Rock N Roll Portland
Finishers: 11,036
May 19, 2012
One of the biggest adventures about the beginning of this race was picking places in the country I had never been before, picking a weekend and a race that worked, and just going. I never had much of a reason to go to Portland, Oregon but I had always heard great things about it. I knew they were very green - literally and environmentally. I knew they loved beer and had a lot of breweries. I knew people liked to ride bikes and you actually get taxed or something for driving your car to work. So I knew I was in for a treat.
I flew into Portland from NYC and the fly in was unbelievable. I had flown over mountains before, but flying into Portland was what I can only imagine it would feel like to fly into Narnia. I don't even really know what that is a reference from but it sounds very green and magical.
I hadn't booked a car or anything (because I'm so green) so I hopped on the light rail and took it the one or two stops down to where my hotel was at the Portland Airport ALoft. I had already plotted out the rest of my trip and I knew I could around every where I needed to go on the lightrail so I booked my hotel based on value.
Once I had gotten settled in my room and put my bags up, I got back on the train and head in to the city towards to expo. Since I was by myself, I sadly didn't do much exploring and this was one of my first solo trips so I wasn't used to being solo adventurous. I went to the expo and picked up my packet and then honestly, did not walk around, and got back on the train up to my hotel.
I regret this and need to go back to Portland.
My hotel was nearby a pizza/pasta place so once it got late enough (so like 4:30pm) I ordered some food and walked to pick it up and then spent the rest of the evening watching movies in bed and resting the legs.
May 20, 2012
It was a little drizzley when I woke up but not cold or anything. I didn't know too much about the timing of the LightRail this early in the morning so I just went ahead and got dressed and made my way outside early so I wouldn't be cutting it too close. I ran into a lot of other runners and as we made our way to each stop, more and more runner boarded the train.
This part is always fun to me because you get to do a lot of eavesdropping about where people are from and what their goals are, etc. I'm sure I dropped the 50 states interesting fact but when you are at #7 no one really takes you seriously.
Once we made our way to the downtown stop, it was sort of a cattle herd to find the start line. We all were just weaving up and down streets looking for any type of direction with the blind leading the blind. I think I finally got a map pulled up on my phone and just verred off to find my way on my own.
At this point I realized I was super early, but at least there.
As intriguing as it can be to read about all of my accounts of putting one foot in front of the other for 13.1 miles, I will spare you the details mainly because I for real don't remember much of this race or the scenery until the last 2-3 miles.
I know at that point it was still raining pretty hard and we had to cross the Steel Bridge and it was really slippery before we started getting towards the finish. This was around Mile 12 so I successfully have forgotten the entire race. I do remember that once we crossed over the bridge, it was a long downhill and then an uphill towards the finish and I was done. Easy peezy!
I got my medal and had a passerby take my photo before heading back to the lightrail to get cleaned up at the hotel.
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| OFFICIAL RACE PIC - 7 down, 43 more to go! #DREAMBIG |
I vow to go back to Portland, Oregon.
7 States Down, 43 more to go!
#DREAMBIG
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