Summer River Run!

A very good run in Portland, today. Drove to Hillsboro, rode the MAX train in, and met Lauren at Starbucks in the Pearl District. She has a cool, new Garmin, and we were off to get in 14 miles, her longest distance so far, using the route we did the 9+ miles in back in April.



Beautiful summer day for a run - about 60F, 60% humidity, mix of clouds and sun. We first ran down and crossed the Broadway Bridge. There's an unusual sculpture there, without signs, that I haven't found on the Internet yet, but here's a pic:





Going up river, we got on the bike/ped path that goes on both sides of the river. Really pretty day out there. We got passed by lots of bikes with numbers - today was the Portland Century ride. Lots of families out, too, like the little girl and her mom riding along that we passed, then later passed their brother and dad out there.







And the osprey nest had birds in it!







We got down to the Sellwood Bridge and crossed it back to the west side of the river. More shade and a little breeze on the west side -- that was nice! Lots of people out walking, and fewer bikes on the west side. Several boats on the river, and many pretty flower beds and plantings. One place we ran past smelled really good, so I took two steps back and pinched the flower -- they were anise, that wonderful licorice smell.







Lauren's Garmin let us know that there were only a few miles to go. We got back to the Broadway Bridge, and turned up towards the Pearl District. We finished the 14 miles with a tour of the neighborhood and parks. Her mom and girls weren't at the condo, so we walked back to Starbucks, where Lauren could take her shoe off and get some ice on the instep (and thanks for the iced tea, that was a good ending to 14 miles).

We got a pic between 11 and 12 miles:



Running with a friend definitely makes the long runs seem faster!