My first race-cation

This past weekend I went down to Portland to run another marathon. It’s the first race I have traveled out of state for, so I turned it into a little race-cation.

Where I stayed

I stayed at the Society Hotel in Chinatown, which wasn’t far from the starting line of the race. That hotel dates from the late 1800s, and it has an interesting history. It used to host sailors back in the day, before turning into a hospital. Then it turned into a hotel again in the hands of Japanese owners before they were sent to an internment camp around WWII. Next, it became a meeting place for Chinese-Americans, and cycled through many other communities and businesses from all walks of life. Just a few years ago, it became the beautiful hotel that’s around today. I know where I’m staying next time.

Vegan serendipity at its finest

I went to the Oregon Convention Center to pick up my race packet (my bib number and other fun marathon swag) at the Portland Marathon race expo, where I accidentally found out that VegFest (a vegan festival) was happening in the exact same building just down the hall! I had no idea that event was going on, so of course, I was going to pick up my race packet later.

The day before a big race like a marathon, carb-loading is essential for the muscles to store glycogen. This is used as fuel for the long haul. Of course, the bulk of nutrients should come from carbs for energy. VegFest had excellent food vendors to satisfy that need.

I eventually made it to the race expo. I’ve always liked those, since they’re like mini-festivals for runners. Vendors usually set up their wares and events, hoping to entice runners to try their products, or run marathons in other parts of the country.

On running a marathon on very little sleep

On Instagram, I’ve been open about my Complex PTSD, which can cause sleep problems in some people. I don’t always have sleep problems, but when I do, they seem to visit at the most inopportune nights. I can’t say that it was from race jitters this time, since I’m an experienced runner at this point. Maybe it was too warm in the room; maybe I’m sleeping in a bed that’s not actually mine. Whatever it was, I only got two hours of sleep, which would impact my performance.

It was still a beautiful course. It went through many leafy neighborhoods, trees ablaze with vibrant oranges and fiery reds. It took us though the charming Pearl District, and even ran along the scenic water at times.

I tried to force myself to run a little faster, but my body just wasn’t having it. Upon seeing the finish line, however, everything else fell away as my focus sharpened to that single focus, driving me to pick my legs up faster and faster. And I flew right through it.

Because this was a flat course, it’s probably fitting for someone who is new to marathons. Of course, running a marathon is always challenging in its own rite! That being said, I wish my time were better. I ended up finishing at 4:46:19, one of my slower times. Nonetheless, this is a race I would enjoy doing again, hopefully more rested next time.

At least I got to enjoy a vegan donut from the iconic Portland donut shop, Voodoo Donuts. The rest of the post-race food wasn’t vegan, so I kept those tickets.

Overall, this race was very well put-together. I also really liked the color scheme of deep navy blue and light silver, and the contemporary design of the brand was tightly rendered.

A perfect excuse for an eating contest

Running a marathon burns about 2,500 calories—give or take. This is on top of the 2,000 calories needed for daily bodily functions. So, about 4,500 calories are burned during race day. You can probably guess where I’m going with this.

With so many vegan eateries in Portland, it’s so easy to practically have an eating contest after running a marathon. Homegrown Smoker was calling my name, even though it was a 40-minute bus ride from my hotel. Pictured above is their Buff Burrito, which is stuffed with vegan mac & cheese, vegan BBQ meat, and salad. I ate what I could and saved the rest for later.

Last morning in Rose City

I ended up going to bed early that night and slept peacefully this time. In the morning bright and early, I met my friend Dania for the first time!

We’ve been following each other for over two years on Instagram, and we finally met up for coffee! She gave me a hat that she knitted herself, along with some vegan-themed stickers. I always thought that she was rad, and I liked her even more in person! It was the perfect ending to this race-cation.

Now I am back in Seattle. There’s one more marathon left in the year, but right now I’m still recovering from the weekend before I can focus on the next thing. I really enjoyed my time in Portland. It was exactly what I needed, and I truly missed that city.

I can’t wait to come back.