Ugly Sweater Run 5k - Portland (Human Movement Management)
Date and time: Sunday, October 30th, 2014 @ 9:00 am
Events and price: **Untimed** 5k $30-40
Location: Oregon Convention Center; Portland, OR
Number of runners: Unknown
Beneficiary: Save the Children (donation is optional during registration)
Swag: Each Ugly Sweater runner receives a custom vintage knit hat, unlimited hot chocolate, and one alcoholic beverage (Sam Adams Winter or Boston Lager; or Angry Orchard Hard Cider). Prizes will be awarded for best real mustache, best fake mustache, best beard, worst sweater, best sweater following the race.
Course: "A closed course full of Hot Chocolate aide stations, snow blowers, and the biggest Santa inflatable around will await you." Course map here. It will be along the Portland waterfront, and crosses over two bridges. The course was a flat, scenic route on the waterfront in Portland! Perfect for both walkers and runners.
Events and price: **Untimed** 5k $30-40
Location: Oregon Convention Center; Portland, OR
Number of runners: Unknown
Beneficiary: Save the Children (donation is optional during registration)
Swag: Each Ugly Sweater runner receives a custom vintage knit hat, unlimited hot chocolate, and one alcoholic beverage (Sam Adams Winter or Boston Lager; or Angry Orchard Hard Cider). Prizes will be awarded for best real mustache, best fake mustache, best beard, worst sweater, best sweater following the race.
Course: "A closed course full of Hot Chocolate aide stations, snow blowers, and the biggest Santa inflatable around will await you." Course map here. It will be along the Portland waterfront, and crosses over two bridges. The course was a flat, scenic route on the waterfront in Portland! Perfect for both walkers and runners.
While I was at the 2014 Hot Buttered Run 12k, I sent some honorary blog reps (Chris and Joy) over to the Ugly Sweater Run, and had them report back on their experiences! Here's what they thought...
They did some great things with this run:
Parking: Parking was easy and free if you don't mind walking a block or two, but I figure we are runners so this gets your legs moving!
Check In: There was no line at the check in thanks to the 4 great volunteers at the desk! They were friendly and efficient with a quick iPad check in app.
Swag: The Swag Bags were great with an awesome Ugly Sweater Run winter hat! Everyone was wearing them so it was a sea of matching hats! Not something you see everyday!
Pre-Race: We were fortunate that they pre-race party was inside the Convention Center since it was a chilly 28 degrees out on race day! Since we were inside, it was easy to enjoy the wait with lots of space to walk around and visit with friends or enjoy the many photo opportunities (I mean, who can beat snowmen in camo?) or play Christmas cornhole or lifesize Jenga!
Course Photographs: Lots of photographers along the course, if you are into seeing you and your friends out having fun!
Post Race - Again, It was great being indoors since it was chilly. The Apple Ale/Beer at the end was tasty and after some ale, it made for far more entertaining christmas cornhole!
There are just two things that I would like to have seen different about this run:
Start line: They did start on time (woohoo), but it was almost 15 minutes before we got to start. The start waves seemed to move a little slow and ended up being a bit ineffective since they did not group the walkers at the end. We ended up getting stuck behind the many walkers on a somewhat narrow path so running was a bit slow, but it's all good - I love the walkers being there and the scenery was pretty.
More holiday/festive music. It would have been great to have music stops along the course. They had lots of volunteers at many stops, it would have been nice if they had some tunes playing as we jogged by!
Joy added the following: "More music and the race and afterwards would make it more energetic. Also a bag check would be nice to have. I thought it was run smoothly , fun , no lines , positive vibe and fun photo opportunities. Loved the games before and after to keep folks occupied. Easy to park and access the convention center and loved that it started and ended indoors because it was cold out."
Overall, Chris and Joy would both recommend this race as a fun family day or a day with friends! I definitely love the hats--it's a nice and different piece of fun swag!
Parking: Parking was easy and free if you don't mind walking a block or two, but I figure we are runners so this gets your legs moving!
Check In: There was no line at the check in thanks to the 4 great volunteers at the desk! They were friendly and efficient with a quick iPad check in app.
Swag: The Swag Bags were great with an awesome Ugly Sweater Run winter hat! Everyone was wearing them so it was a sea of matching hats! Not something you see everyday!
Pre-Race: We were fortunate that they pre-race party was inside the Convention Center since it was a chilly 28 degrees out on race day! Since we were inside, it was easy to enjoy the wait with lots of space to walk around and visit with friends or enjoy the many photo opportunities (I mean, who can beat snowmen in camo?) or play Christmas cornhole or lifesize Jenga!
Course Photographs: Lots of photographers along the course, if you are into seeing you and your friends out having fun!
Post Race - Again, It was great being indoors since it was chilly. The Apple Ale/Beer at the end was tasty and after some ale, it made for far more entertaining christmas cornhole!
There are just two things that I would like to have seen different about this run:
Start line: They did start on time (woohoo), but it was almost 15 minutes before we got to start. The start waves seemed to move a little slow and ended up being a bit ineffective since they did not group the walkers at the end. We ended up getting stuck behind the many walkers on a somewhat narrow path so running was a bit slow, but it's all good - I love the walkers being there and the scenery was pretty.
More holiday/festive music. It would have been great to have music stops along the course. They had lots of volunteers at many stops, it would have been nice if they had some tunes playing as we jogged by!
Joy added the following: "More music and the race and afterwards would make it more energetic. Also a bag check would be nice to have. I thought it was run smoothly , fun , no lines , positive vibe and fun photo opportunities. Loved the games before and after to keep folks occupied. Easy to park and access the convention center and loved that it started and ended indoors because it was cold out."
Overall, Chris and Joy would both recommend this race as a fun family day or a day with friends! I definitely love the hats--it's a nice and different piece of fun swag!