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Willamette Valley Road Runners (WVRR)
www.WVRoadrunners.org.

"First Half" Half
Sunday, Feb. 8, 2004
by Judy Martin

 

After the pleasures of sharing long—and longer—runs—and the phenomenal New York City Marathon, Kathy and Steve Sansone and I decided to quickly target another race so that we wouldn’t lose our training momentum.

The "First Half" Half is a race the Sansones have applauded in this newsletter. It’s a very scenic 13.1-mile route almost entirely on the Seawall along English Bay, past Stanley Park’s Hidden Lagoon and back again. The course is well marked, at every mile and at the halfway point.

Since Vancouver, B.C. cast its spell on us over 30 years ago, my husband, Bob, and I enthusiastically agreed to join the Sansones for a mini-vacation. The British Economist Group recently named Vancouver "the world’s most livable city" (tied Melbourne and Vienna!). Vancouver (along with Whistler) will host the 2010 Winter Olympics.

Next time you want to get an "urban fix," head to Vancouver. Throughout the city, you’ll find dozens of restaurants of all ethnicities. Residences—condos, apartments and houses—are mixed in with sparkling new high-rise offices, retail & service shops, fresh produce markets, grocery stores and hotels.

Parks range in size from old-growth forest to half-a-block. "First Half" Half participants run the perimeter of beautiful Stanley Park, Vancouver’s version of Central Park. The Seawall that is the route of the "First Half" Half invites pedestrians and bikers to wander along the city’s perimeter to gaze at mountains across sparkling water, the bald eagles soaring overhead, the ships anchored in the bay, the beautiful city skyline…. Runners have to keep reminding themselves to watch the path and not gawk at the scenery too much!

A reunion with Kathy’s sister, Nancy McLaran, and her husband, Brian, enriched the "First Half" Half experience. Those who know Nancy from Hood to Coast, Rainier to Pacific, Civil War or other races won’t be surprised that she and Kathy cruised through this race, as did Nancy’s daughter, Lindsay, who came in 3^rd woman overall!

The "First Half" Half is an event to put on your "must do" list if you enjoy this distance. Register a couple of months early, as registration is capped at 2000. The Sansones and I agree that a half marathon is wonderfully easier on our joints and our schedules than a full marathon, and a lot more fun to train for! Yet, it provides a challenge beyond the 10K and a terrific feeling of accomplishment.

Several half marathons are held in the coming months. Maybe you’ll see one on the calendar that entices you to try 13.1 miles, or one that fits your marathon timetable.