Runners have always felt a sense of community and show it by the way they greet each other and compete. Many agree that this recognition of being part of something special makes it more fun to run. Local Portland runner Aaron Montaglione took that one step farther when he created the Southeast Summer Scamper & Sunshine Music Festival for his Laruelhurst neighborhood.
"I work with a lot of kids, and I love to run, and I love music," said Montaglione. "So I wanted to combine the three and try to hold something in the neighborhood where I live and have it be a celebration of the culture that is here in southeast Portland."
Using scenic Laruelhurst Park on Portland's east side, Montaglione directed the first Summer Scamper on July 28, 2002. It combined a 5k run and walk on a course that circled this urban green space with a music festival featuring six bands and some decent local microbrew. The run kicked off the festival and people were encouraged to bring a lunch and stay afterwards to enjoy the music which included blues, folk, rock and jazz.
Montaglione has a lot of friends in this neighborhood and used his community connections to bring this event together. He hit on his friend Neil Leeborg of the Goodfoot Pub and Lounge for the beer.
"I was going to run it because I liked the exercise. It's my park and I know Aaron," said Leeborg. "Oddly enough I got roped into it because I have a pub doing the alcohol for the event. It came down to about ten days before the event, and he still needed somebody, and I figured I was going to be here anyways. Aaron comes to the pub all the time to listen to music. It just seemed like a natural thing for him to do."
Sherrie Austin, who said she lived right down the street, agreed that the festival was a good idea. "Yeah certainly, and the music in particular because it's unique to pair it with running," she said. "What's better than running a 5k and going to have a beer and listen to some tunes?"
"It's a wonderful park and it seems like a great cause," said Austin. "It's big; a wonderful place to run, lots of trees so lots of shade to keep you cool when you're running."
Joe Kaliszewski was another local who liked the idea. "I live near here. It's beautiful, it's shady, I like the trees," he said. "And it's flat."
Michael Russell came from Gresham to, "---check this park out and do a little running."
"The whole thing is a neat package," said Russel. "I like the beautiful setting and having a lot of nice cultural things here at the same time."
For Haley Kunik, originally from Michigan but most recently from Beaverton, it was only her second race ever.
"I'm in Portland on an internship with Nike. They do an internship program for students across the nation'" said Kunik. "I've never actually done any races before; I started when I got out here. I do it for fun so I expect to beat my last time and have a good time."
Ken Ogden came up from Salem to do the race and was more interested in just running. He said he is strictly a road racer and did ten races this month. He added that he and his running buddies do about 200 races a year including track and field.
"This is a fast 5k for us," he said afterwards
In the end, the race was won by local runner Joe Dudman in a time of 15:36. Portland's Jason Effmann came in second with a time of 15:40 and Kevin Paulk, also from Portland, finished third in 16:17.
"I haven't run much here, but I've always thought it would be a good place for a race," Dudman said. " It's so close to my house and a nice setting for a run."
Karen Scholte of Beaverton led the women, finishing with a time of 18:11. She was chased by Portland's Nicole Ricci with a time of 18:13 and Monica DeVreese in 18:16.
"We had three of us running together for a good while," said Scholte. "We really stuck together; it was kind of nice. They pushed me today."
She laughed when asked about the course and said, "Undulating, it was up and down all the way." She appreciated all the trees in the park. " Nice to be in the shade in the middle of the summer."
Race Director Montaglione said he was very happy with the way things went and said, "I will be back next year with a better and bigger course."
Asked what stood out in his mind about the run, he said, "Just the way everyone came together and helped out. Lots of volunteers are my friends and they've gotten up bright and early on their weekend to come out here and helped set up fencing, and helped get everything together. This is a big undertaking, it's not just a 5k run and walk, it's a lot of other things that come into it to coordinate it. I'm very happy with everybody."
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