Photos from the Fremont 5k and Briefcase Relay

By Geeky Swedes · June 12th, 2009 · 10 Comments

Perfect weather attracted a big crowd at the Fremont 5k and Briefcase Relay.

The most entertaining event is the relay, attracting costumed runners packing briefcases full of canned food — all to support the non-profit Solid Ground.

The relay team called, ahem, “Test Icicles” came in first place, with Troy Ruckman (above) crossing the finish line with a time a bit over 16 minutes. His team’s secret of success? “I think it’s probably our stylish design, our low friction sleeves and high compression socks,” he told us.

The most popular costume is standard business wear, but we also saw caped superheroes, baseball players and construction workers.

After the relay and 5k run, participants enjoyed food and drinks at a beer garden at Adobe Plaza. Last year, the rain kept attendance low, but this year it looks like a great turnout. More photos on the new Fremont Universe page on Facebook.

10 responses so far ↓

1 Marc // Jun 14, 2009 at 10:56 am

Sadly, this event continues to cause bad feelings in the community due to the excessive, inflexible and poorly communicated traffic control they put in place. This happens year after year.

They block off major streets in the area using a combination of poorly trained volunteers and largely apathetic police officers that are unwilling or unable to give any information about where traffic is restricted or how you can get where you have to go.

We got turned around by a SPD officer two blocks from our house near gasworks park. He would only tell us “well, maybe you should go up to 45th” when we asked how we could get home. Luckily we eventually found an officer with common sense who, once he got off his cell phone, and let us drive through.

I'm fine with traffic restrictions for events like this, but funneling people in loops with no signs or directions and no plan for letting people through that need to get through is poor planning.
2 Ryan Healy // Jun 14, 2009 at 9:41 pm

Couldn't agree more with Marc. I wish this event would just go away.
3 SDH // Jun 15, 2009 at 7:30 am

Park your cars and join the race instead of complaining about community events? There are many routes in and out of Fremont - 34th is hardly the major one.
4 hKillinger // Jun 15, 2009 at 7:50 pm

How do I live here and not notice this? Man, I really have to get out more.
5 Marc // Jun 15, 2009 at 10:04 pm

SDH,

Don't get me wrong, I am not against the event and am fine with being inconvenienced by it. This event just stands out among all others as being the most poorly communicated, having the least information about impacts and routes on their website, and having the least helpful and least thought out traffic management.

Every year I encounter so many people directing drivers in circles with no planning or common sense.

The simple act of giving the officers and volunteers blocking the streets maps with info on the closed area and alternative routes could help a lot.

BTW, 34th is a pretty major street to be closed in the area if you live south of it as I do.

I'm also a little uncertain about how much of a community event this is. It seems to be put on by a for profit organization… I don't know much about it though, so could be wrong on that.
6 SDH // Jun 16, 2009 at 11:52 am

I wasn't aware drivers in Seattle needed direction to drive in circles with no planning or common sense. I thought that was the norm
7 ryanhealy // Jun 16, 2009 at 8:12 pm

I live on 34th and was very surprised last year when I came home on a Friday night to find my street closed. I had no access to my own building and there was no advanced warning of the closure. You can imagine how frustrating it was to spend 45 minutes looking for a parking spot because I wasn't allowed access to my own garage.

I like these kinds of events normally and am proud to live in Fremont where these kinds of things occur fairly regularly. But to hold it during rush hour on a Friday night and without the least bit of communication was infuriating. The cops were totally bewildered about how they obtained permits for the event and agreed with me that it was remarkably stupid to close down a major street during Friday night rush hour.

Until the organizers can figure out a way to put on this event in a way that is respectful of the people who live and commute through the neighborhood, it should stop.
8 MichaelSnyder // Jun 17, 2009 at 6:34 am

Weird. This was well communicated to my office, on Fremont & 34th.

Maybe someone from your building needs to walk down the street and establish a contact with the chamber of commerce so people stay informed and aren't surprised by major events planned for your street.

That said, it sounds like there could have been better communication and traffic coordination.
9 Getting Racy // Jun 30, 2009 at 10:50 pm

Costume runs are awesome.
I have planned on doing this one 2 years in a row and missed it.
Every time something super important comes up… same for the Firecracker run in a couple days…. missing it due to a friends birthday party.

Seems like I always miss the fun costume runs.

I had no idea however that it caused a lot of traffic problems… maybe if those who have trouble with the run got involved with getting it set up better?
10 Getting Racy // Jul 1, 2009 at 12:50 am

Costume runs are awesome.
I have planned on doing this one 2 years in a row and missed it.
Every time something super important comes up… same for the Firecracker run in a couple days…. missing it due to a friends birthday party.

Seems like I always miss the fun costume runs.

I had no idea however that it caused a lot of traffic problems… maybe if those who have trouble with the run got involved with getting it set up better?