Along with 32,000 of our closest friends, high school girlfriends Patty May and Seriny Kunz joined me for the 2011 Shamrock Run in Portland, Oregon March 13. Despite being the morning after our first night of Girlfriends’ Weekend, daylight savings with an early wake-up, and drizzly rain, we had a ball!

The three of us participated as part of the Portland Triathlon Club Team, Seriny ran in the 5K Walk, Patty ran in the 5K Run, and I ran in the 15K Run.

Rebecca Hillary brought her pooch all dressed up in a Tri Club running top to hang out in the tent area. He was much more interested in the sirens and lights from Portland Fire Bureau’s Engine 1 heading out of the station than getting his picture taken (note the red glow from the engine lights on his front leg!)

15K Race Route

The 15K (9.3 miles) started on the waterfront of the Willamette River, up town, over Markham Hill and back down. There were some misplaced mile markers along the way, notably Mile 1 and 2, which were not fair at all! I think they had been in place for the 8K race that started prior to the 15K.

Elevation Profile for the Shamrock Run

It’s not an easy route, by any means, gaining 587 feet in elevation over 4.5 miles! You start to climb after the first turn onto Burnside and climb gradually through town and then start the ascent up Marquam Hill via Terwilliger Boulevard around mile two. I walked/ran this three mile section, being hillier than my practice runs had been. The reward was the 4.5 mile down hill run back to the finish line!

I completed the run in 1:45, giving me a 11:30 pace overall. I’m good with that, being that I had stopped all my training for the previous two weeks due to a sinus infection, including one whole week spent in bed. Plus, well, it was Girls Weekend kick off the night before, and I didn’t hydrate or sleep properly…

Seriny and Patty after the race

 After the race comes…Beer! It’s Portland, and all races end with a beer garden, well at least all the races I have participated in, except the Rum Run, that ended with Rum, go figure! We all caught back up at the Triathlon Club tent and made our way to the beer garden, had about a half a glass of beer in the rain and decided we needed food, water, and warmth!

During lunch it was decided that the Shamrock Run will now be an annual tradition for our Spring Girls Weekend from now on! Wow, Girlfriends Rock! It was great to start the running season with great friends and good times!