Event 13 was on April 13th (ooooooh!) out in Happy Valley in Clackamas. As is always the case this time of year, the threat of rain was imminent. Fortunately, it held off which made the morning darn near enjoyable, considering that sleeping in on a Saturday for a change was a very appealing idea just an hour and half earlier.
Camp Odakoda is a facility in Falls City, OR - about 45 minutes west of Salem. It is here that they hold Camp Quest, which is for children who have high functioning autism spectrum disorders and Asperger's syndrome. You can learn more about the fine work they do at www.asdoregon.org Our 5k race and the accompanying silent auction was a fundraiser for this camp. A great cause and, looking at the turn out, a successful event.
What made the event super special was that some members of Team Guatemala came out to cheer us on! Our fearless leader, Little Dave, was joined by my brother-in-law Frijole Blanco, Donut Lady, Rasta Phil, and Duncan the Coffee Man. It was great to have them there to support us! It's always good to see the team but to have them get up early on their Saturday says a lot about the camaraderie of our MTI team. However, our efforts to get them to sign up and join us for the run were met with much feet shuffling, taking of 'emergency phone calls', awkward stares and claims of not having the correct shoes. Um... yeah... sure.
After some brief confusion over which event was being run first - the 5k run, the 5k walk or the Kid's Dash - the announcers figured it out and the kid's were up first. Gave us a few extra minutes to stretch and eye the maple bars that Donut Lady brought for the team. Soon enough, we were off, heading out of the parking lot and up the hill from Happy Valley Middle School. The course consisted of rolling hills, quiet residential streets and even a few spectators who cheered from the sidewalks. It reminded us of the Hazel Dell 8k course.
I got slightly ahead of Camera Crew but I always know she is back there, stalking me, waiting to make her move. I try not to look over my shoulder. It's nerve-wracking, really. We made the turn into the final stretch before returning to the school and since it was mostly downhill I let gravity work its magic. It always feels good to change up the stride, even a little bit.
With shouts from Team G, I picked up my pace as I approached the finish line, getting in ahead of 'some guy' who was trying to beat me. Ha, nice try, dude. Camera Crew was, of course, right behind me. A very nice event, a good cause, and great support from my Guatemala teammates. The weekend was off to a great start!
After visiting for a bit, we said our goodbyes and headed to the Arleta Library Bakery and Cafe for food. Since we knew we'd be out that direction for the run, we researched brunch options and came across this place. It looked great and then we found the confirmation of that assumption - the clip from 'Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives' on the Food Network when Guy Fieri paid them a visit. This clinched it and it was well worth the visit. Check 'em out at www.arletalibrary.com Sweet potato biscuits and gravy was da bomb! There is also a link to the YouTube clip of the show on their website, too.
After eats, we headed home, where I sat around the rest of the day psyching myself up/out for Sunday's Event 14: X-Dogs Dirty Duathlon at Hagg Lake.
Oy.
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