5ks are Fun

I love to walk and run. I love to be with my friends. I love to be outdoors and enjoy the beauty of nature. When you can combine all three of these elements, I love love love it! I've done four different 5ks since September, each with different friends.

Today's was the Hills for Humanity Trail Run and Hike in Portland, put on by OHSU medical students to raise funds for clinics. It was a surprisingly small event.  Our names were not on the list of about 10 participants, though we had both signed up online. But they added our names to the list and gave us our race bibs anyway! It was a gorgeous day and a beautiful hike with lots of hills. After running the up the first hill until we nearly died, we walked the rest of the way, which had been our plan anyway.

What a treat to spend time with Melody Roth, who was my best friend from junior high through a year at Rosedale Bible Institute in Ohio, and a year in Holland. It broke my heart when we returned from Europe in 1979 and she stayed in Philadelphia with our friend Lisa. I think I cried halfway through the flight across the USA! But she ended up back in Oregon, though Portland seems too far away for us to get together much! She mentioned on a Facebook chat that she'd been thinking it might be fun to do a 5k together, and it didn't take me long to send her a few links to choose from!

The Finish Line!

 Afterwards, we went back to her house where I admired her beautiful landscaping and the metal art sculptures she has made. Then we walked down to a local coffee shop, where I went really wild and crazy and ordered their special:  a Honey Lavendar Latte. The barista promised me if I hated it they would let me choose a different flavor. But I liked it. I especially loved the artful squiggle in the shape of a lavendar sprig on top of the drink, which made it almost too pretty to drink.


The first 5k I did was the Walk for the Cause in Albany in September with my dear friend Candace Trower, and it was so much fun to walk, talk, and see other friends along the way. Someone posted a picture of us on Facebook at the time, but I can't find it or I would share it!

In March, two co-workers Trudi and Cindy joined me in walking the iRun for Kids 5k in Albany. We really enjoyed the walk and talk as well as again seeing lots of other friends.

 Last month I joined some friends and coworkers in the Color Me Rad in Eugene, which we ran together. It's not a timed race, it's all about having fun and getting color bombed along the way. We were the "Blister Sisters" and once again, it was very fun. The course was a lovely paved trail along both sides of the river behind Valley River mall, which I am pleased to learn the existence of. What a convenient place to plan a future day combining two favorite activities:  a shopping trip followed by a nice run or walk along the river!

Now I'm looking forward to walking next month's Iris 5k in Keizer with two different friends. I am so thankful to live in this beautiful place and to be blessed with friends and good health to get out and enjoy it!