Race for the Roses Pre-Race Update

Race for the Roses looms around the corner, this Sunday in fact! This half marathon covers a solid chunk of beautiful downtown Portland, its waterfront, and two bridges along the way. And 91 cents of every dollar from each participant's entry fee goes directly to the Albertina Kerr Center, an organization dedicated to helping adults with developmental disabilities, among other things. The race holds special significance for me, as it was the first half that I ran with more than just an intention of finishing. That was three years ago now, and I'm excited to know that I'm coming back as a much better and wiser runner than I was then. My lovely girlfriend Tara is making the trip from Spokane to run the half as well! Though not new at all to distance running, it will be Tara's first official half. I have run quite a bit with her, everything from short and easy to long as fast, and she is in great form (though she will drop dead before admitting to such). She'll definitely be surprising herself quite a bit with this race; let's just say my time from 2008's race will be in jeopardy, and I would love to see it go down. My good friends Joe and Laura will also be running. Laura ran her first ever half last year at this very same race, which I had the pleasure of watching. With more miles and experience this year, she'll no doubt improve on last year's showing. Joe has recently picked up the training; after running with him a week ago, it's clear that his time from last year will be shattered on Sunday. Much thanks to Joe, as I might not ever have wandered into the realm of distance running if it weren't for him. Good luck to all, happy running! Danny