by Pamela Hect

“The Harvest Half reminded me that running is more than miles, it’s about the friendships we make while sharing a common purpose.”

This fall’s Harvest Half was more than just my third half marathon of the year. It felt like the capstone to a season of resilience, friendship, and rediscovering joy in running again.

When I first laced up, I wasn’t sure if I had the stamina—physically or mentally—to commit to training. But I wasn’t running alone. Thanks to my Perrigo crew, Sunday “run-days” became my long runs and my weekly social outlet. Almost every Sunday morning, we met at Whole Foods, laced up, and logged miles together. Week after week, the miles stacked up alongside laughter, encouragement, and the kind of conversations that make the road feel shorter. Those Sundays didn’t just make my legs stronger; they reminded me that running is always better when shared.

While Sunday runs were my anchor, I did make it out to a few Lake Sammamish Run Club “Wake Up Friday” (WuF) events. One Friday morning before the Harvest Half, my pal Doug pushed me to run four miles well out of my comfort zone and Mari reminded me to “smile”. Though I groaned through it at the time, I know those little nudges helped me build the grit and stamina I carried into race day.

And then, of course, there is Piper, the most famous dog in our running community. She didn’t run the Harvest Half, but she joined countless training runs, yelping happily at Perrigo parkruns and splashing into the water on summer mornings. Doug and Dean are her favorite dog-whisperers.

Each half marathon along the way carried its own story:

• Lake Sammamish Half (March): My first race back, and a test of resilience. I crossed the finish line in 2:14 (10:15 pace). It wasn’t easy—I was still recovering from a bout with Norovirus—but finishing reminded me of all the work I put in during the winter.
• Super Half (June): Race day was cold and unlike our practice run. The weather was cold and wet.  I, sadly, caught Covid 2 weeks prior. My time slowed to 2:19 (10:41 pace), but the real victory was simply showing up, running through the rain, and proving to myself that setbacks don’t define the journey.
• Harvest Half (September): By the time fall arrived, I was ready. Strava clocked me at 2:03 (9:23 pace), a personal record and my fastest of the three. I debuted my brand-new Hoka Bondis, which felt like running on clouds, and they carried me comfortably through the first half of the course.

The second half, though, was all grit. My goal was to break 2 hours, and I pushed as hard as I could, but fatigue set in. There were four water stations, and looking back, I wish I’d stopped at the third one on the way back. I was so thirsty and so tired at that point that every step felt heavier.

What kept me moving was the energy around me. At the second water stop, the cheer station was filled with familiar faces, including Mary and Doug, whose cheers lifted my spirits right when I needed it most. I also remember smiling at the encouragement signs lining the course on the out-and-back stretch. Lillian and Tali ran ahead after mile 7 and I knew I had to keep pushing.

Jason was with me the whole race, to pace me and to remind me to breathe. His presence reminded me that I can do hard things—and crossing with a shiny PR proved it true.

Crossing the finish line wasn’t just about the clock. It was about honoring the journey: the sick days, the rainy races, the early alarms, the Whole Foods Sundays, the rare WuF pushes, Piper’s cheerful presence, and the friendships that kept me lacing up when it would have been easier to stay home.

Most of all, I’m grateful for the Perrigo crew, each of whom adds something special to our circle:

• Gayle, for her sweetness and steady encouragement.

• Laura, for keeping me honest on the days when I didn’t want to run.
• Mary, who always makes me laugh and brightens the miles.
• Anne, my cerebral friend, who makes running feel like both exercise and thoughtful conversation.
• Lillian, who keeps us organized and moving forward (on and off the road).
• Tali, my running-gal enabler in the very best way.
• Tracey, who puts a smile on my face and models hat fashion like no one else.
• Jolla, whose incredible running milestones inspire me to aim higher.
• Jackie, whose steady, encouraging presence is a reminder that consistency carries us further than speed ever could.
• Beth, who brings her funny, quirky spark and “woo woo” energy that makes every run more magical.

This year of running has reminded me that improvement isn’t always linear and that progress is as much about community as it is about pace. My Perrigo crew lifted me through the lows and celebrated the highs, turning every mile into something meaningful.

And the sweetest ending of all? After the Harvest Half, Jason and I brought home two tiny kittens. We named them Hoka and Saucony—a playful nod to the shoes that carried me through this year’s races.

As I look ahead, I’m filled with gratitude. Grateful for the strength to run, for the people who inspire me to keep going, and for the simple joy of chasing finish lines together—sometimes followed by kittens, and often accompanied by a wagging tail and a cookie-seeking nose. The Harvest Half may have been my third half marathon this year, but I know it’s just another step in a journey that’s far from over.

A heartfelt thank-you to the Lake Sammamish Run Club for organizing such a welcoming, encouraging event and for building a community where miles become memories.

Here are a few of the club highlights during the month of August:

On Sunday, August 10 at Idylwood Beach, Lake Sammamish we had our third annual LSRC Summer Picnic. It was great to connect, eat lots of great food and catch up on the year's activities and events. We had a chance to introduce the board to our newer members, and to thank our volunteers for all they do throughout the year.

On Saturday, August 16 the LSRC Joggernauts (Daniel Bannon, Victor Wang, Adrian Wang, Zhenya Ross, Skye Pazuchanics, and Alan Sharp) competed in the Centennial Relay and Ultra Run. The 100KM route spanned the entirety of the Centennial Trail (Snohomish to Arlington, and back). Congratulations to all!

June has been a busy month for running events and group activities. Here are a few of the highlights:

On Thursday, June 5 at Marymoor Park in Redmond we had our first official LSRC pacing event. All our pacers (Joy, Daniel, Doug and Nidhi) led their respective pace groups to on-time finishes. Thanks to Champs Sports for a great run and an enjoyable evening!

It was a hot one: On Saturday, June 7 at the Lake Tye Challenge in Monroe, Daniel Bannon and Skye Pazuchanics ran amazing races with help and support from Shawn P. Skye took first place honors in the women’s 6-hour race, while Daniel took second place in the men’s 6-hour race. Many thanks to the good people who put on this unique ultramarathon event as a fundraiser for Wild Sky Community Trails Association.       (Meanwhile, in a parallel universe…) Also on June 7, it was another 90°F-day at the Yakima Mile (but we'll take 90°, over the 101° that was 2024). Max Jensen was 1st Grandmaster (overall 60+ winner) and Jason Hect and Piper were 5th in the Dog Mile. Trevor Jex ran a PR, and Pamela Hect was strong in her first road mile! Mike Williamson, Matthew Williamson, Michael Arlt, Zach Fung, and Joy Chan all ran solid efforts. Congratulations to all our finishers!   And finally, on Wednesday, June 18 we had an LSRC showing on the track at All Comers. Many of us participated in what we later learned was the final Jogger’s Mile (no watch allowed, predict your time for the win) – an event we hope to see return at some point in the future. Excellent participation in the 400, 800, 1500 and 5K throughout the night, and a captivating 4x400 relay with Arthur Lovekin, Mike Williamson, Zhenya Ross and Zach Fung for an awe-inspiring sub-5 min 1600m. Thanks to CNW for putting on another great meet.

From May 1 through May 16, 2025, the club sought input from members to gauge interest in structured track workouts. A total of 18 respondents completed a brief survey about locations, availability, and attendance likelihood at in-person track workouts. Full survey results may be viewed on this PDF: LSRC Structured Track Workouts Interest Survey Results_2025_05_30.pdf

Synopsis of results

• The results from the track interest survey showed people are interested in meeting together to do workouts, whether that is doing one of the club's planned workouts or their own workout. 
• Evening workout times were more popular overall, with Wednesday evening having the highest number of people indicating they would be able to attend (10/18 respondents), followed by Tuesday evening (9/18 respondents).
• Lake Washington High School (Kirkland) was the most popular location (15/18 respondents), followed by Redmond High School (11/18 respondents). The International School (Bellevue) and Northshore Middle School (Bothell) were third and fourth, respectively. The three "Other" locations for a track location suggested by members included Chinook Middle School (Bellevue), Eastlake High School (Sammamish), and Juanita High School (Kirkland).
• Half of all respondents would still be interested in a weekly workout that they could access and take anywhere to do on their own while another quarter said they would potentially be interested, depending on what they were training for.

Moving forward with this information

It is clear at least 18 people - and likely more - are interested in doing track workouts, ideally with others for company. At our next board meeting on June 3, we will discuss implementation of track workouts in potentially several stages:

1. Improve our goal races tracking system so we can better track members' training goals for the year. As a club, we need to consistently encourage each other to share our goals!
2. Design plans that align with club-focused runs (e.g., training for a summer 5k or fall half-marathon) and decide on the best avenue for disseminating these plans to our members (e.g., posting the workouts onto the club website).
3. Secure track at a consistent location and time. (Historically, weekday evenings during the schoolyear are more difficult to secure than during the summer due to schools using their tracks/fields for fall/spring sports, but this isn't to say it's impossible to be at the same location year-round.)

Please stay tuned for more updates on track via our emails (for subscribed members) and information posted on this site!

By Peter Averill

SUNDAY, MAY 4, 2025 

May 4th was the annual Mt. Si Relay & Trail Runs in Snoqualmie, put on by our friends at Eastside Runners. This race, which has been around since 1983, also includes the marathon, 50k, and 50-mile ultras. LSRC members entered a team into the relay event, and our VP Daniel Bannon won the Half Marathon.

The relay is a 58-mile run, mostly on the Snoqualmie Valley Trail, with teams of five running two legs each. I took part along with Pam, Doug, Alan, and our leader Skye on team The Devil Wears Strava. My first leg was 6.4mi; I had the shortest total mileage, but the tradeoff was that the first 6mi were all uphill! (709ft gain). The setting was beautiful; a hard packed trail through forest, with two bridge crossings over ravines affording exceptional (if vertigo inducing) views. A runner ahead of me reported a bear sighting, but I missed that - I'm not sure if I should be relieved or disappointed. The route also took me past an active shooting range; it was good they forewarned about that!

My second leg was just 3.8mi, to the finish line, though it was hard to get legs that had stiffened up warmed up again for that.

We didn't really enter to be competitive, just to enjoy the event, but came 2nd in the mixed master's division. It was my first time running this kind of race. I went into it apprehensive about how the travelling and waiting around would be, but it was an enjoyable experience, with lots of socializing and changes of scenery at the various transfer points. It was nice to see a lot of familiar faces we hadn't seen in a while. I'd certainly do this again, and I recommend the event overall.

FRIDAY, MAY 2, 2025

The energy on the track was upbeat and family-friendly. Music blared from the start line area, and food trucks lined the parking lot. It was breezy, and a little cool for this time of year – perfect conditions for a hot mile.

Set by seed time, the heats were full. Starting with the recreationally-paced Community Mile, they got faster as the night went on. The field was a mix of clubs, middle and high schoolers, and adults of all ages who came out for the competition, or just the opportunity to run their first mile in years.

Friday night under the lights: Victor Wang, Adrian Wang and mike williamson.

On Monday April 21, 2025 (Patriot’s Day) I successfully ran the Boston Marathon for the first time, finishing in 3:40:06. LSRC members and other runners from Seattle had excellent days. My friends Max and Adam (pictured) are sub-elites in their respective age groups.

Boston is the oldest continuous marathon in the world, and the most famous. It was the first of the seven Abbott Majors, and a grail / Top Gun race: top 10% performance for age group required for entry.

Five years ago I could not run 26.2 feet, never mind 26.2 miles. I vowed a return to athleticism. 16 months later I finished my first HM (Seattle Half) with a time of 1:50. In 2024 I qualified for Boston, with a ten-minute margin. My application was accepted based on merit and a tough cutoff time.

I consider this the pinnacle of my athletic abilities across my entire lifetime. Qualifying for Boston was a multi-year, thousand-hour, 5,400+ training-miles endeavor since 2021.

Reach far. If your reach exceeds your grasp as mine did the previous two years, try again. In 2024 I qualified. In 2025, here I am: a mid-pack graduate from running’s most prestigious worldwide event. Be your best you, then set new goals. Never declare victory. What's next? I’ll start another cycle for my next milestone — Chicago in October, my second Abbott Major. Good luck embracing your jam!

by Daniel Bannon

From January 19 through March 17, 2025, the club sought input from members to see if there was enough interest to develop a weekly, group-based couch-to-5k training program. A total of 11 respondents completed a brief survey about their running background, goals, and motivation. Aggregated data is summarized below (unfortunately charts could not be pasted into this post due to limitations of the website):

All respondents reported having completed a 5K, either walking or running.

Average time to complete LAST 5K: 34:11 (range: 20:00 - 48:30)

When completed LAST 5K: Range: "today" to "several years ago"

Average time to complete FASTEST 5K: 25:01 (range: 16:32 - 34:00)

When completed FASTEST 5K: Range: 1998 to 2025

Locations people are able to make for a weekly training event:

• Downtown Redmond: 8 (72.7%)
• Downtown Kirkland: 6 (54.5%)
• Neither: 1 (9.1%)

Days/times of week that work best for a weekly training event:

• Monday evenings: 0 (0%)
• Tuesday evenings: 2 (18.2%)
• Wednesday evenings: 1 (9.1%)
• Thursday evenings: 3 (27.3%)
• Friday evenings: 2 (18.2%)
• Saturday mornings: 7 (63.6%)
• Sunday mornings: 5 (45.5%)
• Other: 3 (27.3%)

Synopsis of open-text comments:

• A subset of respondents indicated preferring weekday morning training times

• Over half of respondents had run more routinely in the past with goals to return to more consistent running and/or previous levels of running fitness
• The majority of respondents expressed goals of increasing running consistency (number of runs/week), improving endurance, and/or improving speed
• Several respondents expressed desire to find community and safe spaces to run

Decision to move forward with program

Although we had a small sample size and people's backgrounds and experiences varied, the results were clear: people want to improve on their running and run in a safe manner. However, given the majority of respondents are already able to complete the 5K distance and only 3 of 11 respondents reported 5K times >40 minutes, the Board did not feel that a true "Couch-to-5K" training program would benefit the needs of most of this group. Additionally, the most preferred days of the week for a training program were Saturday and Sunday mornings, and at this time LSRC does not have the personnel resources (we are a 100% volunteer-run organization) to add an additional training day on the weekend beyond our current Sunday morning run in Redmond.

What happens now? What resources are available?

LSRC will continue to explore other options to support the goals of its runners. For now, we recommend looking into the following services currently offered by the club, as well as a few external options. We hope these resources are a good start for you, whether you are at the beginning of your health and fitness journey or anywhere further along.

• Weekly Group Runs: Our scheduled runs on Monday and Thursday evenings and Friday and Sunday mornings offer both shorter (3M) and longer (5M-6M) routes and usually have people from a range of paces, along with sometimes run/walkers. Check out the Weekly Runs page for details on the meeting locations, times, and routes. There is also a monthly dinner/breakfast social post-run for each location.
• Beginners' Run: The second Sunday of each month at 9 AM is our designated beginner-friendly run. This run starts from the East Lake Sammamish Trail adjacent to Redmond Whole Foods (details in the Weekly Runs page above). We will have a pace buddy for the last person / people, whether you are running, walking, or anything in between.
• Personalized Coaching: Full members of LSRC have access to free coaching services from one of the club's USATF Level 1 certified coaches. If you are interested in working with one of our coaches, please contact our team at coaches@lakesammamishrunclub.org. Check out the Coaching page for more details on how to apply and what to expect from coaching.
• Join a Free Parkrun: Parkrun is a free community 5K every Saturday morning open to runners and walkers of ALL abilities. Started in the UK, it has now grown to over 80 locations in the US, with 7 (and soon to be 8) locations in WA alone. The closest Parkruns to the Seattle Eastside are Perrigo, Renton, and soon-to-open Downtown Redmond (May 24, 2025).
• General Tips on Getting Started: Read this informational sheet from Coach Zach Fung on returning to running from an injury. Many of these principles apply to returning from taking time off running or getting started for the first time.
• Join our Facebook Group: Have a question on training or anything else related to running? Post it to our private Facebook group and you'll likely get some input from the community. (Plus, the Facebook group is a great way to keep up with what we've been up to and you can also find each week's scheduled run in the Events section!)

Photo credit: Joy Chan

On a cloudy Saturday morning during Earth Week, LSRC board members Peter Averill and Joy Chan joined about two dozen other volunteers at Bellevue's Wilburton Hill Park for a work party to remove invasive species from the park. This particular work party was popular (likely due to Earth Week), and only the earliest registrants were able to secure a spot, which limited the number of LSRC members who were able to attend.

Wilburton Hill Park at just over 100 acres is Bellevue's largest upland park. Bordering the Bellevue Botanical Garden and connected to Kelsey Creek Park via the Lake to Lake Trail, the park is popular amongst recreationalists. With its wider smooth trails, rolling terrain, and abundant forest canopy, it is also a favorite amongst LSRC runners, with several Sunday field trip runs held at the park over the years.

However, there was no running this April 19. Departing from the main parking lot, Bellevue Parks employees led the group about 1/3 mile through the park, until reaching an area with flagging on the left. Going past the flagging and off trail about 50 feet, the group of volunteers quickly saw the extent of their project - an infestation of English ivy (Hedera helix) had overgrown the forest floor, choking out other ground species and snaking its vines up some of the trees. The task was simple - pull out as much ivy as one could without removing the native plants.

The work was challenging but rewarding. Volunteers spread out into different sections, with some tackling removal of ivy from trees in pairs or triplets and the remainder pulling vines up and out from the ground. Oftentimes, it took multiple tugs to unravel the mess of vines and more yanks to dislodge the roots; fortunately, English ivy has no thorns, so the only risk was falling over backwards should one pull too hard. What started as a cool day seemed to quickly warm up with the energy needed to continuously pull, and after two hours, the group had made good progress, culminating in many pairs of sweaty hands and three rafts of broken ivy piled nearly five feet high. 

Bellevue Parks concluded the work party with the planting of a sequoia tree. Although not native to Western Washington, the Park employee explained that sequoias are especially hardy, and planting them throughout the park should help preserve the natural habitat should climate change eventually wreck havoc on our native species. The volunteers gathered around as a hole was dug and the sequoia was placed into its new home, arms already stretched upwards towards its new forest family. Soon the forest will start caring for its newest child, much as Mother Earth has taken care of us for millennia.

Earth Week is short, but our duty towards our planet is forever. Environmental protection and sustainability takes many forms, and we hope you were able to take action - however small or big - in whatever way suited you best.

Photo Credit: Joy Chan

Event Date/Location: March 8, 2025, Redmond, WA to Issaquah, WA

View the full LSRC Cheer Station Album here!

Photo Credit: Shawn Pearce

The Lake Sammamish Half Marathon occurring annually for 15 years in early March, has become a staple on the Eastside and has attracted thousands of runners from all parts of the greater Seattle area. This year was no different with the exception of a new course that started at Redmond City Hall, but otherwise kept true to tradition, skirting the shores of Lake Sammamish, all the way to Lake Sammamish State Park in Issaquah via the East Lake Sammamish Trail.

Typical March overcast skies presented their usual threats of showers first thing, but a 2000+ person crowd formed, huddled like penguins often do as the start corrals grew to capacity shortly before the gun went off at 7:30am. At least this year, the arrangement was a bit more practical than in previous years where the entire field of runners had been restricted to what was really just an apartment courtyard.

Orca Running - who has put on this race for several years now - had also made notable strides in their event organization. Wave starts helped reduce traffic on the narrow pedestrian trail, and accurate mile markers relieved anxiety for anyone trying to beat a time. The only short sight that a significant number of runners would gripe about was the continuation of Orca’s cup-less aid station policy where you are required to fill up your own container at each aid station rather than grabbing from a familiarized pre-filled Dixie cup on the go.

LSRC came to the rescue in that sense, setting up a special unofficial aid and cheer station a bit past half-way through the course for LSRC runners. As a runner myself, it was boosting to see everyone right before the later stages in the race where the going gets tough, and I sensed an equal level of excitement on the other side by the exuberant photography efforts as I sped by.

The remainder of the race was rather uneventful, with maybe a passing shower or two, although the revised finish (compared to previous years) played out quite unexpectedly, taking a turn off the cement and meandering onto gravel and grass in short quarters, briefly becoming the Kentucky Derby in the final stretch.

Overall, completing the race brought satisfaction and a sense of accomplishment for myself and most others. LSRC runners showcased strong performances, including a few half-marathon firsts and PRs! This was not only a day to remember, but will also be a day to look forward to next year.

Photo Credit: Joy Chan