Prefontaine Classic 2014

Wow! To say that I had an amazing weekend would be an understatement. 

This was my first time at the Prefontaine Classic in Eugene, Oregon. I have been wanting to go to the Pre for years now, but this year, my dad made it happen! He booked us tickets for a father/daughter weekend trip. 

I made my way south toward Eugene right after work on Friday. After checking into our hotel, we head over to Hayward Field to check out some of the evening events. We got to watch Miss Mary Cain run, finally! This girl has some serious talent and not only that, but she's extremely humble. I watched her sign autographs and take pictures with a bunch of pre-teen girls after her race. She thanked each and every one of them for supporting her. I thought that was pretty awesome.

We also got to witness Galen Rupp smash his own record at Hayward Field in the 10,000 meter event (10k) with a time of 26 mins, 44 seconds! It was incredible to watch him run. I loved that Alberto Salazar ran the victory lap with him after he had won. 

On Saturday, we began our morning with a beautiful run on the Prefontaine Trail, unfortunately, I forgot my armband so I couldn't bring my phone to take photos. :( I was so incredibly bummed because it was BEAUTIFUL. So I guess you'll just have to take my word for it... 

After grabbing a coffee and a quick bite to eat, we took a drive to Pre Rock where Steve Prefontaine died. I loved seeing what runners had left on his memorial-- one runner left a shirt, sweat covering the front of it--dedicateing the run to Pre, himself. 

To our surprise, Steve's older sister Neta was there telling stories about her brother to keep his memory alive. It was an intimate experience. Neta said that every year, she comes to Pre Rock during the Prefontaine Classic to meet the people who continue to honor her brother's memory as a thank you. She was such a sweet woman and I was incredibly honored to meet her. She even let me take a picture with her! This is truly something I won't forget. 

For your dedication and loyalty
To your principles and beliefs...
For your love, warmth, and friendship
For your family and friends...
You are missed by so many
And you will never be forgotten...

We spent the rest of the day watching some of my favorite athletes compete; Ashton Eaton, Allison Felix, Bernard Lagat and Sonya Richards-Ross--all incredible runners! It's unbelievable to watch these events in person! Here were a few photos I captured. 

Eugene is an amazing place. There is SO much history for runners here. I truly felt the spirit of Pre and the town just LIVES for this event every year. It was very special to be a part of it. I can't wait for next year as my dad and I plan to make this an annual tradition. 

How was your weekend?

Have you been to the Pre?

Who is your idol runner?

And CONGRATULATIONS to Karrie Millheim for winning the Costco membership giveaway!