Letter to the Editor: Rainshadow Running and “The Island that Runs!”

The 50K race from Rainshadow Running was getting a lot of buzz this past week. Orcas Island certainly put their best foot (no pun) forward. As the run was in Moran State Park, it was not clear if or how much the island economy could realize from this race.

I ran into a group of runners at Island Market last night. They were absolutely walking on air. It was the most beautiful run they have ever done. Two of those in the group were in the top ten. Then they went on about the hospitality of the island. They were equally impressed with us, as they were the run.

They had all carts full of groceries. They all had booked rooms for individual lodging. I had family members in my shop all day. And to their knowledge not many were leaving until Sunday afternoon. My runners special pulled in more people than I had expected. Restaurants had reservations and walk-ins.

The race was sold out at 315 entries. These events are a non-polluting, short term business that boosts the local economy. Good footprints!

So, huge gratitude to our Chamber of Commerce. Every detail was perfect and was genuinely appreciated.
Thank you Lance and Teri and the volunteers. The emails that went out from the Chamber certainly kept us on top of important details. Thanks to your emails, I was able to go right where I needed to to post.

It gave all of us an opportunity to have our weekend revenues pass expectations. And in the dead of winter. Thank you. And thank you weather gods.

As one unaware local put it, “I was wondering why there were so many trim and fit people on the island this weekend.

Thank you to our Orcas Chamber of Commerce.

Ginny Lu Wood