Skip to main content

Oregon





 
 
 
I made a trip to Oregon this week and stayed in Eugene a couple of nights--that only means one thing to me--Hayward Field.    I did not get to run on the track this trip, it was only open in the morning the day I had a chance to work out.  I checked the track out in the morning and it was open and busy with runners, but in the afternoon when I returned to do my work out--it was locked up.   U of O has a lot of very nice field right behind the track for intramural soccer (4) and also a warm up track that is square and 3 lanes wide. I think it is used for events at Hayward Field when they hold the meets. 
 
Running conditions were about as good as you can imagine.  No clouds anywhere, 85 degrees, breezy and humidity under 30% !!!!  The lack of humidity was very noticeable the entire trip.   As soon as the door opened in Nashville, that blast of wet air reminded rather quickly about living in the South.  
 
 I wandered around the back  of Hayward and ran some parachutes on the soccer field with some law students who were back in school already.  The duckling are not in school yet, so the fields were relatively empty.   It is very apparent that Mr. Knight--aka Nike, has spend a lot of money on the campus.  All the fields are very modern and well kept.  Since the NW is know for great growing conditions, I was surprised that all the fields were artificial surfaces.  But, if you look at the bigger picture, you do not need to line the fields or water them.  It was the dry season in Oregon and any grass not getting watered was brown and dead.  There was also a lot of dust in the air from the farming activity and wind from the West.   In this season, keeping these fields ready would be very time consuming and expensive in terms of labor and water. Interestingly,  I was traveling to a mill located in Linn County.  Linn County is known as the 'Grass Seed Capital of the World'.  Somehow there is a misalignment somewhere in this situation.   The grass seed fields were basically brown and dead unless they were getting irrigated. 
 
I also visited one of the kids who just moved to Portland and got to hang with he and his girlfriend who was in town on a little vacation.  That is one of great perks of the traveling, seeing the babies when I get into their neck of the woods.   Portland is treating him well and it appears the change from Milwaukee to Portland is for the better.  The Left Coast as it is aptly named,  is a different pace than Milwaukee, with a lot less emphasis on keeping warm and dug out in the winter.  This area seems to embrace Mother  Nature and go a little more with what she in mind and not fighting for survival 6 months of the year.
 
I still have one more meet in a few weeks and I will continue to train thru the Greater Nashville qualifier.  After that race, I probably start to prep for the USATF indoor Master meet in 2017. 

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Really Important Information

I participated in the USATF Masters Indoor National meet last weekend in Winston-Salem, NC.   It was good meet for me and I will add the details of the results in another post later this week.  What I want to reflect on here is the quality of people in that building.   I am just so impressed with the high level of competition and caring for each other that goes on for 3 days.  Hug and Cry Area for Awards  There were around 1000 competitors for the event, and with families and officials, generally 500 to 2000 people were in the building during the times the track was open. It was not completely full at JDL Fast Track, but a really good crowd. North Carolina passed some very hateful and just plain repressive legislation a few years back concerning rest room usage and anything that did not meet the "hateful Jesus" religion that they were  promoting.   The NBA pushed back and moved their All Star Game location and I think this may hav...
3 comments
Read more

First Time Ever?

Things are just a little crazy with the chaos associated with the coronavirus and the global reaction.   Talking with my wife and brother, as well as the rest of the world that will still chat with you, nobody can remember anything quite like this situation.   The crash into the Twin Towers on 9-11 had some elements of the situation, but the total shutdown of sporting events, meetings, global travel and the run on water, sanitizer and toilet paper is just totally new to us.  The Master Indoors meet was cancelled this week, I was not planning on going this year.   I am in the middle of relocation from Nashville to Harper Ferry , West Virginia.  On March 31 we will close on the Brentwood house and close on the new place on April 2.   Getting this into place has been a real battle, but it is going to happen.    We are on our third contract for the Brentwood house and after trying to sell it for 9 or 10 months it will close this ...
4 comments
Read more

Jump Ahead

 Hello to all the faithful readers out there is the ethernet.  As you know, I have been dealing with an issue with a pinched nerve in my back that has been affecting my right leg strength.  My leg strength is back to 85% according to the squat machine at the gym.  I use the type of machine that has belt around your waist and you hook up to an arm that connections to the weight rack. This machine does no put any weight on my lower back and allows for leg strength development.  Progress has been made and I am also running a couple days a week at the Pettit Ice Center in West Allis as well.   Things are coming along.    About 6 weeks ago I began doing weekly pilates classes.   The pilates has been very helpful in generating flexibility and strength in  my lower body.   The sessions are around one hour and they are very intense and I am enjoying the improvement in my body strength and movement. I plan on continuing these ...
Post a Comment
Read more