Upcoming races (mine and others’)
April 21, 2008It was another stirring Olympic Marathon Trials race yesterday morning, with favorite Deena Kastor rallying to overtake early leader Magdalena Lewy Boulet and post a 2:29:35 victory. There were also plenty of Washington state residents to cheer for, including Seattle Running Club athletes Gwen Greiner and Alysun Deckert. Gwen apparently had a great day and finished in a personal-best time of 2:44:25. Alysun was not so lucky, having struggled with injuries this spring. Still, it was the fourth consecutive Olympic Marathon Trials for which she has qualified, a pretty fabulous feat.
Anyway, time marches on and so does the Pacific Northwest race calendar.
This Saturday, April 26th, will be the 6th annual Tom Wales Memorial 5K at Volunteer Park. Wales was an assistant U.S. attorney and gun-control advocate who, tragically, was shot to death in 2001. I never met him, but the tributes posted to the Wales Foundation website — especially the one by his son, Tom Jr. — bring me to the verge of tears. I believe with all my heart that Tom Wales was a man worth remembering and honoring.
The 6th annual Cougar Mountain Trail Run Series will include a 5-mile race on May 17th, a 7-miler on June 14th, a 10-miler on July 12th, and a 13-miler on August 9th. A huge fraction of the entry fees will benefit the King County Parks, and anything left over after expenses have been paid will go to the Seattle Running Club, of which I am a member.
July 26th is the date of the 16th annual White River 50-Miler. This race, which benefits the Seattle Running Club as well, is suited to slow pokes and elite runners alike, with an early start option, copious and unambiguous course markings, challenging climbs and descents, fun-loving aid station captains, good competition up front, a hearty post-race barbecue, and generous prize money.
I myself plan to do White River and may use some of the Cougar Mountain races as tune-ups for that. And I’ll probably volunteer at the Cougar Mountain races I don’t run, since volunteers are always appreciated. Perhaps I’ll see some of you out there!
My Track Record 
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