The Best Smelling Race in Portland
by Walt Amacher for
ontherunevents.com
Take a typical 5k-running/walking event and schedule it on the Fourth of July. Add over a thousand athletes and a waterfront blues festival, complete with great fireworks and beer. Mix that with a worthy cause: finding a cure for Multiple Sclerosis. Then give out samples of the number one men's and women's fragrance in America and pretty soon you have one honkin'-good, sweet-smelling event. That's what people got with the tommy's american 5k at Portland's Waterfront Park this year. It was a great time in more ways than one according to Jeff Budil and his wife DJ.
" My goal is pretty much just finishing, because I've had a burger and a couple of beers," said Budil of Gresham, Oregon. "We've been listening to the Blues music down here at the Waterfront. There's too much going on here to pass it up. I'm going to have a fun day."
And it was a fun day at the second annual tommy American 5k. The Tommy Hilfiger fragrance division started this series of thirteen events across the country last year to promote their line of sweet-smelling scents, "Tommy" and "Tommy Girl." For Company Founder Tommy Hilfiger, however, the race had a deeper meaning and hit a very personal chord.
"This is actually done because Tommy Hilfiger's sister had Multiple Sclerosis," said Hilfiger representative Mary Stephens. "Tommy, together with MS, puts on this race; we're here with Tommy to help raise money for MS."
"The whole series benefits the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, and each local chapter has gotten more involved this year," added Desiree Hamilton of Hamilton Events, the event management company directing the race. "One-hundred percent of the money pledged to MS goes to the local chapter."
Good friends Sharon Hanson and Maria Waits, both of Portland, Oregon, knew a fun time when they saw it and said they came down to attend the Blues Festival, to run, and to spend time with friends. They were all smiles as they watched the kids run and waited for the start of the 5k.
The kids fun run preceded the 5k, with an energetic group of kids of all ages toeing the start line, some with equally energetic adults chaperoning them. Kids runs are always fun to watch since
children aren't as self-conscious about showing their excitement as most adults are, and smiles and painted faces were the order of the day. 13-year old David Johnson from Portland won the children's race. He handily outpaced all the other kids and proved to be a kid of few words afterwards, saying that the race, "---was OK."
Being the Fourth of July and all, I was curious to see if people felt that participating in a running/walking event was a patriotic thing to do. I asked several participants what they thought about that, and two sisters that helped me answer the question were Shelly Wilcoxen of Clackamas, Oregon, and her sister Angie Eaton from Sherwood.
"I'm here to run the race with my sister and my husband, and to celebrate the Fourth of July," said Wilcoxen. "I think [being patriotic] is trying to live a healthy life. We live in America where we're free, where people fought for us to be free, and so we should do our best to make sure we're are healthy and successful I guess."
Eaton added that for her being patriotic means to have a good life, feel free, and to be healthy with a good quality of life. She also thought the race was great because of its benefit for Multiple Sclerosis.
For John Ellis of Houston, Texas, it was a chance to stretch his legs while visiting the kids and grandkid in the Rose City. "I think just getting together with other people on the fourth is good for everyone," said Ellis. "It's good for your health as well as celebrating independence that we can do that."
"The Constitution talks about life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness," said John's wife Esther. "We run because we enjoy it. Running is our life."
Although most people came simply to have fun, there was good competition among both the men and women for the top spots. Portland's Michael Bilyeu crossed the finish line first in the 5k with a time of 14:37. Jason Finch from Clackamas finished second (14:57), and John Dimoff, just back from competing in the Olympic Trials, finished third in 15:03.
Rebecca Moore, from New Zealand but currently living in Corvallis, placed first for the women in a time of 17:37. Portland's Karen Scholte Arce came in second with a time of 18:09, and Christina Werther from Vancouver, Washington, crossed third in 18:50.
Tommy Hilfiger hosted a great event and left Portland a better smelling place. Now wouldn't it be wonderful if Odor-Eaters started sponsoring events in Portland and giving out samples as well.
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Special thanks to Walt Amacher for
providing this great article to ontherunevents.com
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