Concordia Cross Country Cleans up Local Course

9/30/2009 9:31:01 PM

PORTLAND, Ore.--A familiar running course in northeast Portland just got a little smoother. Last week, members of the Concordia University men’s and women’s cross country team spent several days buffering the local running trail that surrounds Glendoveer Golf Course located in between NE Glisan and Halsey Street.

According to Metro Parks, the two-mile fitness trail features one of the highest volumes of use in the city. Over a three-day span the Cavalier harriers spread a new lot of wood chips along the trail and raked the surface to create smooth footing along the course. In addition, CU head coach Randy Dalzell was able to repair one of the most vital running resources in the area, the water fountain located within easy reach of the renovated path.

“Our athletes did a great job this week and I was proud of their efforts on behalf of the community,” Dalzell said. “I have run at this trail off and on for 29 years and have seen the evolution of this place into the center of many people’s regular exercise routines. Walkers and runner of all ages and fitness levels use this trail, including our athletes, so it is a great project for us to take on.”

Dalzell has taken over the position as the community liaison for the trail and will be giving regular reports to the parks district on the condition of the trail so that the condition of the trail is maintained throughout the year. The team has thus ‘adopted’ the trail and will be doing regular touch-up work as we report things to the metro parks district.

“People were pretty excited this week to see all the improvements, with the new gravel base the park district put down and then the new wood chip top coat our athletes helped put down,” Dalzell said. “Many people stopped to either thank us or offer to help. I think we’ve not only helped get the trail into tip-top shape, but we’ve put in place a system to work with the parks district to keep in that kind of shape.