We Hit The Finish Line!

Finish Line 7/21/2016

We’re in Portland, OR!

Portland is the largest city in Oregon, and roughly 60% of the state’s population resides in the Portland metropolitan area. Sitting in the shadow of Mount Hood, it is known for its liberal political values and environmental sustainability. Portland is sometimes referred to as “Rose City,” unofficially dating back to an Episcopal Church convention in 1888 (and has officially been the city’s nickname since 2003). While in Portland, consider checking out any of the scenic local races, such as the Portland Trail Series, which is a collection of 4-7 mile trail runs held throughout the summer to benefit the Forest Park Conservancy. If you ran any time between Sacramento and now, look for a new badge on your profile!

We traveled almost 1500 miles to run all the way from the bottom of California to the top of Oregon. I couldn’t be prouder of the Laserfiche Team, and can’t wait to see what our next trek will be!

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Featured Article: New Study Looks at What Millenials Want

Because Millennials now make up more than one-quarter of the U.S. population, many event organizers, advertisers, and industry analysts are interested in learning how they might shape the future of the sport. Read the report to find three of the main findings in the preliminary report.

Weekly Update 7/14/2016

We’re at Salem, OR!

Salem, seated in the Willamette Valley alongside the Willamette River, is the capital of Oregon. The city is nicknamed “Cherry City” and was the first city in the state to be recognized as “Tree City USA.” Cherry trees line the city streets and the front of the capitol building. On a clear day, the Cascade Mountains, including Mt. Mount Hood, Mount Jefferson, and even Mount St. Helens are visible from Salem. While you’re here, check out various events put on by the Willamette Valley Road Runners, such as the Bush Park Cross Country Series. If you ran this segment, you can check your profile for a Capital badge!

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Progress:
We’ve run 1214.1 miles.
We ran 146.5 miles in the past week.
We have 23.9 miles until Portland, and if we ran this pace for 2 days we’d reach Portland.

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Featured Article: The Best Running Songs Monthly Mix
If your running playlist is getting a little stale, check out the 90-minute one that Runner’s World has complied. At the very least you may find a new favorite song or two!

Easter Egg: Walk to Mordor
This won’t be linked on the main menu, but we’ve added a little easter egg to the main site due to popular demand.

Weekly Update 7/8/2016

We’re at Diamond Peak!

Diamond Peak is a shield volcano in southwest Oregon and is part of the Cascade Range. Composed of 15 cubic km of basaltic andesite, the volcano is older than the last ice age but probably younger than 100,000 years. It first began erupting from its northern summit and then from a new vent a little to the south, which is now the primary peak. Snow fields on the northern side may have been glaciers as recently as 100 years ago.

Progress:

We’ve run 1048 miles.
We ran 71 miles in the past week.
We have 140 miles until Salem, and if we ran this pace for 3 weeks we’d reach Portland.

New Badge: Crater Lake National Park

Native Americans witnessed Crater Lake form 7,700 years ago, when a violent eruption triggered the collapse of a towering volcano. Scientists marvel at its purity: fed by rain and snow, it’s the deepest lake in the USA and perhaps the most pristine on earth. If you want a chance to see the full panorama, you can participate in one of the Crater Lake Rim Runs.

Sponsored Run: Surf City Run 5K

Congratulations to Alex, Ana, Cecille, Jen, and Brian for participating in the Surf City Run 5K! Each of you will be receiving a badge to commemorate the event.

Weekly Update 6/28/2016

We’re at Fort Klamath!
Fort Klamath was established in 1863, and was an important Army post during conflicts with the Klamath, Modoc, and Northern Paiute tribes. The fort consisted of more than 50 buildings. By the mid-1880s, the settlers in the area no longer needed protection, and in 1889 the decision was made to close the fort.

Progress:
We’ve run 972 miles.
We ran 118 miles in the past week.
We have 16 miles until Crater Lake National park, and if we ran this pace for 3 weeks we’d reach Portland.

Featured Run: Signal Hill Trails
If you want a good workout between hikes, the pedestrian trails through the City of Signal Hill is the place. A number of challenging paved and unpaved paths wind through the hillsides.

Featured Article: Brief History of the Marathon
With over 700 marathons scheduled in the US for 2015 and 552,934 finishers crossing the line, the popularity of marathons has been increasing steadily. We may know what the modern day marathon looks like, but where did it come from, and why is it 26.2 miles?

Weekly Update 6/21/2016

We’re in Redding!
With mountains all around, miles of hiking and biking trails, a river running through it, and national parks nearby, Redding is an outdoor paradise for young and old alike. Cradled by Mount Shasta and Mount Lassen, Redding is also home to the famous Sundial Bridge, world-class fishing, bubbling mud pots, boiling lakes, and waterfalls.

Progress:
We’ve run 809 miles.
We ran 81 miles in the past week.
We have 178 miles until Crater Lake National park, and if we ran this pace for 5 weeks we’d reach Portland.

New Segment: Portland
The votes are in, and we’ll be running to Portland this segment! We’re jogging up through Northern California, making a quick stop at Crater Lake National Park, and then powering through Salem (the capital of Oregon) to hit Portland. Want to choose where we’ll head next? Vote here!

Featured Article: Training In The Summer
It’s been said that fall PRs are made in the summer, and with the summer months upon us, training for a fall race starts now. Workouts done during hot summer months, while tough at times, can lead to big gains in running speed, strength and mental fortitude by the time the weather cools off for your race.

Weekly Update 6/14/2016

We’re in Corning, CA!
Corning is home to Bell-Carter Foods, Inc., which is the largest ripe olive processor in the United States. Corning also has a significant agricultural industry based on olives, olive oil, dried plums (prunes) including the Sunsweet label, walnuts, and almonds. Lucero Olive Oil, North American’s most award winning extra virgin olive oil company, is based here with orchards, olive mill, and a public Tasting Room.

Progress:
We’ve run 721 miles.
We ran 59 miles in the past week.
We have 53 miles until Redding, and if we ran this pace for 9 weeks we’d reach Portland.

Featured Article: Ice or Heat?
You’re out for a run when you feel a sudden twinge in your lower calf. By the time you arrive home, that subtle twinge has turned into a tight ball of pain. What should you do next, reach for an ice pack or the heating pad?

Local Run: CSULB
The naturalistic, park-like layout of Cal State Long Beach has earned the campus numerous design awards, as well as other awards from gardening societies. The integration of landscaping and architecture is apparent at the school’s theater complex, where a dense grove of ficus trees is planted in such a way that it forms a continuation of the pillar-supported canopy at the theater’s entrance.

Weekly Update 6/7/2016

We’re in Sacramento!

We ran through San Francisco straight into Sacramento! Everyone who has contributed miles since 5/17 will be receiving the Sacramento badge, and you have until next (6/14) Tuesday at noon to vote on which city we should head to next.

Progress:
We’ve run 647.9 miles.
We ran 107.6 miles in the past week.
We made it to Sacramento! Check your desks for some Ghirardelli Chocolate from San Francisco.

Featured Article: How to Run At Lunch

“If you’re by yourself, try to clear your mind and focus on the benefits of logging miles midday. “Even 20 minutes of running can help improve your mood and productivity,” says fuel editor Heather Irvine. “Take whatever time you can get.””

Featured Run: Rynerson Park

This park has a one-mile track that forms an oval stretching from one end of the park to the other. On a nice day, it’s not unusual to see many people walking or running on this track. The track also has markers every quarter mile so you can track your progress. The park has a grassy area on the inside of the track that has a few fitness stations if you want to stop along the way.

Weekly Update 6/1/2016

We’re at Santa Cruz!

Santa Cruz is known for its moderate climate, the natural beauty of its coastline, redwood forests, alternative community lifestyles, and socially liberal leanings. It is home to UC Santa Cruz, as well as the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk.

Progress:
We’ve run 437.1 miles.
We ran 107 miles in the past week.
We have 76.6 miles until San Francisco and 171.9 until Sacramento.
If we ran at this pace for 2 weeks we’d be at the capital.

Featured Article: Meditation Can Make You a Better Runner

“Focusing just on my breath and my next step has allowed me to tap into that innate ability to know exactly what my body craves at that moment, and allows me to enjoy the run.”

Featured Run: Madrona Marsh

The Madrona Marsh Preserve in Torrance is the last vernal marsh remaining in the South Bay area of Los Angeles and one of few wetlands located within an urban landscape. Situated on land that was set aside for oil production in 1924, Madrona Marsh was never developed—unlike the surrounding city—and remains a valuable natural habitat for birds, reptiles, insects and even small mammals.

Note: This location is walking only.

Weekly Update 5/24/2016

We’re at Limekiln State Park!

The park features breathtaking views of the Big Sur Coast, the beauty of the redwoods, the rugged coast and the cultural history of limekilns. From 1887 to 1890 the Rockland Lime and Lumber Company harvested limestone from a scree slope and fed it into four iron and stone lime kilns they erected onsite. Barrels of lime were slid on a cable out to Rockland Cove, where they were sent to San Francisco and Monterey to be used in cement.

Progress:
We’ve run 339.3 miles.
We ran 41.7 miles in the past week.
We have 174.4 miles until San Francisco and 269.7 until Sacramento.
If we ran at this pace for 7 weeks we’d be at the capital.

Community Article (contributed by MK): Runner Earns Her First Marathon Victory at Age 53

“As soon as I crossed, the tears came…It felt surreal, so amazing…it’s [about] not just giving up on yourself in any area, whether it’s running, picking up a paintbrush, hiking, power walking, anything that you think you can do. Don’t count yourself out. Life is just beginning. Each day is such a gift.”

Featured Run: Hilltop Park

Hilltop Park in Signal Hill offers a panoramic view of the Los Angeles basin. On a clear day, views extend from Santa Catalina Island, Palos Verdes, and along the Santa Monica and San Gabriel mountains.

A visit to the park not only provides a great view, but also an insight into the history of Signal Hill and the surrounding area.

Weekly Update – 5/17/2016

We’re at Hearst Castle!

In 1919, William Randolph Hearst inherited 250,000 acres, and was dreaming of ways to transform it into a retreat he called La Cuesta Encantada—Spanish for “Enchanted Hill.” By 1947, Hearst and architect Julia Morgan had created Hearst Castle: 165 rooms and 127 acres of gardens, terraces, pools and walkways—all built to house Hearst’s specifications and to showcase his legendary art collection.

Progress:
We’ve run 297.6 miles.
We ran 109 miles in the past week.
We have 216.1 miles until San Francisco and 311.4 until Sacramento.
If we ran at this pace for 3 weeks we’d be at the capital.

Community Article: The Best Running Song

Courtesy of Lisa Miyake, we have another fun article this week – The Best Running Song. 1,200 people nominated their favorite songs, and those songs battled it out to determine the best running songs of today. Do you have any recommended songs? Reply all to this email and let us know!

Featured Run: Shoreline Pedestrian/Bicycle Path

The Shoreline Pedestrian/Bicycle Path is a scenic multipurpose trail that runs from the tip of the breakwater opposite Island Grissom at the Long Beach Shoreline Marina to Long Beach’s Belmont Shore neighborhood. As you can imagine, views from the trail are spectacular: cranes of the container port, oil islands and ships anchored in the outer harbor mix with more traditionally beautiful scenes of Palos Verdes and the mouth of the San Gabriel River in the distance.