Track Town, USA

I'll be training on my own for the next four weekends.

I'm up visiting family and friends in Oregon for three of those weekends and couldn't be in a more ideal place for marathon training. Eugene, OR is also known as Track Town, USA. I'll be here for two of those three weekends.

Eugene bears this nickname because it is a popular place for track and field training. It was also the home of Steve Prefontaine and is the city where Nike was founded.

I ran 9 miles on Friday morning. I circled behind the University of Oregon's Autzen Stadium, followed the river for a bit and then over to the UO campus. I ran by UO's Hayward Field, which is being rebuilt in preparation for next year's US Olympic track and field trials. The first mile of my run was through a rainstorm, which was a welcome change from Southern California weather.

Training without my pace group was not easy, but I think I'll get through it with enough discipline.