McKee Races?!?

So a number of years ago, my daughters Liz and Eryn decided to participate in the Portland Race for the Cure. Always wanting to prepare for something properly, they trained thoroughly and even tossed in the Tigard Family Fun Fest Run the week before, and they had a great time. Little did we know that this was just the beginning of what would become a HUGE family activity!

MY first race was the Tilikum 5K in the spring of 2008. A fundraiser for Camp Tilikum, the 5K/10K was held at Champoeg State Park and was a lot of fun. There were even prizes - who knew??? Later that year the kids encouraged me to participate in the Tigard Family Fun Fest run, and I had also decided to do the Race for the Cure in September. And so I too got into the swing of things.

Unbeknownst to me, over time I had developed a degenerative Achilles tendon, and when I finally realized what was causing the REALLY BIG BUMP on my leg, it was pretty nasty. I am grateful to good doctors, PTs, chiropractors, and acupuncturists who have helped me rehabilitate first one leg and then the other. And then in 2017, I ruptured the plantar fascia ligament in my left foot and ended up with a stress fracture during the rehab process, so I have changed the way I train. A good calf stretch each morning is essential, as is a reasonable warmup before I begin running. And the combination that seems to work for me is two minutes of walking and two minutes of running. A 5K is an easy run for me and I love a 10K. Will I do another half? We shall see...

I have done races of varying lengths - 5K,10K, 12K, 4 miles, 5 miles, 1/4 marathon, and TWO 1/2 marathons (!) and I find that I really like the 1/4 marathon and 10K lengths. Yay for racing!

TOTAL DISTANCE RACED, TO DATE:
277.8 miles

2020 

67. Virtual Holiday 5K - December (Portland/Tigard)

66. Champoeg 10K - March (Champoeg)

2019
65. TurkeyThon 5K - November (Tigard) 
64. Portland Parks 5K Fun Run - August (Portland)
63. Garlic Festival 10K - August (North Plains)

2018 
62.  Giant Race 10K - September (San Francisco)
61.  Garlic Festival 10K - August (North Plains)
60.  5 on the 4th - July (Wilsonville)
59.  Capital FC 5K - June (Salem)
58.  Willamette Mission Trail Run - April (Salem)

57.  Race for Warmth - January (Vancouver, WA)

2017
56. Clark County Turkey Trot 5K - November (Salmon Creek WA)

55. Hippie Chick Quarter Marathon - May (Hillsboro)
54. Shamrock Run 5K - March (Portland)
53. Lost Dutchman 10K - February (Phoenix AZ)

2016
52. Salem Run'ucopia 5K - November (Salem)
51. Canby Dahlia Run 10K - August (Canby)

50. Freedom 5K - July (Molalla)
49. Hippie Chick Quarter Marathon - May (Hillsboro)
48. Seahawks Run at the Landing 12K - April  (Renton WA)
47. Shamrock Run 5K - March (Portland)


2015
46. Clark County Turkey Trot - November (Salmon Creek WA)
45. Freedom 5K - July - (Molalla) 
44. Hippie Chick Quarter Marathon - May (Hillsboro)
43. Seahawks Run at the Landing  5K- April (Renton WA)
42. Shamrock Run 5K - February (Portland)

2014
41. Holiday Half/5K - December (Portland)
40. ORRC Turkey Trot at the Zoo 4 miles - November (Portland)

39. Run Like Hell - October (Portland)

38. Color Run 5K - September (Portland)
37. Discovery Run 3 miles - August (Tualatin)

36. Canby Dahlia Run 10K - August (Canby)

35. Lacamas Lake Half Marathon - July (Camas)
34. 5 On The 4th 5K - July (Wilsonville)
33. Hippie Chick Quarter Marathon - May (Hillsboro)
32. I Run For Desmond 5K - April (Tigard)
31. Shamrock Run 5K - February (Portland)

2013
30. Holiday Half/5K - December (Portland)
29. Turkey Trot 5K - November (West Linn)
28. Ducks/Beavers Rivalry Race 5K - November (Portland)
27. Canby Dahlia Run 10K - August (Canby)
26. Old Fashioned Festival 5K - July (Newberg)
25. Drenched 5K - July (Kansas City)
24. Hippie Chick Quarter Marathon - May (Hillsboro)
23. Twality Water Run 5K - April (Tigard)
22. Shamrock Run 5K - March (Portland)

2012
21. Turkey Trot 5K - November (West Linn)
20. Giant Race Half Marathon - September (San Francisco)
19. Refuse to Abuse 5K - July (Seattle)
18. Dawn at the Don 5K - July (Toronto)
17. ORRC July 4th 4 Mile Run/Walk - July (Wilsonville)
16. Hippie Chick Quarter Marathon - May (Hillsboro)

2011
15. Give N' Gobble 5K- November (Sherwood)
14. Race for the Cure 5K - September (Portland)
13. Disneyland 5K - September (Anaheim)
12. Crawfish Crawl 5K - August (Tualatin)
11. Tilikum 5K - April (Champoeg)

2010
10. Ho Ho 5K - December (Tigard)
9. Give N' Gobble 5K - November (Sherwood)
8. Race for the Cure 5K - September (Portland)
7. Tigard Family Fun Fest Run 5K - September (Tigard)
6. Crawfish Crawl 5K - August (Tualatin)

2009
5. Race for the Cure 5K- September (Portland)
4. Tigard Family Fun Fest 5K - September (Tigard)

2008
3. Race for the Cure 5K- September (Portland)
2. Tigard Family Fun Fest Run 5K - September (Tigard)
1. Tilikum 5K - April (Champoeg)