Sound2Narrows 12K

 


Ann and I ran a race on Saturday, our first race in more than a year, maybe closer to two. It was a 12K, and it went right through our old neighborhood. It’s been going on since 1973, and there were three or four runners there that have run it every year, although I didn’t get a chance to meet any of them. They were probably ahead of me.

If you run around Tacoma, you run hills. There are crazy-steep hills downtown that rival San Francisco, but anywhere in town there are hills. Anywhere, that is, except Ruston Way. It is a waterfront running area that is very popular, perhaps because it’s on the edge of Commencement Bay, with harbor seals, freighters, fishing boats and Mt. Rainier to look at while you run. Or perhaps because it is the only flat spot in town. But you can run down Ruston Way at any time of the day, any day of the week, and there will be runners on the trail.

Those runners, myself included, were feeling the hills on the Sound to Narrows. It started with a couple of miles of downhill, and it was a loop, so you know how it ended. It certainly wasn’t one of the steeper hills in town, but it was a long one.

Ann and I ran the race together and finished it together. That sentence will make all of my running friends in Columbia exclaim, “Oh my God, what’s wrong with Ann? Has she contracted some terrible disease or been in a horrific accident?”

No, but Ann did develop an annoyingly persistent injury when (over) training for Boston last year, and it had her sidelined for several months. She has been gradually getting back at it. This was the longest run she has done since February of 2025. And she felt fine after. I don’t know if she will return to racing marathons anytime soon, but we’ve been enjoying running with people in Tacoma.

I finished 18th out of 62 in my age division, and 483 out of 1,911 people overall. Ann finished sixth out of 53 in her age division. This race may become a tradition. 

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