You're officially reading Clark County's best blog 2012...I WON!!!

Blog readers......THANK YOU SO MUCH!  I won!  I won!  I never win anything, but www.WillRunForCoffee.com did manage to win Best Of Clark County "Best Blog" award thanks to all of your precious votes.  Man, does it feel good to win. Did I mention...I won?  :)

"Best Blog" write up.

The write up announcing winners was an additional insert in yesterday's paper (see image above).  It's nice to see a "best of" list, and not just because my name is mentioned.  When it comes to service oriented businesses, I don't want to find out the hard way that the place I chose is a total bust. Like hair salons.  Vata Salon, the salon I go to, won "best hair stylist".  Who knew so many others in town loved them as much as I do?  Best coffee shop was Starbucks.  Since I end every single long run at either Starbucks or Peet's Coffee, I was glad to see at least one of them win.  Will run for coffee, baby!

A couple of others that hit close to home for me were "best place to walk" & "best summer jog".  The Salmon Creek Trail, which is incorporated into all of my long runs, won the "best walk" category.  It's so pretty there, and I often pass walkers as I'm running. The trail is one of the flattest areas in town - which is one of the best features of the trail!  I could see how that would make for a nice stroll.  It's an official 3 mile jaunt one way.  When injury strikes, I go do an out & back 6 miles at the trail.  Except for this time of year....when it's always flooded.  The Waterfront Renaissance Trail won "best summer jog".  That one surprised me.  I have lots of friends who just love to run in that area.  I dislike running there due to lack of restrooms.  The trail map shows plenty of them, but they have all been closed indefinitely according to signs posted on facility doors.  Such a bummer.  Seriously, City Of Vancouver, it's not at all cool to say there are open restrooms there if you've gone and closed them all due to budget cuts!  Update your maps, please.  It is really pretty out there, though.  Too bad my mother-of-two bladder can't hold it during a well hydrated training run, or I'd go there more often.  I'm crossing my fingers the city will make some changes, and I don't mean closing more restrooms.

The Best Of Clark County insert has also opened my eyes to a few businesses I haven't had time to visit yet, but will for sure make a point to do so now that I know they were voted "the best".  Blind Onion Pizza....here I come!  It might just become my new post-long run/race pizza splurge!

Mid-June marks my two year anniversary of moving to Washington state from Cincinnati.  Though I'm meeting people, finding my way around a little easier, and can make it to the grocery store without GPS navigation....I still feel kind of new.  That might be part of the reason my blog won.  Maybe I'm just new enough, I see things with a totally different perspective.  Perhaps it's like kids & play dates.  A friend comes over for a play date.  The toy they chose to play with was one you hadn't played with in quite a while, but all of a sudden you wanted to play with THAT toy.  Maybe, just maybe, I'm opening a few eyes & reminding long time locals that they really do have great toys to play with!  All they have to do is slap on their running shoes & walk (or run) out their front door.

At any rate, The Best Of Clark County list will truly help me "find my way" to the best places.