Sean Astin's Portland Marathon Race Report

Submitted by Sean Astin, @SeanAstin

Finished my 12th full Marathon. The weather in Portland was Perfectly Portland...Rainy and Chilly with occasional Wind. Loved it!!!

At the expo yesterday, I made the point that, "you can't fake a Marathon." It's so true. 26.2 miles is a no joke distance. You can suck in your gut for a selfie, but today, the Marathon knew exactly how much I weigh. It's one thing to know that I'm carrying an extra 30+ pounds. The road is...unforgiving. I've been a long distance runner for most of my life. Today, I had to pay the piper :-)))

Tracy Burwell's 2nd Run3rd 5K Race Report

Submitted by Tracy Burwell, @ATurtlesPace

Tracy Burwell and Sean Astin

It was no surprise that the #Run3rd 5k was once again such a huge success!

As I stood on the field on race day just as the sun came up, it was clear that #Run3rd was no longer just an idea. #Run3rd had become a living, growing, breathing thing, flourishing with every step and dedication. Hundreds of people of all ages traveled from miles around to the 2nd Annual #Run3rd 5k. Inspiration and dedications were everywhere! The #Run3rd message was ringing out loud and clear, from the very first runner to the final finisher! It was such an honor to be even a small part of such an incredibly special day.

Dawnley Raices 2nd Run3rd 5K Race Report

Submitted by Dawnley Burwell Raices, @Hipster_Runner

No sleep, two overnight shifts at work and quite a few hours of driving… #RUN3RD 5K, LETS DO THIS!!!

We arrived a day early to help with packet pickup, which is one of my favorite parts! It's wonderful meeting the participants, especially the younger ones who have so much enthusiasm when sharing the message of #Run3rd! I met some incredible pint-sized athletes as well as heard stories of how they encouraged their parents to run, or people that have lost large amounts of weight because they started running. I could make this whole report about them, just know they are amazing humans and I’m so lucky to have been able to chat with them for a few moments while grabbing their race bib.

Brandy Placencia's 2nd Run3rd 5K Race Report

Submitted by Brandy Placencia, @anjenaca

Brandy & Gabriel Placencia at finish line!

I almost didn’t go to the 2nd #run3rd 5k in Arizona. I was extremely burnt out from Girl Scouts and just did not have much energy. When I heard of Anna "Patty Duke" Pearce’s passing I knew I needed to be there. She meant so much to all of us. I have been a fan of hers for as long as I can remember and read her book “Call Me Anna” a few times. Suffering from Severe Social Anxiety that also causes bouts of depression, her book helped me feel like I wasn’t alone back before the explosion on the internet.

After getting to Mesa and seeing everyone, I was so happy that I had made the trip. This was the first time getting to see the other #run3rd Captains that I didn’t have an anxiety attack. I am so happy that my sister Cheyanne got me into this a few years back.

Race morning was perfect weather although I would have preferred some clouds to block the sun. We were pleasantly surprised when we saw that our fearless leader Sean Astin had made it to the race that morning. After a bunch of picture taking and a speech from Sean, the race was on.

I wasn’t quite sure what to expect since last year I had walked the entire race with my sister, but I had brought my Jeff Galloway Run/Walk timer, and with the flat course was excited to get a good time. Unfortunately, thanks to 3 months of Girl Scout Cookie Hell, lack of training and a higher altitude than I’m used to, I felt exhausted from the start. In the last mile I almost quit to a slow walk when I realized I was actually about to catch up with Sean so I pushed harder.

I finished with a time of 45:49 which wasn’t my best but also wasn’t my worst. Overall even though it was the worst I felt during a race, I had a great time and look forward to the next one.

Brandy Placencia
April 19, 2016

Mindy Przeor's 2nd Run3rd 5K race report

Submitted by Mindy Przeor, @RaceEveryStep

Any time I take a moment to reflect on our 2nd annual #RUN3rd 5k, I am overwhelmed by feelings of gratitude, love and pride.  When we decided to make this an annual event, I was worried about how our 2nd year would compare to the first. There were so many special things about the inaugural event that we wouldn't be able to duplicate or compare to. We knew our challenge this year would be to keep the momentum going and grow our local #RUN3rd community with the help of our amazing Captains and Loyals from around the world.

Sean Astin and the Brinton families

David Hearn's 2nd Run3rd 5K race report

Submitted by David Hearn, @davidhearncsi

David Hearn and Sean Astin

The sun was up the sky was blue the drive was long.

As we pulled up to Red Mountain High School for the 2nd Annual #Run3rd 5k on April 2, 2016, you could feel the energy of the crowd who had come out to participate in this wonderful event. As we worked our way onto the field to pick up our race packet, we were greeted with happy smiling faces, vendor booths, raffle prizes, and most importantly, the school kids. The kids all had their Run3rd shirts on; many had their Run3rd dedications pinned to their backs. You could see their anxious, nervous faces filling with excitement as we got closer to the start of the race.

Laura Lawson's 2nd #Run3rd 5K Race Report

Submitted by Laura Lawson, @gamma_laura

Two and 1/2 years ago, I was diagnosed with Stage 3C Ovarian Cancer. Prior to that I had started walking 5ks on a regular basis, but my surgery, chemo treatments and ongoing recovery put an end to that. I have struggled to get back into walking, but have felt discouraged by not being able to make much progress either in speed or distance.

I decided to attend the 2nd annual #Run3rd5K in Mesa, AZ, April 2, 2016, with the idea of supporting others, and walking what I could. I was at peace with this and very happy just to be there. Sharing the event with friends, old and new, is one of the great pleasures of Run3rd!

Race day was warm with a clear sky with a light breeze. Participants wrote down or in some way assembled the dedications that they would carry. Green ribbons worn in memory of Anna "Patty Duke" Astin and Mental Health Awareness were pinned on.