Eugene Truffle Shuffle

Trafton B.

February 13, 2011 - 5:05 PM

Remember when I mentioned that I'm in a running class at the beginning of the term? Well, to be fair I had to drop down from the 10K training to the 5K training course, but the good news is that it's actually starting to pay off!

Earlier today I ran the Truffle Shuffle, which is Eugene's largest winter race. Officials were estimating that over 2,000 people showed up to Alton Baker Park today as participants competed in several events including a kid's fun run, a two-mile walk/run, and a four-mile run. The best part of the event was that Euphoria Chocolate Company passes out chocolate truffles to all the competitors upon finishing the race, and if there's one thing I learned today it's that nothing tastes sweeter than a milk chocolate truffle from a nice run along the Willamette River.

I ran the four-mile race and initially I had plans of running by myself until I bumped into several PPPMers before the race. First, I ran into a couple grad students, Mark McCaffery, who's my CPW project manager, and Tiffany Hall, who was the GTF for my PPPM 494 course last spring. Then I ran into (no pun intended) Stella Day, a fellow PPPM undergrad, and her boyfriend, Noah. It was nice to see some familiar faces, not to mention a little support and friendly rivalry during the race. Personally this is the first official race I've ever run, so it was a good experience for me...I think. I'll give you a quick recap.

The starting line was completely chaotic. Thankfully I had already latched on to Stella and crew, or else I probably wouldn't have made it in time. Just as we found our way to the back of the chute the rain threatened us with a light sprinkle, and not a minute later the gun sounded and the race began. Expect ‘began' isn't really the right term because, you see, the farther back you are in the starting line the longer it takes to actually cross the starting line. It probably took up a full minute to walk/jog the fifty feet from where we started to the starting line.

The majority of the first mile was spent dodging strollers, leaping over dogs on leashes, and swerving in and out of a few hundred peoples' worth of slow running traffic, mere obstacles between that delicious truffle and me. I think that first mile took at least ten minutes, but I did appreciate the warm up jog.

The second mile was much better. Stella and I eventually found each other after the swarm of confusion, and I was starting to find a rhythm, although the scenery did a pretty good job of distracting me. What can I say? It ended up being a pretty nice day.

Mile three was the quickest without question. Even if I wasn't running any faster it seemed shorter than the other. Everyone seemed to be hitting full stride and reaching the halfway mark triggers something in our minds that makes our feet go a little faster.

The final lap was less than preferable. I still had the ‘horse headed for the barn' mentality, but they must have moved that finish line back a ways because it took forever to fin it again. Mark and Tiffany started to pull away. It was a struggle to stay within eyesight of Mark's neon yellow running cap. We were back in familiar territory when we passed by the giant yellow "O" on the south side of Autzen, and that's when the cheering from the volunteers along the road became louder. The final two hundred meters were pretty spectacular as you entered the homestretch with people cheering and snapping photographs. The announcer yells out the names of runners as they pass.

It wasn't easy, that's for sure, but I'm glad I did it. Check one more thing off my University of Oregon/Eugene bucket list. Will I get serious and train for the Eugene Half-Marathon? That remains in question with a heavy chance of unlikely. I only have one question. Will I get a chocolate truffle at the end?

and train for the Eugene Half-Marathon? That remains in question with a heavy chance of unlikely. I only have one question. Will I get a chocolate truffle at the end?