This story appeared in the Winter 2015 edition of Our Big Backyard, a quarterly magazine about parks and nature. Read more stories, plan an outing with a field guide, and find out more about fun nature events and classes.
It sounded like a stampede.
The thunderous, booming roar that raced down the green fields at Metro’s Glendoveer Golf and Tennis Center came from 400 of the country’s fastest high school runners, who were vying to be crowned national champions at the Nike Cross Nationals.
Glendoveer raised its national profile when it hosted the event for the first time Dec. 6. The hilly course earned high marks from runners, especially those from Oregon who enjoyed the convenient location and home state support.
The runners praised the beautiful setting that traversed tree-lined fairways, particularly the natural-feeling hills in comparison to the man-made hills at last year’s race.
“It was an awesome course,” said Matthew Sjogren, 18, a senior at Summit High School in Bend. “It was tough because of the hills and the mud. It really felt like a championship-style race. I had a good time.”
Glendoveer’s location also meant the team drove a few hours to the event after their flights were canceled due to ice, Sjogren said. And supporters were able to make the trek, too.
“It was good because we had hometown fans,” he said. “It was awesome having it in Portland and having friends come over to watch.”
The team finished 17th among the boys.
The Nike Cross Nationals combines both the fastest individual runners and the fastest team runners from across the country who qualified through regional meets.
The course at Glendoveer best suited strength runners, who easily charged up the gently rolling hills.
On the girls side, the sole qualifying Oregon runner was Ella Donaghu, 16, a junior at Grant High School in Portland. She preferred the rolling hills at Glendoveer because it felt like more of a real cross-country course compared to last year’s race at a horse-racing track, said Laurie Donaghu, her mother.
Having the race at Glendoveer also meant that the extended family came out in force to support Ella Donaghu, who finished 10th in the race.
All of the runners arrive on Thursday – two days before the Saturday race – and stay at a hotel near the Nike World Campus in Beaverton, Laurie Donaghu said. Almost all of the runners had to fly to Portland, but not her daughter.
“I picked her up from school at noon on Thursday and drove her to the hotel where all the kids are staying,” Laurie Donaghu said. “It’s really great and convenient to have the meet in our backyard.”