Sensational Saturday...Portland Bubblerun

Yesterday our crew woke up around 0330 in two different households to be on the road and heading to Portland for the Bubblerun, a fun run 5K.

Of course, I was only along for the money in my pockets. LOL!!

It was originally scheduled for Diva girl to go with a great family friend and her daughter, but sadly her aunt took a terminal turn last week and was asking for her niece.

Diva girls entrance fee was already paid and our friend could not get a refund, however, the race allows for participants to 'gift,' their registrations, so our grandson and sons girlfriend's daughter got to participate.

We left home around 0420, fueled up and headed to Portland. Made a stop just inside Portland for all the kids to use the facilities and realized we were only minutes from the Portland International Raceway.

Wow! The road was clogged with traffic by 0615 when we arrived but we were able to park close to check in and get the kids their tee shirts, head bands, bibs and tattoo's...

In the first wave of participants

 After registering, getting the kids all ready to go we had to walk to the start line about a quarter to a third of a mile from where we parked.

While the crowd doesn't look like much, the race is split into two times 0800 and noon. During the 0800 run, there were 11,000 participants. NO! That is NOT a typo!  They sent them into the bubbles, in 11 different waves about five minutes apart.

She didn't participate, but they still let her play in the first wave of the bubbles

As they took off, the three of us that were not running, found a shady spot and waited for the return of the kids, and waited, and waited.

Oldest child really wanted to play in the bubbles, so when the crowd thinned to the last group, she asked the MC if she could play and he told her to have fun! She did!! Amazing what bubbles do to even 14 year olds!


We then found out, they came out the other side of the raceway over by the parking lot. Sure enough, when we got to the van, they were all covered in pink, green, yellow and blue dye and asking what took us so long!

They were starving! One thing my grands have learned is that if you are running a race, drink at least 16 ounces of water, but do not eat until after as they tend to get sick to their stomachs.

Where did they want to go? Being in Portland, I knew my three's answer and I was right..VooDoo Donuts! So, off we traveled to our favorite pink building to get a donut.

Some of our faves are:
1- Maple Bacon@
2-Tex-Ass Donut@ which is so big it comes with the stipulation that if you can eat it in 80 seconds or less, you get your money back! My two grands can! But we didn't know about the money back!
3-Arnold Palmer, which is a cake donut with a tea and lemonade icing with lemon sprinkles
4-VooDoll, a voodoo doll shaped donut that comes with a pretzel stick!
5- Old Fashioned Donut

So many wonderful ones from classics to 'whodathunkits?' 
They also make Vegan donuts, but why?

It is usually packed full and lined up, but yesterday the line was small as you can tell!

Just take our pictures so we can go to the van and sleep!

Just enjoying the donuts!

It was a nice trip to Portland and a quiet trip home as the kids all crashed from running and their sugar rushes!

We have decided that October we are all going to do a Zombie run for Halloween, although I know I will die early as I can't run from the Zombies!

It truly was an amazing day!