Arriving in Track Town: Trees, bikes, and runners

 

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We’re here.  After arriving in Portland Monday evening we drove down to Eugene this morning.  As we pulled off the exit to go and pick up our media credentials, Chris said, “A lot of trees here.”  Indeed there are.  You expect that outside of the city but everywhere within in the city you just see green.

I’m not sure what they have more of here - Trees, bikes, or runners.  While I thought that Portland was “Bike Town USA” and Eugene “Track Town USA”, there are a ton of bikes here as well.  Every bike rack outside the buildings on campus is full to capacity.

We are staying in the dorms with athletes and officials, which is pretty cool (the yellow X on the map is my room)  Chris already saw Shalane Flanagan.  I’ve seen dozens of runners, one skinner than the next.  I think it will be pretty easy to watch what I eat around here.  Every corner I turn there is a reminder of a healthy lifestyle.

My ankle has turned a pretty shade of purple today.  I am walking around better but I’ll need at least one more day before I can run, maybe more.  I took a picture of it to post but then thought better of it.

People have mistaken Chris and myself for athletes competing this weekend.  It happened at credential pickup and it happened at check in.  I was honored but I think it has more to do with their ignorance than what kind of shape the two of us are in.   Still, it was nice for an instant.  We even got a “good luck this weekend”.  Maybe they meant getting interviews.

Last night before we left Portland, Eric made us a nice dinner, roast chicken on the grill with some yams and potatoes, which we followed up with a trip on his sailboat.  The evening was capped off with a trip to a local blue bar for some “old timey” music before we hit the sack.  It’s hard to leave Portland.  Every time I’ve ever been there I get closer to moving there.  This time was no exception.

So the plan is to go and see some of Eugene before the trials start up again.  We’ll hit Pre’s Rock and his trail first as well as get our first glimpse of Hayward Field, which my dorm room is located a mere 200 yards from.  Later today or tomorrow morning we’ll plan out the rest of the weekend with Scott Bush, Jack Pfeifer, and Kim Spir.

UPDATE - WEDNESDAY EVENING

I joined the gym here on campus.  I purchased 5 trips for 15 dollars.  That's pretty good.  It's a huge facility with everything you could want: a pool, weights, a climbing wall, tons of basketball courts, really everything and a lot of it.   Since I couldn't run I swam for 30 minutes and then lifted weights and did some abs.  It felt good to be back in the pool but I had to swim in the lane marked "slow".  A little humbling but I really do struggle in the pool.  

The festival is going on right outside our dorms and an all comers meets is taking place right now at Hayward field, also right outside.  I can't imagine how busy this place is going to be tomorrow.

Food Log
Tuesday July 1st

10am – banana, Mojo Trailmix Bar

1pm – Chicken Burrito (you will see a pattern here)

7pm – roast chicken, yams, zucchini, potatoes – cooked on grill

10pm – a few jalopeno poppers (a weak spot)

Wednesday

9am – some granola while driving

12:30pm – Salad at the café in the dorms.  Baby spinach, raisons, chick peas, tomatoes, salsa fresca, black beans, vin. dressing – ½ yogurt container

4:30pm - a banana before the gym

6:30pm - dinner TBD...

Running Log

Tuesday – took off with sprained ankle, did 100 push ups and some core work instead.  I hate missing some form of cardio

Wednesday – swam 30 minutes, weights 30 minutes

READ THE REST OF TIM FULTON'S BLOG HERE