“I knew I wanted to join a run club to help level up my running and find community. Lucky for me, I had friends in high places at RCTC encouraging me to join. “

“It’s been really rewarding to see RCTC grow from an idea to a fully-fledged organization. While running brought our team together, I think what many of our members share in common is a desire to make a positive impact in our community and strive to make our sport more accessible to all.”

“The Rose City community is unique–it’s pretty cool to be welcoming to beginner runners but also support a number of women chasing the OTQ standard. I feel lucky to be a part of that.”

This week’s runner spotlight features Hope Hill. Hope ran with RCTC pre-pandemic. After training solo for her past marathon, she decided to rejoin the team and train alongside friends. We talked about all sorts of things including motherhood, GF chocolate chip cookies, and training for a sub-2:40 at Eugene!

This week we caught up with Teresa, who recently became a parent! We talked about her return to running, what keeps her motivated, and her new-found love for the stroller run. Check the linktree for the full story!

Meet Stephen, one of our newest teammates. As a teacher and a father, Stephen finds balance and stability through running. We caught up with him to talk about the origins of his love for running, and how running helps him be the best version of himself!

“I often got caught up in the trap of performance and my ego being the only thing that would drive me, often leading to overtraining and injuries. Only recently have I been able to come back to the original reason I started running as a kid in the first place, joy!”

“I’ve been looking for a club to join ever since as I still have some unfinished business I want to accomplish. I also love the community you meet through running. I heard great things about Rose City and thought being part of this team would help me accomplish my goals.”

“I love running because there is always a goal to work towards, and something to motivate me to get outside and move. There’s no better feeling than toeing the line at a race knowing you’ve put in the work and can have confidence in all of your training leading up to the race.”

“I thought the time was wrong haha. I admit I teared up a little bit when I got the little card print out with the official time.”

“The day of the marathon I felt really good and after starting conservatively in the first 5k, I managed to pick up the pace and started hitting negative splits. Throughout the race I felt in control and the splits started getting faster and faster.”

“Any time I am going with a sweet plate for breakfast, I want the drink to balance with some bitterness. I prefer something like a coffee stout and would recommend the Breakside Mexican Coffee stout if you can find it in season. As an unabashed Pabst advocate, I’ll also note that the PBR hard coffee options are great and suitable for a breakfast drink[.]”

“I try to get into a rhythm and zone out as much as possible, especially during the middle part of the race, but also keep an eye on the pace to make sure I’m not getting too far off of my goal. It always helps so much to have a buddy during the race or at least another person to focus on and pace off of. “

“It was a beautiful, sunny, spring day and the trail was dry and smooth. The day was not perfect – I ran out of water and food, and my watch died – but I made it 60 miles, the farthest I’ve ever run in a single day, a feat I once thought impossible!”

“I think the biggest myth for me was that you have to "eat clean" to get the most out of yourself as an athlete. This can add stress and pressure and turn into undereating really easily[.]”

“Cheers and encouragement from teammates kept me going in the last mile.”

These light and airy doughnuts, offering a hint of cardamom and maple syrup, are gently dipped in a sweetened homemade fresh raspberry glaze.

“Best running experience: Going to the Dominican Republic a few years ago by myself. Had a poorly drawn napkin map in my pocket to guide my way as I brushed past large banana leaves, jumped over tarantulas (already dead), through a tropical jungle to be greeted by a lonely strip of beach. Ran on the beach for a while. Yelled affirmations at myself in a cave. Threw a big rock into the sea. Endorphins on endorphins.“