Running: Eugene, Ore., like a dream

Wednesday, June 18, 2008 - 12:23 AM

Is there any better place to run?

It could be that I have died and gone to heaven -- a runner's version of heaven.

On the weekend I had run mountain trails in the rain, beside moss-draped trees, along the banks of a big, wild, protected river, up the side of a canyon, into alpine meadows.

I hiked out early in the morning, drove into town to watch a track meet featuring the best runners in the world, those who will take the gold medals at the Olympics.

I watched with a crowd that knows its track. A total silence fell before each race start (so that the runners could focus on the sound of the starter's pistol).

Kenenesia Bekele ran a 25:25 10,000 metres, the fastest ever in North America. Meseret Defar did the same in the 5,000m. Kara Goucher chased her to finish in 14:58.

In the Bowerman mile, all the finishers came in under four minutes. The best runners in the world, running the fastest times we have seen in North America in front of a crowd that understood them and loved them.

After the meet, I went for a run on some of the miles of bark chip running trails. For those of you who haven't tried them, the bark chip trails have an almost perfect surface, not too hard, for cushioning, and not too soft, for speed.

These ones are lit at night, so that runners with busy schedules can use them. Parallel to them are bike-only trails with six pedestrian and bicycle only bridges, spanning the large river that runs through the centre of town. People were out everywhere: riding, running, walking. There was even a large leash-free area for dogs, which was fenced, another sign of a runner's dream.

It is not a dream. I am in Eugene, Ore.

Eugene is a small university city, with an excellent track team that has become a centre of excellence for distance running. Something like Guelph.

The law in Oregon states that when any road or bridge is repaired or built, it must be designed to ensure the free flow of pedestrians and bikes. They have built a network of bike commuter trails that run along both sides of the river. The result is a city that works for cyclists. There were rows of bike stands, even at the football stadium.

Maybe it is a dream, a dream of what we can be.

Before you decide to move, it rains in Oregon. A lot. The University of Oregon teams are called the Ducks.

So let's keep dry, stay home and build an active city here.


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