It’s important to have these opportunities for young and old to test themselves—it gets us back to the root of why we are out there without the obstacles of cost, travel or entry standards. I’m so glad to be healthy and able to test myself with other Rose City teammates. The support and cheering is unmatched!!

I owe a debt of gratitude (and maybe flowers) to Sam Nishi for excellent pacing and wind-blocking, and to Brandt Bergeron for shouting at me to rip the last 200.

The real highlight of the meet, actually, was volunteering as a clerk. I’ve been helping distribute hip numbers to runners for the past few track meets and have gotten to meet a lot of dedicated runners, from middle school students on summer break to aspiring Olympians to athletes in their 70s and 80s.

Sometimes, you just have to bet on yourself. Stay curious. Try something that scares you a little. You might surprise yourself. You might even finish feeling fulfilled and happy. And you might just find another version of yourself out there.

Hearing teammates and friends cheer my name made me feel strong. It really made an otherwise bad day a lot better.

It's really nice to know that even when I'm at a relatively low point in my relationship with running, showing up with an open mind and sharing in the joy of racing with teammates made for a pretty special evening.

This holiday weekend Rose City athletes rose early hoping to beat the heat. From Champoeg Park to Sauvie Island, from the 5k to the half marathon, they earned PRs, podium finishes, age group wins, and great experiences. Some put themselves out there even though they were unsure of how the race would go. Some overcame doubts and challenges during their races. All were happy for the chance to do it beside their friends.

Rose City Track Club of Portland, OR, takes on the Houston Marathon and Half Marathon. Read on for race reflections.