Welcome to another installment of the Run Pub Podcast brought to you by the Oregon Brewery Running Series and Portland Running Company. The Run Pub Podcast is all about inspiring Oregonians to Be Active, Have Fun and Give Back. We host family-friendly, 5K fun runs that start and end at some of Oregon’s best breweries. If you’re looking for an un-timed 5K in Portland or around the state, click the link below and join us!
On today’s episodes, I chat with Dave Harkin about the new Run Pub in NW Portland. I’ve know Dave for a few years, but got to know him a bit more last year when he and his lovely wife Paula took on the unenviable task of pulling off the Portland Marathon, better known as Portlandathon, in just a few short months after the previous race organizer couldn’t do it anymore.
Dave has a wonderful energy, charisma, and positivity about him really draws you in.
Dave has been a runner since he was 11 years old. He ran in college at the University of Oregon, where he graduated and went on to have a short career as a teacher. He kept trying to get hired at a running store but failed. Mistakenly, he thought they would be impressed by how fast he was, but later realized that the skills he learned as a teacher would be his greatest asset in life.
Fast forward to the year 2000/2001 he and wife Paula, took over Portland Running Company (PRC) and the rest is history. Dave and the team at PRC love helping motivated runners, regardless of skill, achieve their goals.
Things we Mention:
Contact Nathan with guest ideas
I’ve said this a lot, but Portland Running Company has a special place in my heart. Because when we moved to Portland in 2013, PRC was the first place I found community. For a long time, those people I ran with on a weekly basis were kinda my only friends here in Portland. I’ve since branched out, but their group runs and race team continue to be a source of encouragement, excitement, and an inclusive group of people who care about each other beyond the miles.
More about Dave from his bio on the PRC webpage… Dave has won several local races including the Race for the Roses Half Marathon, the Vancouver Lake Half Marathon, the Sauvie Island Flat Half, and Dave has also won the Hagg Lake 25K trail run. Dave is also a four-time champion of the Newport Marathon. And as of this moment, training to run the Toyko marathon.
Dave is a dynamic speaker and coach who inspires hundreds of athletes every year through seminars for a wide range of groups and through his work with Portland Fit.
Today on the Run Pub Podcast, Dave and I are going to talk a little bit about what makes his tick as a runner and person, how to stay fit into your 50’s, and we’ll spend most of the conversation today discussing Portland Running Company’s latest project, the new Run Pub. It’s basically a public house for runners.
So whether your out for a run, commuting to work, doing the dishes, or walking your dog, enjoy this conversation today with Dave Harkin, co-owner of Portland Running Company, lifelong teacher and amateur kayakeer.
About Portland Running Co.
When you visit Portland Running Company for new shoes, expect a small workout. We don’t mind if you do it in a business suit but you may be more comfortable in workout clothes. We do a field gait evaluation. The technique draws from foot mechanical analysis, and it also connects the dots from your toes, to your ankles, to your knees, to your hips, and so on.
All are Welcome!
We don’t care if you’re a runner, walker, or something else. We just care that you’re active! While most of our participants are running, MANY are walking, pushing strollers, or finding other ways to participate.
About Us
The Oregon Brewery Running Series is about inspiring Oregonians to Be Active, Have Fun, and Give Back. We host family-friendly, 5K fun runs that start and end at some of Oregon’s best breweries. Register for our next run here! Our theme music, the Oregon Song, is written and performed by James Hoffman.
