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<\/p>\nSam Ring could tell you inch by inch, mile by mile the MultiCare Sound to Narrows 12K race course from Vassault Park through Point Defiance.<\/p>\n
He\u2019s completed the race 50 times \u2014 every year in its history \u2014 and even won the first run in 1973.<\/p>\n
Ring is one of a small group of runners affectionately known as the Everytimers. This group of five men have competed in every Sound to Narrows run for the past 50 years. Together, they\u2019ve logged 1,875 miles on Sound to Narrows race day, not including training and other runs throughout the year.<\/p>\n
For Ring, competing in Sound to Narrows is a natural part of his life. He grew up competing in track and field in Tacoma and has stayed involved in running ever since. Ring now coaches the cross country and distance running teams at University of Puget Sound.<\/p>\n
Other Everytimers come from all different backgrounds, and all share a love of fitness and running.<\/p>\n
The self-proclaimed \u201cyoungster\u201d of the group, Mike Thomsen, completed his first Sound to Narrows when he was 13 years old. He never expected this beloved local run would become an essential yearly tradition.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere was never a question of should I go, it was always \u2018How am I going to get there?\u2019\u201d Thomsen says, as life took him away from the Tacoma area after his college graduation. \u201cThere were some years I\u2019d fly in on Friday night, run the race Saturday morning and fly out on Saturday night.\u201d<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
None of the Everytimers can pinpoint an exact moment they made a conscious decision to keep running year after year. After several races, it just become tradition. As the group started meeting formally, around the 20th year, they realized they were part of something special.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen I get up to the starting line, I can\u2019t help but get choked up,\u201d says Thomsen. \u201cYou realize what it would mean if you did miss it. It would be an emptiness. It really becomes a lifelong commitment.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cBeing an Everytimer is a motivating factor,\u201d Ring says. \u201cThe group has become like a family, in effect.\u201d<\/p>\n
Each year the Everytimers gather for dinner the day before the race. Now mostly in their 70s and 80s, they\u2019ve developed a camaraderie and shared motivation to keep going.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou don\u2019t want to be the one that exits the group,\u201d says Ring.<\/p>\n
Sound to Narrows is a beloved Tacoma race held annually in June. Started in 1973 by The News Tribune and now run by MultiCare, Sound to Narrows brings together community members of all ages and fitness levels.<\/p>\n
There\u2019s the challenging 12K run or walk, a faster and flatter 5K run or walk, and even a 20-yard diaper dash for babies and toddlers. The event also relies on volunteers, with some positions earning free registration on race day.<\/p>\n
![\"Group](\"https:\/\/updates-www.mccdn.io\/vitals\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/15\/2023\/05\/Everytimers-with-Bill-Robertson-300x169.jpg\")
<\/p>\n
\u201cTo this day, Sound to Narrows is my favorite run in the world,\u201d says Thomsen. \u201cWhen you suddenly see Vashon Island, or you hit the scenic lookouts and the Narrows Bridge, you can\u2019t help but be in awe of the course. It\u2019s hard but it\u2019s so beautiful.\u201d<\/p>\n
Whether it\u2019s your first time participating in Sound to Narrows or your 51st, the event promises to be a fun-filled community celebration. There\u2019s something for everyone at Sound to Narrows.<\/p>\n
Ring\u2019s advice for those running?<\/p>\n
\u201cAlways start slow,\u201d he suggests. \u201cThink of it more of a fitness activity than a race and meet the challenge of the hills. Just by getting across the finish line, you\u2019ve accomplished it.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false,"gt_translate_keys":[{"key":"rendered","format":"html"}]},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Sam Ring could tell you inch by inch, mile by mile the MultiCare Sound to Narrows 12K race course from Vassault Park through Point Defiance. He\u2019s completed the race 50 times \u2014 every year in its history \u2014 and even won the first run in 1973. Ring is one of a small group of runners […]<\/p>\n","protected":false,"gt_translate_keys":[{"key":"rendered","format":"html"}]},"author":467,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[59,79],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-26947","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-events","category-profiles-stories"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n