Eugene Kid's Duck Dash

Well here's a first... a race report for a KIDS race!

In 2019 Katura and I registered for all of the 2020 Eugene Marathon weekend races. Well life had other plans. In 2020 and 2021the races were cancelled. Finally, in 2022 we had our change to have our first race together without a stroller!

Katura's race began at 8am right outside of Hayward Field. She was lined up and excited for her first race, a 1K. The plan was to just let her do her thing and I would follow. It was HER race, not mine.

She was a bit hesitant at the start, I think because she had no idea what was actually going on. I tried to encourage her and started showing her how sometimes you need to weave around other people to get an open path. Once she figured that out she was having a blast and on fire!

Let me tell you, she was awesome! There were times I had to work to keep up with her. After the race she said I was holding her back and next year she will do it all on her own without me. **All kids 6 and younger HAD to have an adult with them, as per the race rules.

We got to the entrance of Hayward Field and I could tell she felt the energy. The crowd was roaring and all of the kids were smiling and ramping up their pace. I deliberately stayed pretty far behind because I wanted her to have her own experience. I was just there as her documentarian.

I've got this girl trained without even trying. She didn't want to wear her medal because it was a Duck Dash medal, and not a Beaver Dash medal. She humored me and wore it for one single photo. 

It was pure chaos at that finish line. Kids. Parents. Volunteers. Medals. Water bottles. Goody bags. Too much in one little spot that all had to exit UP the stairs into the grandstands. Then the post-race party... yikes! I left Katura and Shawn to head to the start line for my next race and they tackled the crowds to get some free pancakes and a cowbell.

She had a great time and definitely seems interested in next year's race. I told her as long as she wants to do them, I will happily be there and let her race!