Video: 300 in 1st-ever pre-parade West Seattle Float Dodger 5K

(Video of the race’s start and first 2 photos, by Christopher Boffoli for WSB)
About 300 people ran and/or walked in the first-ever West Seattle Float Dodger 5K, a kind of opening act for the West Seattle Grand Parade, was a big success, reports Tim McConnell of West Seattle Runner (WSB sponsor), which played a big role in making it happen. Tim and wife/co-proprietor Lori McConnell both participated, too, in costume (which was encouraged):

The race started under cloudy skies, but no rain:

The “float dodging” happened after participants walked/ran the first leg of the race, north from California/Charlestown to California/Lander, the starting line of the parade – where the West Seattle Hi-Yu float was parked, minus royalty, for them to run around:

(WSB photo by Tracy Record)
From there, they ran southbound along the entire parade route to the finish at California/Edmunds. The results are available online now – go here. The top male finisher was 29-year-old Mark Mandi, with a net time of 15:28; top female finisher was 30-year-old Bekka Martin, with a net time of 20:17. Other winners included the beneficiaries, the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society and the Rotary Club of West Seattle, whose members helped with race staging/organizing – here’s Gary Potter of Potter Construction (WSB sponsor) with some of the course markers:

(WSB photo by Patrick Sand)
This was one of two Rotary events on parade morning – the other was the Kiddie Parade; photos from that are coming up. Run for Good Racing Company was a partner in making the Float Dodger 5K happen, too. So far, sounds like the first one won’t be the last – so watch for the registration announcement next year!

4 Replies to "Video: 300 in 1st-ever pre-parade West Seattle Float Dodger 5K"

  • rose July 21, 2012 (7:40 pm)

    It was a fun event. Looking forward it next year! thanks tim and lori!!

  • Valerie July 21, 2012 (9:12 pm)

    That was a really fun race – thanks to Tim & Lori for sponsoring it, and thanks to WSB for covering it!

  • Tim July 22, 2012 (10:46 am)

    Thanks to everyone who came out and ran the Float Dodger. We had such a good time running with all of you and look forward to twice as many people runnning next year! Thank you West Seattle for supporting the race, the parade, WS Rotary, LLS and West Seattle Runner. And thank you West Seattle Blog for getting the word out and announcing every event we had to get this race off the ground.

    Tim and Lori McConnell
    West Seattle Runner

  • Gayle July 22, 2012 (10:37 pm)

    It really was a lot of fun, both as a runner and as a volunteer. Thanks to Lori and Tim for launching a new component to our community celebration, to http://www.runforgoodracingcompany.com/ and to the West Seattle businesses that helped support this event.
    For anyone reading that did not participate, start planning now to join the fun next year!!

    PS running in a costume is fun!

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