Welcome to Beer & Gear, a series where we get to know individuals making big moves in Portland’s Athletic and Outdoor industries. In this edition, author Ellee Thalheimer talks with Paula and Dave Harkin of Portland Running Company at their in-store Run Pub.
Paula Harkin is a streaker.
It’s not what you think. In the running world, “streaker” means someone who has run at least a continuous mile every day for over a year. In Paula’s case, her streak is over fifteen years, through sickness, snow, grief, and joy. This is the level of passion that Paula brings to all things running – including her two businesses, Run With Paula, a running events company, and Portland Running Company, specialty athletic stores in Northwest Portland and Beaverton.
“Running is a joy and gift,” says Paula, 59, who has been a marathon coach for the better part of two decades, finishing about 45 (she’s lost count) on her personal tally. “You’re able to spend time with yourself on a run, to process life while growing strong mentally and physically.”
I sat down with Paula and Dave, her husband and store co-owner, at the Run Pub, an eight-tap swill spot right in their store. Although they serve a rotating variety of Oregon beer, they always have some Rogue on tap for karma, as the brewery is a huge supporter of running. Unlike other drinking holes, the Run Pub is open normal business hours, 9am-5pm.
“Funny enough, one of our top beer-selling hours is around 10:30 on Saturdays,” laughs Dave, who used to run for the University of Oregon. “People are stoked to have a beer after their morning run.”
“It’s also a place to really geek out,” adds Paula. “At our in-store events, we unveil the latest cutting-edge demos.”
In her work, Paula especially prioritizes connecting women to running. She founded the Hippie Chick – a women-focused half marathon, quarter marathon, and 5k – which happens on Mother’s Day weekend. To support this enterprise, she started the Hippie Chick Training Club, which leads up to the Hippie Chick each year. Women (and a few men) train together for 10-12 weeks prior to the race, and during the program Paula covers topics such as nutrition, bra fittings, menopause, and injury prevention.
“Women are juggling family, work, and wellness. Running is a great way to stay sane,” says the native Oregonian, who is a mother of two. “Moms can incorporate running easier than other exercise into a busy life. Just pop them in the stroller. Plus, you’re modeling good self-care.”
“Running is a joy and gift. You’re able to spend time with yourself on a run, to process life while growing strong mentally and physically.”
-Paula Harkin
Paula started running in her early 20s, working as an office administrator. Her co-workers in their 40s went on lunch runs, and she began chasing after them. She found sisterhood through those mid-day runs, and they transformed her life. Eventually, she began racing, running marathons, and coaching with Portland Fit.
2001 was a big year for Paula. She bought Portland Running Company with her now-husband Dave, and she founded Run With Paula, a company that organizes running events. Some of her productions include the Helvetia Half, Bridge of the Goddess, Turkey Trot, Fury of the Falls, Pints to Pasta, and Bay to Brews.
The Harkins transformed Portland Running Company from a classic, cluttered retail space with hardcore runners as employees to an inclusive, well-organized running haven. They aim to meet customers where they are, whether their goal is to walk two miles or run an ultra-marathon.
Anyone is welcome at their weekly runs, which include Monday Night Trails, a 5- to 9-mile run through nearby Forest Park, and Thirsty Thursdays, an evening group run that ends at the Run Pub. The packed pub, along with the cross pollination between the store and Paula’s organized running events, realizes the Harkins’ ultimate vision: a community space that engages, connects, and transforms people through running.
Ellee Thalheimer is a Portland-based freelance writer and guidebook author. When she can’t get to the trails, she’s writing fiction, relishing local IPAs, falling off bouldering walls, and obsessively scheming the next adventure. Find her on Instagram: @pnw_hedonism.
