Discovery Walk Festival Blog

The 2010 Discovery Walk Festival had participants from the following states and countries:

We had 112 visitors from outside of Oregon/Washington and 260 from distant points of Oregon/Washington, for a total of 372 who could be considered travelers generating overnight stays.

Our event statistics for 2010:

Total includes 251 child (free) walkers.

128 no-shows were deducted.

Overall, we had an increase of about 200 over 2009.

2010 Discovery Walk Festival Marathon Finishers

We counted 82 finishers — those who completed the 42 kilometer marathon route and picked up their finisher certificate at the finish line.

Nicola Anderegg

Pam Baddgor

Steve Barrick

Jason Barton

Marion Bauman

Debbie Bioller

Marike Bongers

April Borbon

Sean Britten

Maryann Brown

Robert Bruce

Nina Carmichael

Steve Carmichael

Laura Caruso

Ric Catron

Allison Cavil

Linda Chase

Gary Clarke

Didi Clarke

Anne Cotter

Ursula Dinges

Donna Drews

Mel Feather

Ruth Fischer

Tom Friar

Janice Giles

Jane Goddard

Walter Griffin

Cathy Griffin

Wesley Haynes

Patricia Heller

Sandy Hiles

Jack Hines

Merritt Hoffman

Dave Huff

Jennifer Imperial

Chris Imperial

Cindy Johnson

Hanna Karczewski

Colleen Kelly

Keith Kirby

Diane R Lampe

Fred Lopez

Mekkin Lunsted

Jill MacInnes

Lisa Martell

Dana Martin

Heather McDonald

Susan McEachern

Betsy Miller

Leslie Morrow

Michelle Natalie

Susan Newland

Diane Olson

Dawn Pack

Ann Palenshus

Troy Pasch

Jack Peterson

Terry Roberts

Kari Rogno

James Ross

James Scheer

PeggyAnn Sherwood

Carey Siegfried-Roads

Tamela Stockli

Shirley Stoklossa

J. Arlene Tanaka

Anita Thomas

Jeannie Thorp

Diane Turpin

Jack Turpin

Michele Upchurch

Angela Upchurch

Willem H. van Heuven

Jan vandeVis

Michael Vogel

Linda Warren

Ethel Wood

Leroy Wright

Gary Yewell

For additions and corrections, email info@discoverywalk.org

We had 124 registered for the marathon distance and 105 started the marathon course.  We then had dropouts who elected to finish at the half marathon point when the route returned to our start/finish, and those who chose to complete only another 10 kilometers for a 31 kilometer walk.

Distance:  We measured the 21K course at 21.4 kilometers, from the outside of the Hilton.  That makes the long course 43 kilometers total, rounding up.  Different measurement methods will produce different results.  We used 3 methods to measure 10 kilometers of the course and they matched within 95%  Given that accuracy, we decided to use the MapMyFitness.com distance as it checked so well with a mechanical meter wheel and a handheld GPS.

There was no way to trim the course (other than walkers bypassing the checkpoints, which would cut a couple hundred meters of distance).

We hosted 1201 walkers in spring weather — mostly nice, but a shower here and there. We loved seeing the 104 walkers from the 790th Chemical Company Battalion of the Washington State Guard, and more teams such as the Weight Watchers team and the Sole Survivors.

We welcomed 519 walkers for the 14th annual Discovery Walk Festival Mayor’s Friendship Walk. Mayor Tim Leavitt welcomed the crowd, which included walkers from our sister city of Joyo, Japan, as well as walkers from Canada, the Netherlands, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Norway and Russia.

We also greeted walkers from our major sponsors: Cascade Heart and Veolia Water both had large contingents. We look forward to two more great days of walking.

The deadline for the discount registration ended at midnight March 1, so now on March 2 we are in the regular registration rate period through the day of event ($10 per event per person).  You can still register online or by mail through April 15.  After April 15, please come register live at the event.

The team discount still applies through day of event.  Form a team of 10 or more people and the rate is only $5 per event.  To register as a team, you can simply register online and select the Team rate per event and place your team name in the appropriate box on the second screen.  Our registrar will know to group you together.  If you don’t end up with 10 people, there will be a surcharge at the event.  You can do the same thing if registering by mail, although it would be most convenient for all registrations to be mailed together.

Live at the event, you can add team members by having them come to the Group Registration Table and identify themselves as part of your team.

Discovery Walk Festival volunteers are part of the Discovery Walk Team and they may also register at the Team Rate.  Please identify yourself as part of the Discovery Walk Team on your registration form to claim this rate.  Volunteers will work a shift of at least four hours during the festival.

Registration form

We have completed entry for the registrations received through 2-21-10 and sent out email confirmations.  For those who didn’t give us an email address, the confirmations will be mailed in March.

You can search and view registrations online to check your days/distance registered.

We also have a group coming from Russia whose data isn’t entered yet, the Primorsky Walking League Zhenshen.

We have updated the list of volkssport state and national programs/challenges for each day, distance and route.

Because of the large number and inconsistent operation of special programs offered by the AVA and various clubs, this walk’s organizers cannot be sure
for which programs these walks might qualify.  Because the satisfaction of walkers is our foremost desire, we will stamp any special program book
that a walker feels is appropriate for this event.

The walkers themselves are responsible for ensuring that the listed items actually meet the criteria of the program.

Our event organizers do not participate in any of these challenge programs and do not possess the record books.  The listed items are only our best guess.

We design our routes for scenic interest, safety, checkpoint locations, and logical layouts for ease of marking and eliminating confusion during a three-day event.  We do not design them to fulfill any programs or challenges other than IVV and IML Walking Association requirements.

Only after the trails are completed do we then check for items that might fulfill one or more of the THIRTY-SEVEN different state, national, and club challenge programs.  This is an enormous effort.  We feel we have done enough now and the rest is on you to be responsible for your own challenge book requirements.

No routes will be modified to pass by something that fulfills a challenge requirement.

We are not responsible for providing you accurate information, this is just our best guess.  It is your responsibility to ensure that the listed items actually meet the program requirements.

Our trailmasters Burt Paynter and Heidi Schurr have been hard at work drafting the new routes for Saturday and Sunday.  While routes are always subject to change, we have posted overview maps of each day.  These maps are not meant for navigation.  On the day of the event, a detailed map specific to your route distance will be given to you at the start table, and the route will be marked with arrows as well.  These maps are simply to give you a general idea of the routes.

Saturday Walks: New routes for the 10K and 21K.  The 5K route, which also serves as the Family Fun Walk, will enjoy a walk through the Vancouver Farmer’s Market and then down the Columbia River Renaissance Trail to the Princess Ilchee Statue and back.  The 10K route will start with the 21K route and return over the Land Bridge to meet up with 5K route.

The 21K route will take walkers east on Evergreen and over the hill to the Burnt Bridge Creek Greenway. Then back over the hill and down to the river to finish for the last 8K along the Columbia River.  Those doing 42K will repeat the 21K route, starting their second loop by 11 am to ensure they are able to complete it by 4 pm.  If they complete the first 21K by 12 pm, they can start on the 10K route and complete 32K instead.  This 32K option is available for anyone who can start the last 10K by 12 pm.

Saturday Overview Map: this map is only an overview and not intended for navigation.  You will receive a detailed map and directions at the start table when you start your walk. Routes are subject to change.

Sunday Walks: New routes for all distances. The 21K will be similar to the Saturday 21K from 2009, including the Burnt Bridge Creek Greenway from Stewart Glen Park to Devine Road and returning past Clark College.  The 10K and 5K will explore the Hough, Carter Park and Lincoln neighborhoods and by the fun shops of Uptown Main Street.

Sunday Overview Map: this map is only an overview and not intended for navigation.  You will receive a detailed map and directions at the start table when you start your walk.  Routes are subject to change.

Calling all Discovery Walk Festival volunteers!  Volunteer registration is now open for the 2010 Discovery Walk Festival.  See the form at: Volunteer Page.  We have set the workers walk dates.  Volunteers are eligible to register for the event at the Team/Group rate of $5 per walk, bike, or swim.