Garrett and I ran the Spirit of Oregon again this year in Salem. Organizers added a 10k race, but we stuck with the 5k. Our run started at 7:15 a.m. today at the Capitol building. It was chilly like last year but with fog.

I’ve got mixed feelings about the results. It was the worst run in regard to time that I’ve ever had for this length. On the other hand, we successfully followed our usual self-imposed rules:

1. Don’t finish last.
2. Don’t get hurt.
3. Don’t walk.

Neither of us was particularly disciplined in our training this year, but here’s the thing. I don’t enjoy running unless there is a point. Running races and playing soccer are great. Training runs for those activities are not. I live in south Salem, so any training is on hills. Very little is flat terrain. The treadmill is flat, but running the road and running the machine are two very different propositions in regard to training. Most of the summer I walked the hills and then ran a bit in the fall on the treadmill. I’m sure this had a negative effect on speed.

For some reason we settled into a slower than normal pace for the first mile of the race. Losing time weaving in and out of traffic at the start is expected, but then we held back, and I think that’s where we lost most of our time. Interestingly, our fastest mile was our last. I had more kick at the end and wasn’t as tired as last year.

Here are the official results:

Overall Time – 31:25, Mile Pace – 10:07, Age Division Placing By Sex – 13 / 35, Placing By Overall Sex – 52 / 139, Overall Finish – 102 / 433.

Last year:

Overall Time – 26:26, Mile Pace – 8:31, Age Division Placing By Sex – 11 / 34, Placing By Overall Sex – 53 / 151, Overall Finish – 97 / 450.

I think the slower time, by five minutes, is an aberration, and we’ll approach the race more aggressively next year.

Portland Holiday Half and 5k (2013):

Overall Time – 29:55, Mile Pace – 9:38, Age Division Placing By Sex – 8 / 27, Placing By Overall Sex – 68 / 162, Overall Finish – 157 / 572.

Portland Holiday Half and 5k (2012):

Overall Time – 31:15, Mile Pace – 10:03, Age Division Placing By Sex – 14 / 21, Placing By Overall Sex – 73 / 139, Overall Finish – 140 / 493.

Pictures are for finishers:

Disappointment aside, my mile pace today is still faster than the national average for my age group, and it’s not a bad result. It’s just not my best. We’ll blow that up next year!

It’s been five years since I last ran a road race. I got tired of training runs and waking up before sunrise to participate in Portland events that were 40 minutes from the suburb where I lived. With the recent move to Salem, I found a new event last spring that looked to be fun — the Spirit of Oregon Half Marathon and 5k. The race was intriguing for a few reasons. It was an inaugural run, and it started and ended at the Oregon Capitol. Unique! It was in fall, rather than winter. It was also an opportunity to embrace the town I was unsure of moving to. My friend, Garrett, who had run in previous races with me, was interested. He also thought it would be cool to be part of something new. We both signed up in May.

The good news is that the commute to the race was quick. I still had to train, though. While I spent time running at our old neighborhood in Wilsonville, I did the bulk of my training in Salem. That’s when I started questioning my sanity. The new home is in south Salem, which is all hills, and our house sits at the top of a steep one. That’s how my runs ended each night, complemented by the requisite gasping and cursing on the final stretch. I was able to keep a decent 10-minute mile pace, which was on par with what I’d done in the past. I just felt 20 years older with the hills and slopes everywhere in my path.

Race day finally arrived October 7. The morning was chilly and the terrain mostly flat. We ran from the Capitol building, through Willamette University, and to Bush’s Pasture Park before turning around. It was the best I’ve ever felt running a race, and my personal stats are indicative of the hill training that I loathed being really helpful:

Overall Time – 26:26, Mile Pace – 8:31, Age Division Placing By Sex – 11 / 34, Placing By Overall Sex – 53 / 151, Overall Finish – 97 / 450.

Last 5k in 2013:

Overall Time – 29:55, Mile Pace – 9:38, Age Division Placing By Sex – 8 / 27, Placing By Overall Sex – 68 / 162, Overall Finish – 157 / 572.

First 5k in 2012:

Overall Time – 31:15, Mile Pace – 10:03, Age Division Placing By Sex – 14 / 21, Placing By Overall Sex – 73 / 139, Overall Finish – 140 / 493.

I don’t know how realistic it is to expect times to continue improving the older I get, but I’ll take it this year. Adrenaline surely helps. Also what I’ll take — no soreness today.

A couple pictures:

It sounds like the race is coming back in 2019. Garrett and I plan to be there! In the meantime, I’ll be on the hills in south Salem. It has kept me in great shape for soccer.