After completing the Crater Lake Rim Run, I headed north 4 hours through Eugene, Portland, then finally Columbia River Gorge to a small town called Cascade Locks where The 4th Annual Bridge of the Gods half marathon, 10k, and 5k would take place.
CAMP
What makes this race unique is they allow you to camp at the finish line the night before in a location on the Columbia River that you usually cannot camp. Its called Thunder Island and its perfect! A small strip of land that takes you away from the small town, but has a plenty of space to pop a tent, hang a hammock, visit the local Thunder Island Brewery. Porta potties are provided (but the marina has flush toilets and running water). Across the street are showers provided by Cascades Elementary. This was a first come first serve service with numbered sites, but you really couldn’t pick a bad spot as its all surrounded by water. They provided wagons to haul your camping gear. An $8 donation pancake breakfast was available at the elementary.
After a quick visit to the local brewery, I decided to spend the evening resting in my hammock on the river. It was so peaceful and the perfect recovery that I needed after the Crater Lake half marathon. I then suddenly saw something that kept coming out of the water. After a talk with some locals, comes to find out I just witnessed my first sturgeon! To top off the evening, watching the ships and trains pass by, I look up at the mountain and see a heart, plain as day, right there. My heart was so happy being here in Oregon! This Oregon trip was a bit chaotic planning because of the wildfires, and then scrambling and deciding to run TWO half marathons, but it was all worth it! Oregon is such an amazing state and so vastly different in every corner of it! There is still so much more to explore. I can not wait to come back!
What makes this race unique is they allow you to camp at the finish line the night before in a location on the Columbia River that you usually cannot camp. Its called Thunder Island and its perfect! A small strip of land that takes you away from the small town, but has a plenty of space to pop a tent, hang a hammock, visit the local Thunder Island Brewery. Porta potties are provided (but the marina has flush toilets and running water). Across the street are showers provided by Cascades Elementary. This was a first come first serve service with numbered sites, but you really couldn’t pick a bad spot as its all surrounded by water. They provided wagons to haul your camping gear. An $8 donation pancake breakfast was available at the elementary.
After a quick visit to the local brewery, I decided to spend the evening resting in my hammock on the river. It was so peaceful and the perfect recovery that I needed after the Crater Lake half marathon. I then suddenly saw something that kept coming out of the water. After a talk with some locals, comes to find out I just witnessed my first sturgeon! To top off the evening, watching the ships and trains pass by, I look up at the mountain and see a heart, plain as day, right there. My heart was so happy being here in Oregon! This Oregon trip was a bit chaotic planning because of the wildfires, and then scrambling and deciding to run TWO half marathons, but it was all worth it! Oregon is such an amazing state and so vastly different in every corner of it! There is still so much more to explore. I can not wait to come back!
COURSE
This is an out and back paved hilly course with a 1,700 elevation gain that starts on the Washington side of The Bridge of the Gods. After running the steel bridge back to Oregon, the scenic course heads straight along a beautifully wooded path next to the Columbia River. If hills aren't enough of a challenge for you, don't worry, there's a three leveled set of stairs to tackle! But make sure to save your energy, because those inclines are a doozy on the way back!
SHUTTLES
There are multiple scheduled shuttles to take you over the otherwise toll bridge. To convince people to take the earlier shuttles, they gave you a ticket to put into a raffle. The earlier the bus you took, the more raffle items you could win. Great idea, however quite a fail on execution, as no one took our tickets on the bus (I had to track someone down later and hoped they did enter it) and then at the Finish the speaker system was not loud enough to hear them call the winners and they only did one winner every 5 minutes or so. And with people still running, how did you officially know if you won?
It was a cool and drizzly morning. It had rained around 3am, but didnt last long. There was a threat of rain all morning, but we got lucky as it ended on the 2nd half.
Unorganized lines were a little long for porta potties.
Thankfully there were big trees to stand under to stay dry as we waited, and they also handed out ponchos.
Granola bars and bananas were also provided as we waited.
A gear check was available for them to take your warm up clothes to the Finish.
There was no official line up nor pacers, so it was a little chaotic getting over the steel, wet bridge. Almost everyone was walking the grates or stopping and taking pictures.
I taped my legs and covered them in Biofreeze, mostly as a precaution. I actually woke up feeling pretty good going into the race. I started off super slow to warm up in the cold rain, I didnt want my already tired legs from the day before to get a cramp. I had my GymBoss Pacer on 1x45, but it quickly died after getting wet. So I just ran by feel and that was good enough for me. Not really paying attention to the course map before running, I was so surprised how intense the hills were on this course as well. "Oh Brother, what did I get myself into?" I thought. But I quickly learned to appreciate the course. As I just kept reminding myself this was my 'survival race' (just get it done), I was in absolute awe of the beauty of the moss covered rainforest like woods we were running through. Berries and wildflowers lined the path the entire way, opening up to water views every now and again. It wasn't until about M9 where I really started to crash when the hills were intense. I was mentally and physically drained. But I just reminded myself of what I just did yesterday at Crater Rim Run and that I was about to finish TWO of the hardest road races I have ever done back to back! And then State #31 would be officially Done x2!!
FUEL STATIONS
I was giddy as a school girl when I came upon the first aid station and it had cups of gummie bears! I didnt realize my body was in such need of sugar! The stations also had water, gatorade, GU at about all of them, first aid (that also had vaseline as my legs were chapping pretty bad)
SPECTATORS
Again, this is a course that does not really have spectators, but someone had a really awesome friend and plastered posters probably about one every mile with the funniest motivation I have ever seen. By the end of the race, every single one of us wanted to know who Amy was (well, I wanted to know who her friend was! lol) because we were ALL motivated and entertained because of it!
FINISH
They provided an awesome warm meal at the Finish with chicken, rice, pasta, salad, bread, cookies, one local Thunder Island Brewery beer, and the vendors were passing out granola bars.
Unfortunately they failed to advise the gear bag area was on the other side of the locks and if you already grabbed your beer on the way there, you could not go until your beer was done. There I was mentally and physically exhausted, cold, wet, a plate full of food in one hand and a full beer in the other, and all I wanted was my warm jacket so I could enjoy everything. Being told once that I couldn't get my gear with a beer in hand, I headed over to sit by the water, where I was told again by someone else we couldn't go over there either. They told me to leave it with someone and that is when I broke down and said "I do not know anyone!" Uncontrollable tears came as I sat myself down at the Finish line to watch the runners come in. This race was much harder than I anticipated and I was just overly emotional that this Florida gal just tackled both high elevation races and with respectful times.... and my body still felt great! Tired, but great. It all came rushing to me that in a month and half I will then need to do a third day and another 19 miles at the Trailfest in Utah. As I was crying a couple of ladies came up to me to ask me about my back bib with all the states I've visited. Of course I had to explain to her why I was crying and thankfully they watched my stuff as I ran to get my warm clothes. I then got to tell them all about The Donna, my half marathon a month mission, and the 50 states goal. They were completely amazed and motivated to travel and race themselves! After they left I finally got to enjoy my (no longer warm) food and beer and relish in what I just did and cheer on the rest of the runners.
Unfortunately they failed to advise the gear bag area was on the other side of the locks and if you already grabbed your beer on the way there, you could not go until your beer was done. There I was mentally and physically exhausted, cold, wet, a plate full of food in one hand and a full beer in the other, and all I wanted was my warm jacket so I could enjoy everything. Being told once that I couldn't get my gear with a beer in hand, I headed over to sit by the water, where I was told again by someone else we couldn't go over there either. They told me to leave it with someone and that is when I broke down and said "I do not know anyone!" Uncontrollable tears came as I sat myself down at the Finish line to watch the runners come in. This race was much harder than I anticipated and I was just overly emotional that this Florida gal just tackled both high elevation races and with respectful times.... and my body still felt great! Tired, but great. It all came rushing to me that in a month and half I will then need to do a third day and another 19 miles at the Trailfest in Utah. As I was crying a couple of ladies came up to me to ask me about my back bib with all the states I've visited. Of course I had to explain to her why I was crying and thankfully they watched my stuff as I ran to get my warm clothes. I then got to tell them all about The Donna, my half marathon a month mission, and the 50 states goal. They were completely amazed and motivated to travel and race themselves! After they left I finally got to enjoy my (no longer warm) food and beer and relish in what I just did and cheer on the rest of the runners.
SHIRT
The gender specific shirt is great with front and back logo and no sponsor graphics.
MEDAL
I love this medal with the stained glass!
PHOTOS
Only a handful of complimentary photos were taken and posted on Facebook and their website
OVERALL THOUGHTS
Although I wasn't expecting to run this race and only came upon it the week before as a backup in case the Crater Lake Rim Run cancelled, I truly am glad that I participated. The course is pretty amazing despite it being much harder than I thought. Camping at the Finish Line only added to the beauty of the entire experience. Eat, sleep, run, play in the Columbia River Gorge of Oregon and you wont regret it! 
MEDAL
I love this medal with the stained glass!
PHOTOS
Only a handful of complimentary photos were taken and posted on Facebook and their website
OVERALL THOUGHTS
OREGON'S COLUMBIA RIVER GORGE MUST DO
 |
| MULTNOMAH FALLS |
 |
| WAHKEENA FALLS |
 |
| VISTA HOUSE |
 | ||
HOOD RIVER
|
13.1-2:40
State #31
HM#77
Pink Feet's half marathon calendar runs from March to February with the final race being the full marathon at The DONNA Marathon! I am on Year 7 of a 10 year mission to complete the 50 states while also running a half marathon a month; all to help spread the word of breast cancer prevention, early detection, and living a healthy lifestyle including running and walking. My goal is to raise $100,000 for breast cancer charities. Current donations are going to The DONNA Marathon whose beneficiaries are The Mayo Clinic and Donna Foundation.
