Tracktown USA

It’s official. I am a running nerd.

Last weekend I traveled 2000 miles to run 3.1 miles in Tracktown USA (aka Eugene, OR). Well, okay, I had an ulterior motive: visiting my BFF Laura. And, okay, the original plan was to run 26.2. BUT even if I were to fly halfway across the country JUST to run that 3.1, I have to be honest: it would be worth it.

After feeling slightly disappointed in my performance at the Pig in May, I decided not to let my hard-won spring fitness go to waste, and to run the Eugene Marathon in July. After a few training runs though, it became clear that my body and - maybe even more so - my mind were not quite ready for the high mileage training again, especially in the suddenly stifling hot and humid weather. So I went for plan B: run the half marathon. But sadly, a knee injury in June had me sidelined for a month, so I had to turn to plan C: run the 5K.

Why was I so determined to run in Oregon? The last glorious 0.1 mile stretch is on historic Hayward Field at the University of Oregon. I was not about to turn down an opportunity to run in the footsteps of countless elites and record-setting greats. Hayward field has hosted five Olympic trials and six USATF championships just to name a few among its long list of high-profile events. Needless to say, countless records have been broken on this track. I would be running in the footsteps of Steve Prefontaine, Alberto Salazar, Galen Rupp, Shalane Flanagan... the list goes on and on. And this very same weekend of the race, runners from 212 countries were there in Eugene for the Junior World Championships at Hayward. I was geeking out.

Laura and I went to Eugene on Friday so that I could switch my registration to the 5K and for our first visit to Hayward. Luckily we got there just in time before they closed the field off for the Worlds events that evening, so we were able to go in and see it all set up. We also saw some of the athletes walking around in their country’s warm-ups. It was an exciting time to be in Tracktown J

Saturday morning was race time. I wasn’t planning to actually race the 5K since it would literally be my first run in a month. I just wanted to take it easy, not risk injuring myself again, and most of all, enjoy my surroundings. It marked the long-awaited beginning of my fall marathon training – such a great way to start! The actual start of the race, however, was a little stressful – I didn’t have any pins for my bib, and they didn’t have any available at the starting line. But the crisis was soon averted thanks to some genius thinking by Laura. And my earrings. (Yay engineering!)

You might have noticed in the above picture that there’s a pancake standing at the starting line. The race is sponsored by Krusteaz Pancakes, so each year the pancake runs in the race, and whoever beats him gets a year supply of Pancake mix! Last year only 4 people beat him, but this year 22 runners beat him. Clearly Flap Jack was slacking in his training this year. 

Even though I wasn’t running my fastest, the 3.1 miles flew by. Before I knew it, I was halfway done, and Laura was up ahead taking my picture. 
Hey girl! 

Soon after that I was running through part of the UO campus, which is beautiful by the way. 

And almost too soon – because I was really enjoying this race – I was back at Hayward.

I took a deep breath before passing through the gate. This was it! I stepped onto the track and for a moment I wasn’t an amateur middle-of-the-pack runner. I was racing for a national title! But then I realized that the faster I actually ran, the sooner my glorious moment would be over. So I slowed down a little on the straight-away and enjoyed my final seconds on the track. 

I heard the emcee say my name just as I approached the finish line. My name is now officially a part of Hayward’s history! It was over much too soon, but I was still smiling as I walked off the track. I realized that if I had run the full or half marathon, or even if I had been running my fastest for the 5K, I would not have been able to enjoy those few seconds on the track nearly as much. The end of a race is when you long for the pain to be over, and all you can really savor is crossing the line, not the moments leading up to it.  

So in the end, I wouldn’t have wanted it to work out any other way. I will most likely be back sometime to run the full marathon in Eugene, but I’m so grateful that I had this opportunity to run on Hayward, unencumbered by pain or pressure. For the past month I’ve been angry and frustrated with the sport. After all the time and sweat I’ve dedicated to you, this is how you repay me, with yet another injury? Not to mention the past year of frustration I’ve felt at my inability to get out of my marathon time rut. But running on Hayward, I was able to let that all go. Just when you think the sport hates you, it rewards you with a moment like that. Even though I may struggle with nagging injuries my entire life, and even though I will never be an elite runner, no one will ever be able to take that moment away from me.

Photo credz for all the awesome race pictures go to Laura! Thank you for all of the support, girl!