It’s early yet, but track for 2022 is already shaping up. This page is my compilation of meets in Oregon and Wasthington that are open to Lizards and other post-collegiate club runners. Registration is generally through Direct Athletics. Some meets require contacting the race director. And note, just because it says “closed” doesn’t mean its full. It may not yet have opened to registration. Many don’t start taking registrations until only a few weeks beforehand. (Photo by Eija, from Wikimedia Commons).
• January 13, Cougar Classic Classic Invitational (The Podium, Spokane). This is by invitation only; contact the meet director via Direct Athletics. Note: this appears to be a Friday, but check in advance.
• January 13, Spokane Indoor Challenge (The Podium, Spokane). Also invitation only. This is the same day as the Cougar Classic, and might be the same meet under an erroneous double listing. Or it might be a different part of the same meet (in which case one or the other of them will be easier to get into). Or, the date is wrong–it’s not like that’s never happened.
• January 14, UW Preview (Dempsey Indoor, University of Washington). UW meets are extremely hard to get into, but some are within reach of non-pros.
• January 21, Portland Indoor #1 (University of Portland). This is in the Chiles Center, and is a true collegiate meet, unlike the USATF ones we’ve done there in the past on weekdays. The track is 240 meters, unbanked, behind the bleachers on the upper level.
• January 27, UW Invite, (Dempsey). Note: 1/27 is a Friday. This is probably a 2-day meet. Check schedule in advance.
• January 28, Stacy Dragila Open (Idaho State Holt Arena). This might be fairly easy to get into, and is on a banked track. But it’s in Pocatello. Historically, the University of Idaho has also had mes that are very accessible to club runners. I’m not sure where they hold them. Probably Boise, if they don’t have their own track, though it might be Spokane. They tend to be the same weekends as UW meets, offering alternatives to those who can’t get into those. So far, I’ve seen no listings.
• February 4, WSU Open (The Podium, Spokane). Despite the fact that this is has “open” in its name, club runners, at least, need an invitation. My guess is it’s the easiest to get into of the 3 Spokane meets. This, btw, is the arena where USATF Indoor Nationals were held last year. That means it’s a 200m banked track in a very nice facility.
• February 5, Portland Indoor #1 (University of Portland). Same as #1. This is a Sunday. Check date as time draws closer.
• February 10, Husky Classic (Dempsey). Again, this is a Friday. Some events may spill onto Saturday. Check schedule.
• February 11, UW High School Invite (Dempsey). This claims to be open to individuals and clubs, but that may not be adults.
• March 3-4, Eric Anderson Memorial Icebreaker (Linfield). This is one at which we’ve traditionally turned out in force. The 10K is Friday night (the 3rd). The rest is Saturday. This is a big meet with a diverse field.
• March 4, Willamette Opener (Willamette University). Nominally higher level competition than Eric Anderson, but much smaller.
• March 11, Lane Community College Open (Eugene).
• March 11, Lewis & Clark Open (formerly Lewis & Clark Spring Break Invitational). We have been invited to this meet, but it’s the day before Shamrock Run, so it won’t work well on many people’s schedules.
• March 18, Rich Allen Classic (George Fox). We went to two George Fox meets in 2021 and found them well-run, low key, and friendly to club runners.
• March 25, Willamette Invitational (Willamette University).
• April 1, Pacific Open, Pacific University. Small and very low-key.
• April 1, Hayward Premier. I’m not sure how elite this is; it might be hard to get into. I’ve also seen it listed as April 1-2.
• April 2, Northwest Distance Jamboree (Lane Community College, Eugene). This date can’t be right. This is a Sunday. I’m guessing that this is actually the Distance CARNIVAL, listed for next week. When I confirm that, I’ll delete this.
• April 2, probable date of Portland Masters Track Club Mini-Meet (last year at Rex Putnam High School, Milwaukie). This is nominally a masters meet, but that means anyone 19+. Registration isn’t on DirectAthletics, but is through the meet. Last year, info was available from [email protected]. At the moment, this listing should be viewed as very tentative.
• April 7, John Knight Twilight (Western Oregon University). It’s been a few years since we’ve done this one, but it’s been fun, low-key, and welcoming in the past. And one local master’s runner set an age-group national record there at 10K, one of the times Lizards and friends went, so it’s friendly to all ages.
• April… something, Titan Invitational Friday Night Distance Carnival. My listing for this shows it as April 8-9, which is NOT a Friday. My guess is April 7, which is where I have it, in sequence. But stay tuned.
• April 8, Jenn Boyman Invitational (Linfield). Nice meet with a big, diverse field.
• April 8, probable date of Pacific Luau Invite (Pacific University). We did this last year. Low key and small. With food. That said, last year, this was a week after Jenn Boyman, and Pacific tends to go to that meet, so I won’t be surprised if this comes up on April 15.
• April 8, Rich Allen Classic, George Fox. We did this one in 2021. Very welcoming, and much fun.
• April 15, probable date of Lewis & Clark Invitational, but I have inconsistent dates on various websites. Again we are specifically invited.
• April 21-23, Oregon Relays (Hayward Field). Probably hard to get into, but on the list for completeness.
• April 28-29, Oregon State High Performance. Many distance events are on the 28th, a Friday. Check the schedule for your event.
• May 5, probable date of Oregon Twilight (Eugene). Probably hard to get into. This is a Friday.
• May 6, Linfield Open. The last of Linfield’s three large, welcoming, open meets.
• May 6, probable date of Hayward Classic (Eugene). This is a masters meet, though “masters” is defined as 25+. Registration is not on Direct Athletics, and the registration deadline is earlier than most track meets. https://www.simplyregister.net/register/?e=121111.
• May 6, probable date of Portland Twilight. This is probably at Lewis & Clark, but I’ve not yet seen confirmation. If the date is right, it’s a rare twilight on a Saturday night.
• May 13, probable date of Portland Distance Carnival (Lewis & Clark)–another meet to which we were invited, last year.
• May 18, George Fox Final Qualifier. That’s the final qualifier for those seeking nationals in George Fox’s division. Club runners are welcome to such events because often we are a good pace for the collegiate runners to chase.
• June 9-10, probable date of Portland Track Festival (Lewis & Clark).
• June 24, Portland Masters Track Club Track & Field Classic. Mt. Hood Community College. Date tentative. Masters meet. I think this is the one we did last year at Rex Putnam, but I’m not sure.
• July 8, VERY APPROXIMATE date of Stumptown Twilight.
• July 20-23, USATF Masters Outdoor Championships (Greensboro, NC). Not close, but we may have some folks interested.