by Walt Amacher

More event photos here!

For many Portland runners and walkers, spring begins with the sound of bagpipes at the Shamrock Run. For 29 years now this popular event has filled the downtown streets with happy runners, walkers and the kilted Clan Macleay Bagpipe Band. With over 10,500 registered this year, it was the biggest yet.

Twenty nine years is a long run for a road race, and there are good reasons for why Shamrock has kept its popularity after nearly three decades. Shamrock has always been a favorite for its Irish tradition and the pageantry of St. Patrick’s Day, as people shamelessly outfit themselves, their children and even their pets with all things green. Then there are the multiple events with a walk, a children's run, and three competitive road races that are capped off with a challenging 15k run through Terwilliger Parkway. Waterfront Park comes alive from sunrise to noon with vendor and sponsor booths as runners and walkers fill the spaces in between. For many though, the hot bowl of clam chowder and the cup of beer in the Widmer beer garden at the finish add that certain savoir-faire that keeps them coming back.

The 3.5-mile Fitness Walk got things going, as walkers quietly fanned out over a 3.5-mile route through the early morning light. One of the happy walkers was Cort Mederios.

"It was really fun. It’s a good route going around the river and Esplanade," he said. "I’d never been over the Steel Bridge so it was a good time." This was his first Shamrock and asked why he did it, he said, "I’ve been taking a PE class at PCC, and the instructor recommended it. A lot of people in my class were doing it." He said he didn’t actually see a lot of his class mates though. He also said he liked the beer garden: "It’s great, Hefeweizen my favorite."

As the walkers' dust cleared, the 5k took charge with a mad dash through the downtown streets. This year's champion, Chris Clancy of Portland, won with a time of 16:04. Following him were Portlanders Jeff Matson at 16:30 and Joe Dudman in 16:32. For the women, Beaverton's Carrie Strickland won with a time of 17:46. Elizabeth Carey, also from Beaverton, came in second in18:20, and Olivia Poblacion of Portland was third with 18:50.

After the 5k cleared the Naito Parkway start area, the kids got their chance with the 1k Leprechaun Lap. It's always fun to see the kids take part in the event, and their parents have as much fun as they do.

Then came the 8k, and the winner was John Mackay, from Eugene. His time was 25:23. Tacoma's Drew Wartenberg was second in 25:37, and Ahrlin Bauman, from Vancouver, Wash., placed third with a time of 25:43.

"This is my first race up here. I’ve run a couple of ones around here in town, but my first time Shamrock," said a happy Mackay after the win. "It was cool to do it. I knew the hills were going to be there, and we were pacing ourselves. Everyone was pushing. You know it’s the first couple of miles in the race, and it really hasn’t started yet. Then from there, it was every man for himself. It was good; it worked out really good."

The women were led by three Portlanders. Ashlee Vincent won the women's 8k in a time of 28:38. Behind her was Lauren Johnson, who came in second with a 29:29. Erin Skourtes rounded out the field with a time of 30:39.

This was Vincent's first competitive road race. “I just graduated from the University of Portland about eight month ago," she said, explaining that she had only participated in college track and cross country events. "It was fun actually. You get a nice long hill between mile one and mile two, and that can take it out of the legs a little bit. But then you get to cruise down at the end."

When an event has been around for a while, people start taking ownership and do funny things. For nine years the Southeast Shamrockers have come dressed to kill in boas, wigs and bandanas, and you'd swear there was something a little stronger than Gatorade in their water bottles. After finishing, they all regrouped and did pushups. "It started out with three guys, and now we’re up to like 50," said ersatz group leader Kickass Faris. He said they were all going to the after party at the Slammer, eighth and SE Stark.

For Elisabeth Cooper in the 55-59 age group it was literally a good time. "I just ran a Shamrock in 44:45 on the clock," said a happy Cooper. "But that includes my minute, twenty at the McDonalds by Portland State. Because at my age group, I have to have a bathroom within 45 minutes. So that’s the asterisk on my time today."

To many, the real Shamrock is the final event of the day, the 15k. The route with its long climb up Broadway and through Terwilliger Parkway to the fast and frantic finish at the waterfront is legendary in Portland's running history and still draws the brave. Starting off the pack were two wheelchairs. Long time athlete Jim Fox of Cloverdale won the wheelchair competition in a time of 62:26.

"I did good, it felt really good, the temperature was nearly perfect, just a little bit of rain, just a mist," said Fox. "I think my time was better than last year by a couple of minutes."

Nicholas Kamakya of Sante Fe, N.M., won the men's title in a time of 44:26. Alene Reta, from New York City, was second in 44:28, and Pete Julian from Boulder, Col., was third with a time of 45:55.

The first woman was Simona Fodor, from Vancouver, Wash., with a time of 53:08. Eugene's Sopagna Eap was second in 54:02, and Chepkoech Mitel, from Santa Fe, NM, was third with 54:19.

“It was not bad," Kamakya said afterwards. He said he had won before but that was in Portugal. "I’m happy."

St. Patrick's Day always comes around in mid-March, so there is plenty of time to prepare for next year's event. If you want to have a little fun and show some green, there will be a bowl of chowder waiting for you at the 2008 Shamrock. See you there.

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