Running In Seattle Update 20160101

Every few years, I look back and wonder, “how did I ever have time to do all those things in the past? I just am not able to fit those activities into my day anymore!”

Somehow, I’ve complicated my life so much, adding stuff which I deem necessary, that I am able to work on fewer and fewer projects.Somehow, I’ve complicated my life so much, adding stuff which I deem necessary, that I am able to work on fewer and fewer projects.

Is it due to cognitive decline brought on by my advancing age? I don’t think so. People do not decline mentally with age. Scientists believe that the brains of older people appear to be slow because they know so much; it just takes them longer to recall facts because they have much more information in their brains. Much like a computer that struggles as the hard drive gets full, so too, do humans take longer to access information when their brains are so full.

So here I am, back in catchup mode again. Do I need a New Year’s Resolution to keep the Run Events Calendar going?

Results Added (from way back in November):
Green Lake Gobble (5K & 10K, GreenLake Park in Seattle, Sunday November 22).
Seattle Marathon (26mi & 13mi, Seattle Center, Sunday November 29).

CALENDAR ADDITIONS:
Resolution Run (5K, Serious About Fitness in Redmond, Sunday January 3).
MLK Weekend Run (Magnuson Series 5K, 10K & 15K, Magnuson Park, Saturday January 16).
No Sun Fun Run (5K, Heritage Recreation Center in Puyallup, Saturday January 30).

 

Running In Seattle Update 20151102

The Pacific Northwest Sports Weekend:

Seattle Beats Dallas. — The NFL Seattle Seahawks beat the Dallas Cowboys Sunday 23-22.  The Seahawks get to .500 while the Cowboys drop to 2-5.

Seattle Beats Dallas — The NASL Seattle Sounders beat FC Dallas Sunday 2-1.  The two sides play again next Sunday to determine who goes to the Western Conference Finals.

University of Washington Huskies rout Arizona Wildcats, beating them up by a final tally of 49-3.

Washington State University Cougars lose to Stanford Cardinal 28-30.  With the clock running and only 15 seconds for the Cougs to get on the field and attempt the game-winning field goal, the shot went wide right.  Other than the loss, it was the Cougs’ best game of the season!

Three wins, one loss.

Back to the calendar, an addition:  the 4th Annual Rogers Reindeer Run to benefit the Rogers High School Performing Arts Music program.

Run Results:
Halloween Run Magnuson Series (5K & 10K, Magnuson Park, Saturday October 31).
Calendar Addition:
Rogers Reindeer Run (5K & 10K, Heritage Rec Center in Puyallup, Saturday December 5).

Running In Seattle Update 20151029

One month to the Seattle Marathon.  I wanted to be farther along in my training, but I did make it through a 7.6 mile walk this week, which is a little more than half the distance of a Half Marathon.  I made it without injury.  A few more walks in the next four weeks ought to do it.  How about you?  Are you ready?  You can register for the Seattle Marathon all the way up to the Saturday after Thanksgiving.  Of course, the fee goes up again after the next cutoff November 17.

Today, I am adding to the calendar:

(1) a brand new run Color Me A Miracle to benefit Children’s Uncompensated Care Fund.  It is a color run, where participants are splattered with paint.

(2) the 15th annual Hopelink Turkey Trot.  This organization provides help to families in crisis.

(3) the 2nd annual CATurkey Trot.  This organization benefits animal rescue groups.

Calendar Additions:
Color Me A Miracle (5K, Seattle University near downtown Seattle, Sunday November 8).
Hopelink Turkey Trot (5K, Marina Park in Kirkland, Sunday November 22).
CATurkey Trot (5K, Fall City — 5 miles north of Snoqualmie, Thursday November 26).

Running In Seattle Update 20151024

When I have a rough or busy week, I don’t get around to posting results or events as often as I should.

Last weekend was a rough one for our local professional sports teams.  That was so depressing that I couldn’t bring myself to do an update.  The Huskies and the Seahawks both lost.  The Cougars did come through with a win.  And tonight, how will the Huskies perform, as 16-point underdogs to Stanford Cardinal?

Day before yesterday, the Seahawks did come through with a Thursday Night Football win over the San Francisco 49ers.  The Hawk defense cashed in with 6 sacks.  But the Seahawks offense gave up 5 sacks of their own, so there’s still a LOT of work to do.

We had a nice time at last Sunday’s Dawg Dash.  Personally, I was able to successfully walk the 5K and had minimal after effects.  The results are posted here today.

Run Results:
Dawg Dash (5K & 10K, Husky Campus at University of Washington, Sunday October 18).

Running In Seattle Update 20151015

No matter how hard I try, I can’t seem to get ALL of the many runs listed for the holiday runs.  Sometimes readers chime in and ask, “Where’s My Run?”

Anyway, I’ve added the 37th annual Fowl Fun Run (a Thanksgiving event at Mt.Vernon), and the Reindeer Romp (a Christmas event at the Redmond Watershed Preserve).

Calendar Additions:
Fowl Fun Run (5K & 10K, Mount Vernon Christian School in Mt. Vernon — 33 miles north of Everett, Saturday November 14).
Reindeer Romp (5mi & 13mi, Redmond Watershed Preserve in Redmond, December 5).

Running In Seattle Update 20151013

Reminder – October 15 is the deadline on registration for several runs – in particular, prices increase for the Seattle Marathon.  Save $10 by registering within the next day or two.

The annual Holiday Run put together by the Arlington Running Club will kick off December’s Christmas events, with registration proceeds going towards the local Toys for Tots chapter.

The 12th annual 12K’s of Christmas holiday run showcases a revised flatter course this year.  The Cross Kirkland Corridor trail is now open, and both the 12K and the 5K will travel on a portion of the trail.

Calendar Additions:

Toys for Tots (5K, Stillaguamish Athletic Club in Arlington — 14 miles north of Everett, Saturday December 5).

Twelve K’s of Christmas (12K & 5K — with a new course, Heritage Park in Kirkland, Sunday December 20).

Running In Seattle Update 20151010

I haven’t provided an update in awhile on my rehabilitation from hip replacement surgery.  I was coming along really well and last wrote on September 23, indicating that my progress was going smoothly.  Then I had a sudden relapse and my condition returned to where it had been about three weeks earlier.

At the same time, I’ve been gaining strength and this morning I participated in the Monster Mash Dash.  I did not do the entire 5K distance, but I walked two miles without trouble.  I’ve got to get in a 2.5 miler within the next few days, as that Husky Dawg Dash I signed up for is just a week away.  If you have not yet registered for that event, you still have an opportunity.  After the big Huskies football win on Thursday, you certainly want to be at Red Square next Sunday to show your support.

Run Results:
MicroSoft 5K (MicroSoft Campus in Redmond, Friday October 2).

Calendar Additions:
Jingle Bell Run (5K, Westlake Center in downtown Seattle, Sunday December 13).
Holiday Fun Run (Magnuson Series 5K, 10K & 15K, Magnuson Park, Saturday December 19).

Running In Seattle Update 20151009

Yesterday, I made note of recurring runs in the Seatle area, Magnuson Series, Fitness for Vitality, Mud & Chocolate.  There are actually many more.  Additionally, some popular running sports stores have weekly get-togethers, usually in the evenings.  Some have monthly runs.  They are all free.  There are too many to list so they are NOT included in the Running Events Calendar.  Check with your favorite sports store to ask about their “training runs.”

    Super Jock’n’Jill Seattle hosts a weekly every Monday evening.
Road Runner Sports in Seattle, first Thursday of every month.
Fleet Feet Sports Seattle, monthly, Thursdays.
West Seattle Runner Tuesdays, Wednesdays; plus Sunday mornings.
Running Elements Bellevue Thursday evenings.
Run26 Mill Creek Mondays and Thursdays.

Obstacle Courses are back in vogue.  Actually, they probably never went away.  Here are a pair of upcoming ones in the area:  The Pineapple Classic always sells out; this year, for its 10th annual edition, the event has moved from its North Bend site to Marymoor Park.  The Spartan Super Obstacle comes to the area for the second time.  The course is 8+ miles, making it a Spartan Super race as opposed to a Spartan Sprint race (3+ miles).  A 13+ mile race is called a Spartan Beast.

Calendar Additions:
Pineapple Classic (5K with obstacles, Marymoor Park in Redmond, Sunday November 8).
Seattle Spartan Super (8+ miles with obstacles, Meadow Wood Ranch in Snohomish, Saturday October 17).

Running In Seattle Update 20151007

If you love running, you probably wish you could participate in as many organized events as you can.  A 5K every weekend, an occasional 10K and a half-marathon.  But as you already are aware, the entry fees add up, over time.  Let’s say you do one 5K every weekend for the average of $35 each.  That’s $1,820 per year.

And if you want to be with the in-crowd at the big events (think Seattle Marathon, Rock’n’Roll Marathon, etc.), you’re probably talking about putting out $3,000 annually.

Did you know that there are some free running events that can help feed your fix?

During the month of November, In Unity We Run remembers the 14th anniversary of 9/11; a $10 donation will help defer expenses and support a local food bank.  The First Call Running Club sponsors a Call of the Wild event throughout the year.  Spiritual master Sri Chinmoy from India founded his organization in 1977 and today it sponsors races throughout the world; in Seattle, there is a free run the first Saturday of every month.

Calendar Additions:
In Unity We Run (26mi & 13mi, Three Friends Fishing Hole in Kent, Saturday November 7).
Sri Chinmoy Seattle2Miler (2mi, Magnuson Park in Seattle, Saturday November 7).
Call Of The Wild (26mi, 13mi & 50K, Sammamish River Trail in Bothell, Saturday November 14).

Running In Seattle Update 20151005

45 years ago, a small group of runners started the Seattle Marathon.  Today, it has grown to be one of the top ten marathon events in the country.

10 years ago, The Ghost of Seattle Marathon event was started by a group of ultra-marathon runners; it is always scheduled to take place the day before the Seattle Marathon.

These are the final marathon runs in the Seattle area for the year.  Both are designed to help participants recover from a too-large meal eaten on Thanksgiving day.  The events are always scheduled to run the weekend after Thanksgiving.

Calendar Additions:
Seattle Marathon (26mi & 13mi, Seattle Center, Sunday November 29).
Ghost of Seattle Marathon (26mi, 13mi & 50K, Mt Baker Park — 3 miles north of Seward Park, Saturday November 28).