
Runner #1 “I don’t know…”

Post Race Snacks:
Starbucks and a shared Noah’s Blueberry Bagel.

Goody Bag:
From Strands – My dog checking it out.
(I always cut her ears off...)

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Beach Running – Divine!

Absolutely no regrets. Racing on the beach was divine. The expansive running surface was solid with just the right amount of give. There were no logs or jetties to transverse, just miles and miles of beach.
But there was coastal fog...


The fog stood still as the runners found their way to the start line.



I purposely ran without my player. The only sounds; my tread in the sand and the distant crashing surf.
{I have never finished a race where I wanted to turn around at the finish line and repeat.}



At the finish line the sun was already breaking through – patches of fog broke off and rolled away.



Interestingly enough I saw no one running barefoot... My shoes and socks came off right after the race so I could step into the Pacific Ocean.



The snacks included sandwiches (some were marked V for vegetarian) muffins, apples, outdated Power Bars and pretzels. I was ravenous.

The post race crowd was small and loosely knit. However, there was a collective awe of appreciation and gratefulness shared between us.
What a fine day it was!

Favorite Shirt Quote “The Older I Get The Faster I Was”
Race Chatter - “Are you a photojournalist?” (I was taking pictures with my cell phone: )

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Ways to Avoid the Rain

This time of the year, I spend an inordinate amount of time trying to avoid running in the rain. If you live in the Northwest, you know what I’m talking about.
I get cold and miserable! I have to keep wiping off my glasses so I can see the path. My long ponytail ends up looking like a rat’s nest.

Possible:

• Keep an eye on the radar screens at Weather.com or AccuWeather.com. Wait for those large clusters of dark green or yellow to pass.
• Overdress in rain gear. Every time I do this – it stops raining.
• Lather on the sunscreen. (Reverse psychology...)
• Run at the gym. (My very last option.)

Impossible:

• Click your heels three times and repeat, “It never rains when you run.”
• Cancel your run.
• Wager a bet with your runner partner – bet that the rain will stop.
• Don’t run in the Winter or Spring.
• Run with a Rihanna umbrella.
• Move to Tempe Arizona

Eugene, Oregon Rainfall:

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