Captain Jack’s Treasure Run

Article and Photography by John Phillips

Silver Strider Treasure Hunt

Captain Jack’s Treasure Orca run was alive with many young and older dressed like Pirates.

This event, gathering in the Redmond municipal campus, ran along the Sammamish River featured two not so common distances. The 8K and a 12K ran north while the 5k south which helped avoid congestion on the paved trail.

To win The Silver Strider Super Athlete ring, placing in the 8K distance top 10 in the state is one requirement for those aging into 65 and up.

Winning this prized ring is a significant motivator for top performers. This is the treasure worth hunting for. This distance is what attracted me to this particular run and is likely why it was added to the Silver Strider series.

Light rain that morning seemed to signal the nearing end to this year’s sunny October.

I did not expect to see many Silver Strider regulars here because this run was stacked against the other Strider event, Run Scared at Seward Park Seattle. But still those of us that showed up dominated the 8K like a team.

I chatted briefly with Michael Magnussen and David Crawford in the start corral with Ken Pepper nearby. They said they were running the 8k, but were more focused on their upcoming marathons rather than the event this day. Still, they put on impressive performances.

Michael placed third overall and looked like he wasn’t even trying, running smoothly and fast.

Every M65 or older age group division was won by regular Silver Strider runners.

Ken’s time went one deep, also beating the age group below him.

The distinguished and oldest runner there, Robert Hoekman, now competing in the 85-89 division, anchored the M65 up 8K finishing our clean sweep.

Bob commented that he’s already completed the 5k and half marathon this year. Clearly he is going for his 8th ring, likely a gold one this year with only an 10K certified event left for him to win it all.

I don’t know which impresses me more about Bob, his 4:07 marathon at age 82 or his efforts this year while running through his health-related limitations.

I would grade my own 8k effort there a B+. B for my effort and plus because I did run a little extra. The 8k turn around was well marked but not staffed and I ran right through it.

Upon seeing the turn arrow, I remembered back to the half marathon in Anacortes a few years ago with an unstaffed turnaround arrow which confused Judy Fisher, me and others shortening our distances and messing with our times and accomplishments that day. I did not want to take the chance to repeat the mistake.

So, I ran on past the turn for a while asking other runners if that was the 8k turn. Consensus was, finally, that I should turn around.

In spite of lacking a volunteer at the turn, like most Orca races, it was well organized and an upbeat outing, kicking off the many upcoming fall races.