On Your Marks, Get Set, Go! 5 Races to Get You Up and Running This Weekend
Despite the rain, Portland is ready for action this weekend with five amazing 5K events scheduled throughout the city.
Whether you’re a first-time racer looking to brighten up your Saturday or an experienced runner interested in giving back to the community, you’ll find an extraordinary event perfect for you this weekend.
1. Regatta Run, Saturday, 9 a.m.
The sixth annual Regatta Run/Walk is held each year in conjunction with Tualatin’s famous West Coast Giant Pumpkin Regatta races. The family-friendly 5K event honors 2005 Tualatin High School graduate Cpl. Matthew Lembke, who lost his life serving in Afghanistan in 2009. To remember him, friends and family set up the Cpl. Matthew Lembke Memorial Scholarship Fund, which has given more than $70,000 in college scholarships to Tualatin High School seniors over the past five years. Registration for the Regatta Run is $32 and can be completed online or at the event starting at 7:30 a.m., with 100% of the proceeds going toward the scholarship fund. Saturday’s race is slated to start and finish at Tualatin Community Park, following a route that takes participants north to Cook Park and then back along the same path.
2. Color Vibe 5K, Saturday, 9 a.m.
This colorful event is more about the fun than the run, making it hugely popular amongst families, groups and novice racers. Participants can expect to be blasted with bright neon dust in every shade of the rainbow by professional color throwers as well as fellow racers as they follow the 5K course through the Washington County Fair Complex in Hillsboro. Color Vibe is a national event company that organizes races like this one in cities across the U.S. Though their 5K races come with a steep price tag—about $45 per person—they promise to never disappoint. Portland’s Color Vibe racers will be entertained by DJs while passing through four major color zones before reaching a dance party and color throw at the finish line. As an added bonus, Color Vibe is offering free admission for children 12 and under for this year’s radiant race. Registration is still open and can be completed online through the day of the event.
3. OHSU Harvest Hustle, Sunday, 8:30 a.m.
The Harvest Hustle, put on by the Institute on Development & Disability at OHSU, is a great annual event that combines charity, activity and entertainment. Participants, who will race in a kids’ dash, 1K or 5K, are encouraged to wear Halloween costumes. Races will kick off with the kids’ dash at 8:45 on Sunday morning, followed by the 5K at 9 and the 1K at 9:05. Each course follows a path along the Southwest Portland waterfront, starting and finishing near the Hawthorne Bridge. Registration is open through Thursday, Oct. 16, online as well as from 7:15–8:15 a.m. the day of the event. It costs $30 for adults, $10 for teens 13–17 and $5 for kids 3–12. All proceeds from the event go to a camp for adolescents with autism called Camp Odakoda. Racers can also plan on enjoying the Harvest Festival, which is scheduled for Sunday from 8–11:30 a.m. This fun event features live music, local food, giveaways and more at the World Trade Center Outdoor Plaza in Downtown Portland.
4. Portland $5 5K Race, Sunday, 8:30 a.m.
Since 2012, the City of Portland has been putting on a series of community-focused, family-friendly 5K runs each summer in different parks around the city. This year saw six $5 5K races throughout the summer, beginning in May and running through October. These events are geared toward less-experienced racers as well as families with young children. This Sunday’s event, the final run of 2014, is slated to take place in North Portland’s Pier Park. It features a kids’ fun run, which is for children eight and under and begins at 8:45 a.m., along with the 5K event, scheduled to start at 9. There will be plenty of music, activities and vendors along with a 40-foot rock wall to keep kids busy and active. Registration for the event costs $5 and is open at 8:30 a.m. on Sunday at the park.
5. One Small Step 5K, Sunday, 1 p.m.
One Small Step is a national research and fundraising organization for Prader-Willi Syndrome (PWS), which is a rare genetic disorder. This 5K event was organized in honor of Austin, a young boy who has been diagnosed with the syndrome, and benefits PWS research through the One Small Step organization. The One Small Step 5K is scheduled to start at 1 p.m. in Hillsboro’s Rood Bridge Park. Participants choosing to walk the course will head out a half-hour later at 1:30. So far, teams and racers have raised over $6,300 toward the event’s $10,000 donation goal. Registration is free with a $40 fundraising commitment and can be completed online or at the event. Racers will receive a free T-Shirt along with complimentary snacks and beverages throughout the race.
