#31 - Go to Eugene, Oregon

For a lot of people, this probably seems like a very random town to be on a list of places to visit.

For runners, it's an obvious choice.

Eugene, Oregon, is the home of the University of Oregon and Hayward Field, which, at one time, was the home track of Steve Prefontaine,"Pre," one of the greatest, and most tragic, runners of all time.  There are much more well-researched books and movies about his life, so I won't write a full autobiography here, but Pre is a legend and an inspiration in the running community.  He had spirit, swagger, and incredible passion.

Pre left us the legacy of his words.  He mastered the language of the relentless pursuit of greatness.  One of his most famous quotes is "To give anything less than your best is to sacrifice the gift."  I believe those words were on our t-shirts for my high school indoor track team, which was called "Spirit of Pre," which was my introduction to the running legend.  They were definitely written on my running shoes when I ran my marathon.

I ran both cross country and track in middle school and high school, but track was my favorite.  I loved the idea that even if I couldn't beat my opponent, or even a teammate, I could still win if I could beat myself.  Pre's messages were all about running as a meditation on our own capacities.  While I didn't have that language back when I learned to love the spirit of my sport, I now know that I have always connected to running because of the way it allows me to connect to my true self: to be alone with my thoughts, moving, sometimes struggling, and becoming a stronger, more authentic me.  Any hurt I'm carrying becomes physical pain that drop down through my legs, to my feet, and I leave it behind me in a trail of it in my footprints.

Ever since my introduction to the story of Pre, I wanted to visit the quirky little town of Eugene, Oregon.  To visit Hayward Field and to run along the tree-lined streets where Pre put in miles through the soles of his shoes... enough miles that he inspired the creation of Nike, which still maintains its relationshpi with the University of Oregon in honor of its origin.

When I decided to road trip north, San Francisco didn't seem far enough, and, given my long-time longing to be there, Eugene seemed like the obvious choice of the next furthest stop.

The pathway to the Round House

After a spectacularly beautiful but long drive, 13-14 hours from the bay area, I arrived at my next airbnb, which was this quirkly little Round House in the yard of quirky, beautiful, big house built and owned by a father-and-son architect team.  Even though I wasn't able to stay there long, it was really homey, and they had really thought of everything.

The next morning, I got a call from my old camp buddy Christian, who is working on his PhD in Economics at the University of Oregon.  I went for a quick run around the block, showered, watched part of the Game of Thrones episode I had missed, and then went to pick Chris up.  We grabbed lunch and he took me on a walking tour of campus with an emphasis on references to The Simpsons.

I then dropped Chris off because the stars had aligned for an extra special runner treat.  While I was planning my trip, I noticed a post on my facebook timline from the University of Michigan Women's Track and Field page congratulating another runner on qualifying for the NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championship...  in Eugene, Oregon.  I checked the dates, and, fates be blessed, I could be there.  I was not only going to Eugene, but I was going to get to go to a track meet at Hayward Field.  Not just any track meet, the NCAA championship...  and four Michigan women would be competing!  I would get to cheer on my fellow wolverines in person at Hayward Field.  (Several men also qualified, but until the finals, they competed on different days, so I wouldn't get to watch them.)

Not only is Michigan my alma mater and track my best sport, but for my first two years of college, I was the team manager for the University of Michigan Women's Track and Field team.  While I don't know any of the women on the current team, it was still pretty cool to get a chance to watch this team compete at the national level.  I even ran into the UM coaches, prepping to see the extra cool race where Cindy Ofili's qualified her for the 100m hurdle finals, where she placed 2nd in the nation a couple days later.  Erin Finn finished fifth in the 5000m and Brook Handler finished seventh in the 1500m.  A very impressive showing from all four wolverines.

I spent a few hours at Hayward Field, unable to sit still.  I watched a few races from my seat in the grand stands (yes, Hayward Field, dedicated only to track and field, has grand stands), watched a few trackside, and did a slow lap around the field.  I was surrounded by thousands of hopeful athletes, families, friends, and fans, dozens of teams, colors, logos, triumphs, defeat.  I cannot imagine a more perfect pilgrammage.

To finish up my brief time in Eugene, Chris had invited me to a barbeque with some of his classmates.  They kindly welcomed me, fed me, and included me in wonderfully nerdy conversations before I drove out to the coast to stay for the night.

I hope to visit again someday... maybe I'll do the Eugene Half Marathon so I can trump my own Hayward Field experience by finishing on the legendary track.  Until then, I'll have a lovely afternoon to remember.