Race: Rotary Harvest Classic 10K
Runner: Laurie Porter
Race Date: 10/05/2019
Location: Longview, WA
Results: https://runsignup.com/Race/Results/81664/#resultSetId-174038;perpage:10
3 Bests – What aspects of the race did you like the most?
It is a beautiful course that starts near downtown Longview, WA. And part of the course goes around Lake Sacajawea which is breathtakingly gorgeous! There were over 40 door prizes given out to random participants. It just so happens that I won one of them and it was a cool University of Washington Huskies basket. Last but not least it is a fast, flat course with only a 28ft. gradual hill.
Not so much – Aspects of the race that didn’t do it for you
There was about a quarter mile stretch in the last mile of the race where you had to leave the road and run on a narrow paved path which only accommodated one to two people across its width. That would not have been such a problem, but this stretch was filled with 5K finishers and some of them were walking. On either side there was thick wet lumpy grass. I had no choice but to run on the grass for that quarter mile. 🙁
Weird factor – What’s the weirdest thing about this race?
The only weird factor was the race was led by a pace car that was a 57 Chevy. Actually, that was kind of cool.
Highlights of your race – What did you do well and enjoy about your race in particular?
The highlight for me was to have a couple people near my ability to race with. One was a teenage boy and the other was a female college student. The girl was with until about 5.5 miles into the race and the teenager was with us until about the 4th mile. I enjoyed being pushed by them.
Lessons for others – Share your pro-tips on the race to help the next runner
What helped me was to do a little research on the course ahead of time so I knew what to expect. I examined the satellite course map to familiarize myself with the major landmarks on the course. This helped me to visualize the course since I was not able to preview the entire course ahead of time. I also was able to do a race simulation workout on a similar course in Battle Ground, WA a couple weeks before.
Lessons you learned that will help you next time around
I think if I had to do it all over again, I would have run the first half a little faster. My first 5K I was averaging 7:20 pace and I was able to cut down my pace to 7:07 pace on the last 5K because my time was 44:51.
Most important course specific knowledge to know about the race
This course is USATF certified so if you are looking for an accurate 5 or 10K course, here it is. The course has mile markers which is nice if you are keeping track of your splits.
Aesthetics – Is it a pretty course?
Most of the course was very beautiful. Especially running around the lake. A beautiful park surrounds the lake and there are gardens, bridges and islands.
Difficulty – Is it a tough course?
This is an easy course. Flat and fast.
Organized and well run – Did it feel like a well-oiled machine or were they flying by the seat of their pants?
This was the 40th anniversary and it was very well managed. It was well monitored and there were volunteers all over the place. I really loved the freshly pressed hot apple cider at the end of the race!
Competition – Is there a strong field?
Not a very strong field, but lots of friendly runners. Apparently it has had its share of strong fields in the past. In 1993 Alberto Salazar raced the 10K and still holds the course record.
Logistics – Does it require a special handshake, registration a year in advance, hotels all booked? Give us the low down on the nuts and bolts of making the race happen.
Not hard to find. I found it on the racecenter.com calendar. Here is a link to the website: https://www.rotaryharvestclassic.org/
Aid Stations – Standard fare or anything special to know about the aid stations in terms of what’s available or when?
There were two aid stations and I am not sure what they offered. I did not need to take in fluid.
Weather and typical race conditions
The weather was perfect! 50 degrees at the start and sunny.
Gear – Did you need anything special or is there anything you’d recommend for the next guy?
I wore a long sleeve technical shirt, but I probably could have raced in a singlet. I also wore shorts and racing flats.
Spectators – Is this a friendly course for your friends?
This is definitely not a spectator friendly course unless you can fly.
How’s the Swag?
You had the option of ordering a t-shirt or pullover and you received a commemorative coaster. Also, over 40 fabulous door prizes were given out to random participants!
The Overall Score – How many stars do you give this race and do you recommend that others run it?
I give it a 4.5. I will race it again.
Laurie Porter is a coach with Team RunRun. To learn more about her or to work with Coach Laurie, check out her coaching page.
