Seattle and Lake Union 10K

 

While the iconic Space Needle is synonymous with Seattle, flying fish, a ferris wheel that soars over Puget Sound, and a phenomenal blown glass exhibit were what really made our Seattle trip memorable.

Having checked all but four states east of the Mississippi off of our quest list but only three to the west we signed up for races in Washington and Oregon.  We flew from Boston to Seattle on Virgin America.  This was our first time using this airline and we had a great experience.

Strangely, one of the highlights of our flight was their safety video.  And stranger still, when we got on our connecting flight we were actually excited that we would be able to watch the video again!.

We  headed directly to Pike Place Market on Saturday morning following a tip from some Washington runners that we had met in Maine earlier this summer.

As soon as we entered the market we knew we were in the right place because the fish market was surrounded by scores of tourists with their cameras poised to snap a picture of a flying fish. When a customer chose a fish the fish monger at the front of the display tossed it to the guys behind the counter.  Often the fish flew back and forth a few times accompanied by a distinctive call.  I wasn’t able to capture this on video but this excerpt from YouTube depicts it perfectly.

The market is also known for its flowers.

 

Everyone seemed to be walking by with giant, gorgeous bouquets. One man told us he had paid only $10.00 for his stunning collection of blooms.

We walked a mile from the market to the Space Needle but after discovering that there was a two hour wait to take the elevator to the top we opted for the Chihuly Garden and Glass exhibit adjacent to it. We paid our admission and planned to wander around the display for a bit.  But we were immediately transfixed by the overwhelming color, design, and extravagance of the creations. We truly could not refrain from taking photo after photo.  I don’t think  I’ve ever been somewhere where so many observers also seemed to be overcome by the magnificence of the exhibition.

We left the exhibit a bit stunned by our unexpectedly fabulous experience and made our way back to the market.  We were tired, thirsty, and hungry so after climbing a small mountain of stairs back up to the Market we arrived at Red Cedar and Sage.

Just sitting down at the bar felt great but sampling two local beers accompanied by a remarkably delicious egg salad sandwich felt even better. When we were joined by a pleasantly chatty  fellow traveler we couldn’t resist convincing him to venture to the Chihuly Garden and Glass Exhibit. As we conversed, two complimentary orange rosemary sorbet mimosas were placed in front of us. They were fabulous.

It would have been easy to have wiled away the afternoon drinking and conversing at the bar but we departed and walked the short distance to the Seattle Great Wheel.

 

The views as we rode over the water were spectacular.

The almost surreal sight of Mount Rainier never failed to thrill us-even when it was more than 60 miles away.

 

We left downtown Seattle to pick up our race packets and shirts for the Lake Union 10K which we were running the next day. We loved the gender-specific race shirts.

 

Finding the race location the next morning was a breeze. We thought it was fitting that we could see the Space Needle from that location, too.

As the name suggests, the race takes place around Lake Union. While we waited for the race to begin we wandered down to the waterfront where we were pleasantly surprised to find a display of historic boats.

Strolling along the dock learning about various noteworthy vessels was certainly a new but entertaining way to spending the pre-race time.  We encountered a local couple and when they noticed Mike’s Beach to Beacon volunteer shirt we began talking about running in Maine.We urged them to attempt to get into what we think is one of the best races ever.

When the race started we joined about 1200 other runners on the course around the lake. The mostly flat course traveled through lake-side neighborhoods, across two draw bridges, and along various paved trails.

We were pleased with our finishing time and the completion of our 26th state.

A signature feature of this race is the post race breakfast provided by Portage Bay, also the major race sponsor.

We were thrilled that the beneficiary of this race is Girls on the Run. I even chose Girls on the Run on my Charity Miles app and wracked up an additional donation while I ran.

We left the race feeling delighted to have completed another state and eager to continue with our traveling adventure.

The story continues in our next post-Whidbey Island and Mount Rainier National Park.

Have you been to Seattle?  What was your favorite part?

Do you use the Charity Miles app to earn money for terrific causes?

State: Washington

Quest Race: #26

Date Run: August 14, 2016

The Bottom Line: The Lake Union 10K was a pleasant, scenic race in Seattle which provided us with the opportunity to explore Seattle and support a fabulous cause.