Rock on, in Portland

I've completed a race in my 14th state with the Rock N Roll Portland in Portland, Oregon.
What a great trip it turned out to be, and it almost didn't happen.
My running buddy Jessica had signed up for the half marathon earlier this year, planning to go run the race while her husband and children visited friends there. She asked if I wanted to go, but I had planned to run a half marathon in Kansas in late April and then do the Komen 5K in Las Vegas. I just couldn't do another half marathon that soon, and I couldn't afford another trip that soon.
But when the Kansas trip didn't pan out, I realized I could do the Portland race and trip.
We flew in on May 15 for a four day stay.
Downtown Portland is a great area for a pedestrian. We took the light rail train from the airport and never needed to rent a car the whole time we were there.
Our first full day on May 16 we went to the expo to pick up our race numbers, did a little shopping, and then did a really fun urban winery tour via PediCab, sort of like a rickshaw. To get there, we crossed the Hawthorne Bridge, which has a pedestrian and bike path on each side. It also has this warning:

So people with hair can't cross?

 Once a copy editor, always a copy editor!

Crossing the Hawthorne Bridge

Jessica on the PediCab with driver Matt

Our first stop was Clay Pigeon Winery, where I had the red flight as my tasting. Jessica had it, too, and I really enjoyed two of them. The middle one, the reserve, wasn't my favorite.

Trying the red flight

What I had

 Our second stop was Enso, where I tried the whites and rose flights. In hindsight, I wish I'd gotten the red flight like Jessica did. I wasn't as wild about my flights..

Inside Enso winery

The white/rose flights

What I had

We decided to buy another appetizer and a bottle while we waited for Matt

 Matt had to start a brewery tour, so he left us for a little bit, but as you can see from the photo above, we found something to kill the time. :D

Me in the PediCab with driver Matt

The final stop on the tour was Vie de Boheme. There, Jessica and I both had the red flight and we ordered another appetizer.

More eats!

At the end of the tour

All I can say is I am so glad we did the tour Friday and not Saturday, the night before the race, and I am glad neither one of us was driving! The walk back across the bridge helped walk off some of that wine.

Saturday we visited a farmer's market, an arts market and visited Powell Book Store in downtown Portland. That night was quiet, as we tried to get ready for the race the next morning.

Now, let me say, as you can see from the photos, we had BEAUTIFUL weather in Portland Thursday through Saturday. But Sunday was a different matter.

As Jessica and I said, it wouldn't be a half marathon for either of us if it wasn't raining!

Jessica is ready for rain

Rain soaked starting line

Nearly ready to run

Thankfully, the rain stopped during the middle distances, so it wasn't horrible for the whole route, as it was during the Country Music Half Marathon in Nashville in 2013.

The course was fairly picturesque, too.

Iconic Portland Oregon sign

Across the Hawthorne Bridge, note the carpet over the steel grating

The carpeting over the steel grating of the Hawthorne Bridge was great. Kept me from thinking about that bad fall I had in Jacksonville into the steel grating of the Main Street Bridge. Wish all races could do this!

Alas, the rain did not hold off at the end, and began coming down harder right as I was coming back over the Steel Bridge, probably the final two miles. But, I got across the finish line!!

Finisher!

  

Finishers!

 Jessica and I were a little slower to walk back to the hotel after the race, but it allowed us to notice, again, some of the public art all around Portland.

Portland stag

 And look at these cute public water fountains! These were near City Hall, but really they are all around the city.

public water fountains

Once we were cleaned up, we found a really nice little pizza place called Hot Lips Pizza near our hotel, and thankfully, it sold wine by the bottle -- and good wine, too!!

How every race should end, with a nice pinot noir!

Really good wine, and at a pizza place, no less!

Rock N Roll Portland finisher's medal

I will consider this one of my wonderful trips, and it just happened to be part of a race. It was a wonderful way to pick up state No. 14.

Old race, new course

For the first time in several years, I ran the Komen Race for the Cure in Atlanta.
I had run the race for several years, but then a couple other races, like the Komen Race for the Cure in Chicago, conflicted with the Atlanta race.
This year, the race was in a new location at Lenox Square in Buckhead and had a new course, probably a little more challenging than the previous course at Atlantic Station in Midtown.
The one good thing for me about the new course was it was right across the street from my office building, and I parked there, rather than park far away.
It worked out for the building's security guard, too, because she forgot her key card to get in and I was there to let her into the building! :)
I only saw two friends at the race this year, which was a bit disappointing; although another friend said she saw me, and tried to catch my attention, but didn't.

Meeting up with friends 

Lovely Lisa

 Not a bad race today, and really kind of a tune up for what is next -- The Rock N Roll Portland Half Marathon!

Running the Lucky 13th

I've completed a race in my 13th state, and all I can say is Vegas, Baby, Vegas!
I did the Komen Race for the Cure in Las Vegas with my friend Susan, and Nevada is officially crossed off the list.
We stayed at The Golden Nugget hotel in the old downtown area of Las Vegas, not on the strip.
The hotel itself isn't that great, but it has a cool pool area, including a shark tank and a water slide that lets you slide through the middle of the tank. We certainly did that!

You can just see the tube from the water slide through the shark tank

The race was on a Saturday morning, so on Friday morning we toured the Hoover Dam. That was really interesting.

On the dam tour

Our tour guide was funny. He kept referring to the "dam tour" and he was our "dam guide." All silly and fun.
I didn't realize the Hoover Dam separates Nevada from Arizona, so we walked over to say we've been in both states on this trip.

A foot in each state!

Since we didn't have a car, we walked all over the Las Vegas area near our hotel, and even figured out the public bus system to get to the strip and see some of the lavish casinos and hotels.

Along the strip

Strip at night

Saturday morning all we had to do was walk out of the hotel and we were right at the race area. That was really nice.

Me and Susan

Just before the race start

Getting started

Susan along the walk

The Stratosphere in the background

Fiery art at the Container Park near Fremont Street

 The race course wasn't all that interesting, except near the end, as we passed the Container Park, which Susan and I had visited twice before, including once for some good barbecue for Friday's lunch. What we didn't know until Saturday's race, was the praying mantis sculpture art shot fire out of its antennae. Very cool!

Finishing the race right

 When we finished the race we were both hot, so we decided to cool off with a beverage. The photos are deceptive, we actually split this daiquiri -- and it took us a while to actually drink the whole thing. It melted, but we kept putting more ice in it and finally finished it.

How every race should end

Me and the King

It was great to spend time with my friend Susan, but I will say Las Vegas is not the town for me. I'm not a gambler, and Las Vegas really is a one-trick town. If you don't gamble, there really isn't much for one to do.
Still, I'm glad I've completed my 13th state in Nevada -- Lucky 13.

Squeezing out a run

I'm a little behind in the blog again, but I've run some fun races recently.
I'll start with The Big Squeeze 5K, which I ran with my friend Kellie in late April. I've never run this race before. It's a 5K that is part of the Lemonade Days Festival in Dunwoody and takes place entirely in Brook Run Park.
The race was pretty much a double loop through the park and was on a Sunday morning.

Me and Kellie before the race

I had picked Kellie up, and she told me her daughter was singing in the church choir that morning and she was hoping to hear her.
Now remember, I'm the slower runner. I knew Kellie would finish quickly and be waiting on me, and I didn't want her to miss the concert!
At the same time, I didn't think I was having a particularly good race. My legs felt kind of heavy, but I kept pushing myself because I didn't want my running slower be the reason she might miss the concert.
I got toward the finish and saw the time clock. I was running my best 5K in a long while! I came in just under 35 minutes.

Finishing strong!

So I put the squeeze on this race and Kellie made it to church on time to hear the concert. Sweet!