Team Congo PDX 2014 Supports 14 Women in the Democratic Republic of Congo

On International Women's Day 2014 (3.8.14), 132 runners and walkers gathered in Downtown Portland to support Women for Women International's program in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).  In all, the event raised more than $5,000 which was enough to sponsor 14 women

Photo taken by Alexa Brandt Photography

in Congo, who have recently been enrolled in Women for Women's one year program.  As a part of the program, sponsors can send letters of encouragement and support to their sisters throughout the year-long program.  

Here is where you come in, Team Congo PDX supporters. Over the course of the next year (May 2014 - May 2015), you will have the opportunity to send letters to our 14 sisters. Please submit your letters, no matter how long or short, as follows:

1) email: amandapdxrunforcongo@gmail.com & title your email: "Letter to WfWI Sister"

2) Or you may submit your letter(s) via our website "Contact Us" page.

We will make sure to send your letters to our sisters, and will share their responses on our Facebook page, and via email. 

Thank you to all who came out to support us this past March. Without your support we would not be able to impact the lives of 14 women in DRC, and we are proud to be able to support these wonderful 14 women! 

In order to protect the identity of our sisters, personal information such as photos, etc. will only be shared with supporters via email.  

10 Cane Rum Run: PR Sunday

I ran in my first race in 2012, the Shamrock 5K.  My pace was around 8:45 min per mile, and I was proud as I was just recovering from an IT band injury 10 days before.  Fast forward to May 25, 2014, to the 10 Cane Rum Run by Energy Events.  My 9th official race, and 2nd 10K.  

Venue- Tualatin Commons offer a nice reflective view.

Today was awesome.  The weather was perfect, the venue was spacious and had a sense of calm despite 1,500 other runners/walkers, there were cute baby ducks, the course was a nice mixture of park, trail, and road, & I hit a personal record (PR). My first sub 8 minute 10K, heck race, ever.  

Official Stats
Overall time: 0:49:21 

Photo taken by John Ulrich

Pace (chip time) 7:46 min/mile 
Gender & Age (35-39, F): 3/67 
Overall 10K (M&F): 72/567
Overall 10K (F): 17/361  


Here's the thing, I didn't feel any different out there on the course today than I did when I ran my first race back in 2012, and that's the magical thing about running.  No matter your current ability, or in some cases your ability on any given day, running always just feels like running, and like a race against your last PR self.  

Out there today I started out strong at 7:26 min/mile, but at about mile 3 I decided to slow it down, and settled in on 7:55 min/mile.  Every now and then a fellow runner would pass me by, but I focused upon my settled pace, and enjoyed the course. For a few long minutes I felt like stopping, but persisted anyway. A long steady hill greeted us between miles 4 and 5, but shortly after mile 5 it was a low grade down hill, and once the left-hand turn to the finishing lap around Tualatin Commons was in sight, I bolted, passing a runner who had passed me around mile 4.5.  I gave it all I had straight to the finish. 

The course, as mentioned above, was a lovely mixture of park, trails and road.  The 10kers had 2 water stations (one at 1.5 miles and one at mile 4), and although it was not the toughest course I've ever run, it did provide some challenge with a long low grade hill near the end of the course.

The after-event venue was lively with music, great food, and the very popular beer garden. The atmosphere was family friendly, complete with a kids play area (including bouncy castle), I enjoyed my post-race peanut butter and bread treat, free Jamba Juice peach smoothie, and guzzled my water.  

The goodie bag each participant received was filled with not only an event tech shirt, but also a bottle opener, coupons, treats, and Advil, which thankfully I did not need!

Race Swag galore!

The only drawback to the event was that as the 10k and 5k finishers entered the final lap around Tualatin Commons to the finish line (each entering from a different direction), they bottle necked in a narrow space at a point when many runners were trying to bolt it to the finish. Several of us, myself included, got stuck behind some other finishers, but with some creative maneuvering we were able to get around and race to the finish.

It's safe to say, I'll be back next year.