A team of 12 King County employees found their ‘inner wild’ and conquered 200-ish miles of relay running through the Northwest Passage July 15-16 in the Reebok Ragnar Northwest Passage Relay.

A week after supporting his children’s high school team during the 2015 relay, Al Dams, Chief Deputy Assessor, pitched the idea of forming a King County team for the 2016 Ragnar during a regular lunch-time run with his fellow King County Running Club members. A year later, after recruiting nearly 20 runners to ultimately field a team of 12, the King County team not only participated in the Ragnar, but placed 32^nd of 523 teams – and second in the “Corporate / Public Service” division – with a time of 26 hours and 25 minutes. When asked what the most rewarding aspect of the event was, Al said, “Being part of a great team, and just escaping into Ragnar …for 30 hours, the only thing on your mind is Ragnar!”

The team members each ran three legs of the relay that began near the Canadian border in Blaine and ended in Langley on Whidbey Island. Along the way, the team enjoyed the views of the Cascade and Olympic ranges, the quaintness of towns like Bellingham and Anacortes, and the bridge in Deception Pass State Park. The average distance covered by each runner was 16 1/3 miles, with an average pace approaching 8 minutes. Three team members covered more than 20 miles each. Al said the most challenging part of the event was the mental aspect of running three legs. “If you run a half marathon, you run and then you are done. In the Ragnar, you run, then you rest for a bit, then you get out of the van and do it again – twice!”

The King County team will host an employee informational session in preparation for the 2017 event in room 560 of the Administration Building (500 Fourth Avenue) August 17 from noon to 1 p.m. The team is looking to maintain the current team, and possibly form more teams, which could either allow placement in different divisions, or simply allow for competitive teams and not-so-competitive teams. “We know other County employees took part in Ragnar because we saw them on the course,” Al said. “Maybe they would switch to a King County team for next year’s relay.” The teams are self-sponsored (no taxpayer funds are used).

For more information about the King County Ragnar team, stop by the employee informational session or contact Al Dams at Al.Dams@KingCounty.gov. If you are interested in the King County Running Club, contact Seth Watson at Seth.Watson@KingCounty.gov. To learn more about the Reebok Ragnar Northwest Passage Relay, visit the official Ragnar site.

The medals won by the King County Ragnarians for placing 2nd in the “Corporate / Public Service” division.

Getting into the spirit by decorating the car!

Al Dams, Chief Deputy Assessor

Back Row: Matt Kuharic (DNRP) Kevin Brown (Parks) Tom Koney (DES Director’s Office) John Villapudua (Parks) Dave White (Water & Land Resources division) Ken Guy (FBOD) Front Row: Mike Sinsky (Prosecuting Attorney) Seth Watson (HRD/Office of the Exec) Josh Marx (Solid Waste division) Al Dams, Captain (Assessor, Chief Deputy Assessor) Andrew Fraser (King County citizen) Libby Charhon Page (Public Health)

Crossposted from Public Health Insider

Pokémon nostalgia has roared back with the release of Pokémon Go and those of us in the public health field are not immune to its charms. We wish we could offer you tips on how to catch that elusive Vaporeon, but the only Insider play tip we have so far is that the lobby of the King County Chinook Building is a Pokéstop. We’ll  just stick to the kind of tips we do best for those looking to fill their Pokédexes: injury prevention (woot!).

Have fun getting physical activity. Pokémon Go was designed to get people outside, moving around. We’re fans since exercise is largely under-represented in most people’s daily routines. If you’ve got the fitness of a Snorlax, take it slow and gradually increase your activity. And everyone should stay hydrated.

Read more at Public Health Insider

Crossposted from Election Connection

Ballot boxes are now open for the August 2 Primary Election and Elections Director Julie Wise marked the occasion this week with ribbon cuttings at new ballot drop boxes at both Fairwood Library in Renton and Lake City Library. A total of 29 drop boxes will be available for this Primary Election followed by 14 more boxes for the November General Election. A total of 43 ballot drop boxes will increase access and convenience for voters across King County.

For a complete list of boxes visit our website. Boxes are open 24 hours a day until August 2 at 8 p.m.

Read more at Election Connection

Crossposted from Metro Matters

Abdi Elmi has a motto: having a career driving a bus for Metro is one of the best kept secrets in the region.

Elmi, a Metro Base Chief in Bellevue, is from Somalia, and his story is one of triumph and hard work to overcome adversity. As a teenager he and his family fled the civil war in Somalia, and he lived in a refugee camp for several years.

Later he brought his family to the US, and came to Seattle in 2009. In 2012, he was hired as a part-time driver while going to the University of Washington, where he graduated with a bachelor’s degree in business. He was promoted to chief in 2015.

Read more at Metro Matters