CLICK HERE to see photos of some CORK runners, they were taken by Bob Speik of Traditional Mountaineering and captured some of us on Wikiup Plains on Sept. 4th.....
HUMOR - IN THE BLEACHERS
Next Board Meeting for Central Oregon Running Klub
CORK meetings are the last Monday of each month at 6:00PM
The Board requests and welcomes everyone's participation
More than 300 runners competed in the Peterson
Ridge Rumble 60K and 30K near Sisters
By Katie Brauns / The Bulletin
SISTERS - For most casual runners, completing a
30-kilometer race would be quite an
accomplishment. And finishing a 60K - almost unfathomable.
But in the eyes of ultrarunners, it is all relative."I've been doing ultras for a while, since I was
23. I do up to 100 miles. So this distance
actually feels short and fast, which is weird to
say," noted AshleyNordell, 30, of Sisters,
walking off the brick-red track at Sisters Middle
School just minutes after finishing the 60K in
the Peterson Ridge Rumble 60K & 30K Trail Run. "It feels like a sprint to me. I'm sure to
someone who runs 5Ks, it (my pace) looks slow." Nordell won the women's division of the 36.5-mile
run on mostly singletrack trail through the
Deschutes National Forest with a time of 5 hours, 1 minute, 32 seconds.
Race organizer Sean Meissner noted that the
Peterson Ridge Rumble courses change a little
each year, depending on the new trails built as
part of the Sisters Community Trails System. "It's never been the same course twice," said
Meissner. "The 30K is supposed to be 18.6
(miles), but this year it was 20.3 miles. And the
60K is supposed to be 37.3 (miles), and this year
it was 36.5. One was a little more, one was a
little less - even each other out." Meissner added that the eighth annual event drew
320 participants and raised $6,000 for the
Sisters High School cross-country running team.
Darla Askew, 37, of Bend, and a running partner
of Nordell, took second in a time of 5:09:42.
Seattle's Ellen Parker was the third-place female
finisher in the 60K (5:18:43).
The men's 60K winner, Yassine Diboun, had a
similarly skewed perception of the 60K race with
a net elevation gain of nearly 3,000 feet."This was a relatively flat course," said the
31-year-old Portland man, who clocked in at
4:15:16. Diboun added that he plans to compete in
the Bighorn Mountain Wild and Scenic Trail Run in
Wyoming, his third-ever 100-mile running race this June."With the sport of trail running and
ultrarunning," noted Diboun, "it's not about the
fastest time. It's not about placement. It's
about you and the course. ... It's about putting
one foot in front of the other."
Men's runner-up Jeff Browning, 38, of Bend, sang
the same tune: "This course is pretty flat for a trail ultra."
Browning finished in 4:37:28. "It's rolling for
an ultra. ... It's all runnable. So you have to run everything."
For most ultrarunners, 100 miles is a race
distance that is not unheard of. That is THE
distance to work toward. In fact, some even
compete in an average of one or two 100-milers annually, according to Meissner.
Third male overall in the Peterson Ridge 60K was
Trevor Hostetler, 37, of Hillsboro, clocking in at 4:40:38.
In the 30K, the top male and female finishers
considered the distance to be a long one, although both excel in shorter races.
Bend's Lisa Nye, 41, cruised across the finish
line in a winning time of 2:31:31."This is much more than my distance," said Nye,
who is known for winning local 5K running races."I'm not making a habit of this distance, it's
too far for me. But this is a great event and I
like to push myself to the limit to support this race."I'm a 5K runner," she added with a big laugh. "I
like to run a sixth of this and I'm good."
Surprisingly, men's 30K winner, Brookman Holmes,
said his usual event is the 1,500-meter run."I wouldn't have entered if I didn't think I
could win the $100," said Holmes, 22, of Portland
(2:17:51). "That's the only reason I entered." Runners-up were Kristen Riley, 36, of Bend,
finishing in a time of 2:36:13, and Josh Nordell,
32, of Sisters, in 2:19:20. Nordell is the
husband of the women's 60K winner, Ashley Nordell.
Bend's Jenny Ruiter, 31, took third with a time
of 2:42:04. Men's third-place finisher was Mark
Peterson, 41, of Roseburg (2:20:45)."It's low-key," says Meissner of the Peterson
Ridge Rumble. "The trail (running) and
ultrarunning community in general is just a
laid-back group. That's what I love about it. That's why I do it."
Katie Brauns can be reached at 541-383-0393 or kbrauns@bendbulletin.com .
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From bendbulletin.com - published daily in Bend,
Oregon, by Western Communications, Inc. Copyright 2005.
Hey CORK members, Have you noticed the deteriorating condition of some of our favorite running trails?
Now CORK, in partnership with High Cascades Forest Volunteers and Deschutes National Forest, is providing by means of a new Trails Stewardship Program an opportunity for you to discover the fun, challenge and rewards of maintaining and constructing the trails we love to run. As a pilot project, CORK is adopting beginning the 2010 season the Deschutes River Trail between Meadow and Dillon Falls and will be organizing trail work parties to perform needed trail maintenance and improvements.
If you are interested in participating in this Trail Stewardship Program, please email at CORKTrailTeam@aol.com and provide the following information ( Note that CORK members or nonmembers are welcome to participate in the CORK Trails Stewardship Program) :
Name(s): E-mail address * :
* if you do not have e-mail, please indicate how you wish to be contacted
Preferred day(s) for trail work parties (please highlight all that may apply) : Sundays//Mondays//Tuesdays//Wednesdays//Thursdays//Fridays//Saturdays
CORK member? Yes/No
Interested in reporting trail deficiencies encountered during trail runs? Yes/No
Once your reply is received, your name(s) and information provided will be entered into the CORK Trail Stewardship Program database, and you will receive announcements of future Deschutes River Trail work parties and be eligible to receive benefits/rewards. Please see the attached brochure for details.
There is no obligation for signing up, only the desire to have fun and be challenged.
Please contact Frank Huebsch at 541-318-3364 should you have questions.
FJHrun@aol.com
PORTLAND Three Central Oregon masters track and field runners won events in their respective divisions at the recent Portland Track Festival at Lewis & Clark College.
Betty Schaefer, of Bend, won the women's age 60-64 100-meter dash in a time of 17.48 seconds. Schaefer also posted her division's winning time in the 200-meter race (38.24).
Redmond's Jeanette Groesz, racing in the women's 55-59 age category, won her division in the 3,000-meter run, clocking in at 11:59.45 for a new personal record.
Suzi MacLeod, of Bend, won the women's 75-79 1-mile run and set what is believed to be a new American record, 8:25.38.
The message on the bright green T-shirts Cynthia Vernarecci was handing out to teammates Sunday morning was a poignant one.
“Heaven can wait,” they read. “But your mammogram can't.”
Vernarecci, a 53-year-old breast cancer survivor, worked hard to make her 100-strong Central Oregon Radiology Associates team one of the largest at the Heaven Can Wait 5K, even getting her dental assistant on board.
“It's just powerful support,” Vernarecci said of the turnout at the event. “People need help. So many need help, and they fall through the cracks. And it's about hope. There are so many survivors here. Be a survivor!”
The event, a 5K run and walk in Drake Park, started in June 2000 and is a fundraiser for the Sara Fisher Breast Cancer Project. The project, at the St. Charles Regional Cancer Treatment Center at St. Charles Bend, pushes for early detection of breast cancer and provides support services for women diagnosed with the disease.
On Sunday, the Heaven Can Wait 5K celebrated its 10th anniversary, and organizers were pleased to announce that 3,645 people participated in the event, up from 3,500 in 2008.
People from all over the area came to support the cause, wearing signs on their backs with the names and pictures of friends and family members who have fought the disease.
Donna Jacobsen, 46, was one of more than 40 residents of the NorthWest Crossing neighborhood who participated in the walk. The team, some of whom had been training with Fleet Feet Sports or FootZone, wore T-shirts that said “The Girls” on the front.
“It's a girl thing,” said Jacobsen.
Before the race started, participants warmed up with Jazzercise and heard from the event's founders and organizers. Then the crowd dropped to its knees, allowing only breast cancer survivors, who were wearing blue hats, to remain standing. The survivors were treated to a long round of applause.
Among those survivors were members of the Sisters SOS support group.
The group meets at members' homes, coming from Madras and Bend and Eagle Crest to gather and provide support to one another. On race day, their husbands also helped out, walking or volunteering at the event.
Group member Marilyn Ball, 66, has been cancer-free for 20 years.
“When a woman is first diagnosed, the world falls in,” she said. “And then you see (survivors) who are really active, who are walking and running in the race, and it's great. It's the same with our support group. There's always someone there.”
For Sisters resident Katie Powers, 62, who is also part of the support group, Heaven Can Wait is about getting a message of hope out into the community.
“You have to talk about it, and make it verbal, and let people know there are survivors,” Powers said.
Millie Wolfe, 74, has been cancer-free for 30 years. The Eagle Crest resident said seeing so many people in Drake Park was meaningful.
“It really means a lot,” she said. “This is an important thing.”
Sheila G. Miller can be reached at 541-617-7831 or at smiller@bendbulletin.com.
You have all probably heard by now the very sad news about Steve Larsen. We are overwhelmed with sadness. Steve was a good friend and a great guy. He was an amazing athlete and businessman, but most of all it was easy to tell that his pride in life was as a husband and a father to five beautiful kids. The world does not seem right without Steve Larsen.
Since it has happened, all we have been able to think is "how can we help" and we have heard that from some of you as well. So we wanted to let you know how we can all help to support the Larsen family:
Celebrate his Life: Steve's Memorial Service is Saturday, May 23rd at 1 pm at Les Schwab Amphitheater. Many people are planning to meet at Drake park at 12:30 and run or bike to the service.
Contribute to the Steve Larsen Memorial Fund that will go to the Larsen family. This fund is set up at Umpqua Bank. You can drop a check off at any Umpqua bank branch, at Fleet Feet Bend or at Footzone or you can mail a check to:
Steve Larsen Memorial Fund
Umpqua Bank
390 SW Century Drive Suite 100
Bend OR 97702
Hopefully, you will also be able to contribute online in a few days if you check this site: http://www.rememberstevelarsen.com/
Or, if you prefer, Katie Caba is kindly organizing dinners for the family. You can donate money that will be used to purchase gift cards at dinner places for the family. (Also by dropping off a check at Fleet Feet or Footzone.) If you want to donate a home-cooked dinner, contact us and we can put you in touch with the right people.
Finally, next Friday afternoon (May 29th) at 4:30pm there is an exhibition steeplechase, the only non-high school event open to the public, being held at Summit High School as part of the Oregon Elite Championship Meet. They are asking for a $5 minimum donation as a fundraiser for the family of Steve Larsen.
Steve brought so much to our community. We want to rally around the Larsen family so that they know they are not alone.
Friends of Steve Larsen - Next Friday afternoon (May 29th) at 4:30pm there is an exhibition steeplechase- the only non-high school event open to the public- being held at Summit H.S. as part of the Oregon Elite Championship Meet. Initially, this was going to be free entry.However, given the events of this week, for the event we are now asking for a $5 minimum donation as a fundraiser for the family of Steve Larsen. If you're interested but don't know how to get over that big wooden beam in the middle of the track (can't go under or around it) I would be happy to give a clinic on it next week if I get some interest. It's only 3000m, how bad could it be. If it would make you feel better I'll run it with you on Friday.Max King <mking@reboundspl.com> Rebound Sports Performance Lab
EUGENE — Bend's Suzi MacLeod set an American track record at the Pepsi Team Invitational track and field meet Masters Invitational Mile. The meet was held Saturday April 4, 2009 at the University of Oregon's Hayward Field.
MacLeod set an American record in the women's age 75-79 1-mile race with a time of 8 minutes, 54.80 seconds. She now has set three American age-group track records. MacLeod has been invited to participate in a Masters Invitational 800 meters at the University of Oregon's next collegiate home track meet, on April 18.
Oregon runners dominate trails
Racers from Bend, Eugene top the field at the
XTERRA Trail Running National Championship
By Mark Morical / The Bulletin
Elite runners from Eugene made the trip over the
Cascade Mountains to battle their Central Oregon
counterparts Saturday at the 2008 XTERRA Trail Running National Championship.
The half-marathon (13.1-mile) race was an
all-Oregon affair, as runners from Bend and
Eugene swept the top three places in the men's
race and the top four places in the women's event.
Max King of Bend raced to a relatively easy
victory in a blistering time of 1 hour, 8 minutes
and 1 second. Ben Bruce of Eugene was second
(1:09:04), and Ryan Bak of Eugene took third (1:09:41).
In the women's race, former Olympic Trials
marathoner Susannah Beck of Eugene won with a
time of 1:23:07. Kami Semick of Bend was a close
second (1:23:26), and Lisa Nye of Bend placed
third (1:25:11). Katie Caba, also of Bend, finished fourth (1:25:18).
On a sunny and comfortable morning, 225 runners
from across the country raced a half-marathon
course that started and finished in Bend's Old
Mill District and took participants along the
Deschutes River Trail and other trails and dirt roads southwest of Bend. "Ryan (Bak) and Ben (Bruce) decided they wanted
to run fast today, so I got a little nervous,"
said King, who competed as a member of the Oregon
Track Club with Bak and has run the steeplechase
against Bruce. "It was a bit of a surprise. But I
just felt good and comfortable the whole way - and just had some fun."
Bak and Bruce, both 26, kept King, 28, in their
sights until the 2008 Olympic Trials
steeplechaser from Bend pulled away during the last two miles. "They had me running scared, which makes me run well," King said.
King actually sort of recruited Bak and Bruce to
the race. Bak said he was visiting King in
Central Oregon last weekend with his girlfriend,
and King persuaded him to return this weekend for
the race. Bak and Bruce made the drive from Eugene together. "Max was recruiting some competition," Bak said,"and we ended up going 1-2-3 with Max recruits."
Bruce said he and Bak, who competed in the 2008
Olympic Trials in the 5,000 meters, were both"virgins" to trail running, giving King an
advantage over the road and track runners. "Every technical section (parts of the course
with natural obstacles), he'd gain another 10 seconds on us," Bruce said. From the Old Mill District, the championship
course proceeded along the paved trail on the
east side of the Deschutes River and crossed over
the footbridge from Farewell Bend Park onto dirt
trails on the river's west side. The middle
portion of the course included the dirt and
gravel Haul Road that parallels Century Drive.
Runners then headed toward the river from Entrada
Lodge and turned around at Meadow Camp to run
along the river. They headed back via the lodge
and the Haul Road to the finish at the Old Mill District.
Women's winner Beck, 40, said she camped at
Devils Lake near Mount Bachelor on Friday night
and made the short drive Saturday morning to the
Old Mill District for the race.
She led the women's field until Semick caught her
at about mile 7 near the turnaround at Meadow
Camp. Semick took the lead, but Beck passed her
on the way back into town and managed to hold off
Semick at the finish by just 19 seconds."I was not expecting to place," said Beck, who
was fourth at the U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials in
2000 and eighth at the trials in 2004. "I just
started training a couple weeks ago."
Beck said the XTERRA course, which included just
1,000 feet of elevation gain and was relatively nontechnical, suited her well. "It's my kind of course because I'm a former road
racer," she said. "But it was great to have Kami in there to keep me honest."
Beck edged Semick in July to win the USA Track
and Field National 50-Mile Trail Championship in Crystal Mountain, Wash.
Semick, 42, said she did not know Beck was in the
XTERRA field until she recognized Beck's running
gait in front of her after the start of the race.
Semick was not exactly pleased to see her."I thought, 'I know that running style - darn
it,'" Semick said. "She's got great leg speed. I
took the lead at Meadow Camp, and I knew I had to
put distance on her. She passed me on Haul Road.
I was within 10 feet of her until that last mile."
King and Beck each took home $1,000 for their
victories. The top five finishers in both the
men's and women's divisions were awarded shares
of a total prize purse of $5,000.
XTERRA also hosted 10-kilometer and 5K races on
Saturday. Andy Martin of Bend - who likely would
have been a contender in the half-marathon race
if not for a foot injury that currently is
preventing him from running longer distances -
easily won the 10K in 35:29. Dennis Durling of
Bend was second (41:36), and Adam Van Berckelaer
of Costa Mesa, Calif., finished third (41:55). In
the women's division of the 10K race, Becky Bjork
of Bend was first (43:53), Leah Shirley of Bend
was second (45:18), and Noelle Harer of Seaside was third (45:38).
In the 5K, Mike Olson of Bend won the men's
division with a time of 16:54. Scott Abrams of La
Pine took second (18:54), and Michael Sotos of
Ashland claimed third (19:50). The top three 5K
women's finishers were all from Bend: Nicole
Smith was first (21:18), followed by Linda
English (23:09) and Sara Yellich (24:13).
The XTERRA Trail Running National Championship is
the culmination of the yearly XTERRA U.S. Trail
Run Series, which since last October included 50
races staged in 15 states. Several regional
champions from the series competed on Saturday.
National champions were crowned in a number of age groups.
The XTERRA race, run by the private
Honolulu-based company of Team Unlimited, is a
nonsanctioned national championship. Other
championship races are sanctioned by USA Track
and Field, including the USA Mountain Running
Championship (7.6 miles) and four USA Trail
Running Championships at distances of marathon,
100 miles, 50 miles and 100 kilometers, staged at
various locations throughout the summer.
Mark Morical can be reached at 541-383-0318 or at mmorical@bendbulletin.com .
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From bendbulletin.com - published daily in Bend,
Oregon, by Western Communications, Inc. Copyright 2005.
Still running:
At the age of 91, Bend's Bill Lauderback has moved beyond his physical limitations, and now he holds a world record
By Katie Brauns
When Bill Lauderback entered high school, he weighed 118 pounds and stood 5 feet 5 inches tall.
But slight stature did not discourage him from trying out for various sports teams, including track. He wanted a varsity letter. And while he ran to and from school every day with his older brother — 10 miles round trip — he didn't make the cut.
“I was interested in getting a letter, that was very important,” notes Lauderback, his crooked, wrinkled fingers sliding back and forth on the plush blue recliner in which he sits in the office of his south Bend home. “But as it turns out, in high school I never did. … I went out for track at school and the coach said, ‘OK, you guys take a lap around the track.' I was halfway around and the rest of them had all finished. So I thought, ‘No, this is not for me.' ”
But being the determined young man he was, rejection did not stop him.
In college at the University of Oregon in the mid-1930s and still the same size, he turned out for the cross-country team. He worked hard, practicing at Hayward Field under legendary coach Bill Hayward himself. But he was not very fast, and he did not really improve much, Lauderback admits. Nor did he receive a varsity letter — not in his first year, anyway.
While Lauderback has gone on to many noteworthy accomplishments throughout his 91 years, the most recent brings him worldwide status.
On Aug. 2, he broke the world record for the 1-mile run in the 90-94 age category. Back at Hayward Field, where he ran as a collegian some 70 years before, Lauderback set a new standard for his age group: 10 minutes, 52 seconds.
Change, movement
A native Oregonian, Lauderback has seen much change over the years. He comes from a time when horse and buggy was the most common mode of transportation, when a dollar a day was a reasonable wage. He has lived through the Great Depression and several wars. And at his ripe old age, he continues to run.
Oddly, the impetus of Lauderback's running career was arthritis.
“I was 43 years old,” he recalls. “I had an acute attack of rheumatoid arthritis. I was flat on my back for three months. The medical profession knew very little about arthritis. In fact, virtually nothing. The doctors didn't know what to do.”
As Lauderback remembers it, the doctors administered horse-pill-size aspirin tablets and sent him on his way.
“I started walking again … and in 30 days I was jogging a mile. This I decided on my own,” he adds of his decision to try running to combat his arthritis. “Why? I don't know.
“So that worked. For almost 20 years I ran a mile EVERY morning. No matter where I was.”
Lauderback traded in his medication for running. Even today, his arthritis is in remission.
“I credit the movement in taking care of it,” says Lauderback. “I haven't suffered from arthritis since. As far as limiting my mobility, it's completely disappeared.”
Not until he was 60 did distance running enter his life. He started with 5- and 10-kilometer races, then worked his way up to 15Ks (9.3 miles).
“When I got to be 65, I was really doing well,” Lauderback recalls. “My minutes per mile for these — including the 15K — I was running a mile at an average of 6:07.”
When retirement came for Lauderback in 1984, so did his focus on running.
From his mid-60s to his mid-70s he ran an average of 23 races each year.
“I was winning in my age group,” says Lauderback, “in just about all (the races).”
In Lauderback's pristine garage, one wall is covered with racing plaques: a testament to his highly successful masters running career. Most of the decorative wall trophies read “First Place.”
How has Lauderback been able to do it all these years, and even now?
“It's very simple,” he explains. “Inherit the right genes, keep moving, and don't step on any land mines.”
For setting the new age-group world record, Lauderback has been honored as the USA Track & Field Oregon Outstanding Male Masters Track Athlete of the Year.
A college letter?
Back in college, Lauderback swam for a physical education credit. He tried out for the tennis team but was turned away. He became a gymnast and, reluctantly, he joined the wrestling team.
Through the persistent persuasion of a bruiser friend of his, Lauderback wrestled competitively on the varsity team. During the two years he competed, he says, he lost only one match. And he finally earned the varsity letter he had always wanted.
“So I got my U of O letter for two years,” he says. “It wasn't because I was a good wrestler. Because I ran into those who knew holds and could grab hold of you so quick you could hardly believe it. And I had to withstand that, and the reason I could was because I had stability and long-lasting qualities.
“So I would wear them down,” Lauderback exclaims with a jolly chuckle.
“For personal reasons it was good for me,” he adds. “All of this had to do with developing confidence. And it helped.”
Lauderback graduated from UO in 1939 with a bachelor's degree in business administration. A career-oriented man, he managed several companies and over the years became an entrepreneur, mostly in the marine industry.
But before he got too far out in the business world he was recruited into the Army, first as an anti-aircraft artillery private in World War II. Eventually, Lauderback moved up the ranks, and he ended his active military duty as a major.
Over the years, he married three times.
“I outlived them all, unfortunately,” he says.
He fathered two children: daughter Jan and son Dan.
Lauderback's children, now well into adulthood themselves, have cheered him on in the Pilot Butte Challenge for the past four years now. Lauderback completed the 1-mile hill climb Sunday in 18 minutes, 47 seconds.
“It's amazing,” says Jan Lauderback. “He is truly an inspiration. He has been my hero all my life, since I was 5 years old, when he was running back then.”
While Lauderback no longer runs on a daily basis, he does maintain his fitness by walking every day.
“Before this Pilot Butte Challenge, I thought that would be my last competitive run,” says Lauderback. “But it wasn't nearly as hard as I expected it to be. So I thought, ‘Well, I'll run it next year.' Other than that, I don't have any specific goals. I WOULD like to get back to racing 5Ks.”
Lauderback never stops reaching for new goals. He believes strongly in movement and thinks that exercise is the root of a healthy, long life.
“If I can cause a few people that are already running to continue to run, they will have fewer medical problems, live a longer life and a healthier life,” says Lauderback earnestly. “And if that happens, I'm well rewarded.”
Katie Brauns can be reached at 541-383-0393 or at kbrauns@bendbulletin.com.
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From bendbulletin.com - published daily in Bend, Oregon, by Western Communications, Inc. Copyright 2005.
PASADENA, Calif. — Prudence L'Heureux, 38, of Bend was the top female finisher in the Angeles Crest 100-Mile Endurance Run.
The Bend woman took the lead at about mile 30, according to the Ultrarunning Online Web site, and held her position the rest of the race. L'Heureux finished more than 42 minutes ahead of second-place runner Ashley Nordell, 28, of Mt. Baldy, Calif., clocking in at 22 hours, 13 minutes, 10 seconds.
Bend's Rod Bien, 46, took fifth among the men with a time of 21:14:16. Hal Koerner, 32, of Ashland, won the race in 18:29:26.
The 100.53-mile race started in the high desert town of Wrightwood, Calif., and follows rugged hiking trails across the San Gabriel Mountains, finishing in Pasadena. Runners climbed a cumulative 21,000 vertical feet and descended 26,000 feet. The highest point on the course is Mt. Baden-Powell, which stands 9,399 feet above sea level.
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From bendbulletin.com - published daily in Bend, Oregon, by Western Communications, Inc. Copyright 2005.
Bend runners are set to vie for national trail-running title
Central Oregon's best will compete in the XTERRA championship on Saturday
By Mark Morical / The Bulletin
Bend's Max King and Lisa Nye are hoping to give a
warm welcome to some of the nation's top trail
runners - by beating them at their game.
The two local runners just might be the favorites
to win the 2008 XTERRA Trail Running National
Championship, set for Saturday at 9 a.m. in Bend.
The half-marathon (13.1-mile) course starts and
finishes in Bend's Old Mill District and takes
runners along the Deschutes River Trail and other
trails and dirt roads southwest of Bend.
King, who competed in the 3,000-meter
steeplechase at this year's U.S. Olympic Trials
and is among the top cross-country runners in the
U.S., will likely face stiff competition from Joe
Gray of Lakewood, Wash., a member of the U.S. Mountain Running Team.
Nye, a former U.S. record holder in the
2,000-meter steeplechase who wins just about
every running race she enters in Central Oregon,
will likely be pushed by Lisa Goldsmith of
Nederland, Colo., the two-time USA Track and
Field Masters Mountain Runner of the Year.
On Sunday, King and Nye competed in the Northwest
Mountain Running Championship, a six-mile course
on rugged trails on and around Mount Hood.
Nye, 39, was the top woman at Hood, followed by
other Bend runners Katie Caba and Jennifer
Sventek, who also plan to race on Saturday. In
the men's division, King finished second, just two seconds behind Gray.
King, 28, said that Saturday's flatter course,
which includes just 1,000 feet of elevation gain,
might give him an advantage over Gray, 24, who is
more accustomed to grueling ascents and descents.
King said this week that he hopes to finish the
race in about 1 hour and 10 minutes. "(Gray) was killing me on the hills," King said
of the Mount Hood race. "There won't be hills
like that in (the Bend) race. Over a
half-marathon distance that's pretty flat, it
gives me a good advantage. I'm used to running on flatter ground." From the Old Mill District, the championship
course proceeds along the paved trail on the east
side of the Deschutes River and crosses over the
foot bridge from Farewell Bend Park onto
west-side dirt trails. The middle portion of the
course includes the dirt and gravel Haul Road
that parallels Century Drive. Runners then head
toward the river from Entrada Lodge and turn
around at Meadow Camp to run along the river.
They will head back via the lodge and the Haul
Road to the finish at the Old Mill District. "I'd say Max might be the favorite for this one,"
Gray said this week. "I can run fast on the
flats, but I'm more prepared for vertical."
Two weeks ago, Gray finished 16th at the World
Mountain Running Trophy race in Switzerland. The
world championship event is the biggest race of
the year for the U.S. Mountain Running Team,
which includes 10 runners who focus on
high-altitude races with significant elevation
gain and loss, usually at distances shorter than a half-marathon.
Richard Bolt of Portland, the leader of the U.S.
Mountain Running team, will also compete on
Saturday. He said he envisions a tight race between King and Gray. "Mount Hood is the only time they've gone head to
head," Bolt said this week. "I think it'll be a very interesting race."
Nye, meanwhile, is coming to terms with the fact
that she will compete in the Masters Division for
the first time. She turns 40 in November,
requiring her to register as a Masters. "It's quasi-depressing," Nye joked. "But the most
competitive women are all in their 40s. It's a harsh introduction to Masters."But I know that course so well because I run it every weekend."
Goldsmith is 44, and Kami Semick, an ultrarunner
from Bend who could also contend on Saturday, is 42.
As an ultrarunner, Semick frequently races at
distances longer than a marathon. Currently, she
is preparing for the Portland Marathon on Oct. 5
and the 100-kilometer World Cup in Italy on Nov. 5."It really is a short distance for me," Semick
said of the XTERRA race. "I've been on the track
working on leg speed. (Nye) is always strong.
I'll just go out and see how many ponytails are
in front - that's what you have to do."
The XTERRA Trail Running National Championship is
the culmination of the yearly XTERRA U.S. Trail
Run Series, which since last October included 50
races staged in 15 states. Several regional
champions from the series are expected to compete
in Bend. National champions will be crowned in a
number of age groups, from as young as the 9-and-under class.
Trey Garman, vice president of XTERRA, said he
expects about 300 runners from 20 states to race
the half-marathon and about 150 more to take part
in the 10-kilometer and 5K runs, which will be
staged at the same time as the half-marathon.
Half-marathon runners will race for a share of a
$5,000 prize purse, $1,000 of which will be
awarded to both the men's and women's winners.
The XTERRA race, run by the private
Honolulu-based company of Team Unlimited, is a
nonsanctioned national championship. Other
championship races are sanctioned by USA Track
and Field, including the USA Mountain Running
Championship (7.6 miles) and four USA Trail
Running Championships at distances of marathon,
100 miles, 50 miles and 100 kilometers, staged at
various locations throughout the summer.
Mark Morical can be reached at 541-383-0318 or at mmorical@bendbulletin.com .
- MORE INFORMATION -
Xterra
Trail Running National Championship
What: The culmination of the XTERRA U.S. Trail
Run Series, featuring top runners from across the
country competing in a half-marathon race. 10K
and 5K races will also be staged.
Where:
Start/finish and expo at Center Plaza in Bend's
Old Mill District, Southwest Powerhouse Drive
between The Gap and Anthony's.
When: Saturday.
Racing starts at 9 a.m., and first finishers are
expected at just after 10 a.m.
Registration:
Open to anybody at www.xterraplanet.com/xduro/nationals.html . Cost
is $35 for the half-marathon and $25 for the 10K
and 5K. Competitors can also register or pick up
their race packets today at FootZone in Bend from
noon to 8 p.m. No race-day registration. Ten
dollars of every entry fee benefits the Central
Oregon Trail Alliance.<br>Contact: www.xterraplanet.com.
------
From bendbulletin.com - published daily in Bend,
Oregon, by Western Communications, Inc. Copyright 2005.
It's all downhill More than 200 runners sprint
down Century Drive in the 32nd edition of the Bend race
By Katie Brauns / The Bulletin
Portland-based Team Red Lizard scurried its way
to a near clean sweep in Sunday's Bigfoot 10K,
the 32nd annual running race in Bend that
attracted more than 200 participants this year.
Structural engineer Chad Killian, 27, of Portland
darted to the finish in a time of 32 minutes, 13 seconds to win it.
Killian is currently ranked third in the USA
Track & Field Oregon Grand Prix Series, a running
series throughout Oregon that began in March and
ends in mid-November. The Bigfoot 10K was the
sixth race of nine in a series that features a
prize purse of $6,400, with $500 awarded to the
top open and masters male and female runners.
The USATF certified 6.2-mile road race course
that was mostly downhill, started in the cool
hours of the morning at the Seventh Mountain
Resort. The route continued down Century Drive to
the finish at McKay Park near the Colorado Avenue Bridge in southwest Bend.
Many of the runners basked in the downhill
momentum of the course and gave it all they had through to the finish."It was downhill, so it was fast," said Killian."I've run a faster 10K, but this was pretty good for right now."The person that came in second was with me for
about a mile and a half, I think, and then I pulled away."
The top female finisher, Susan Barth, also 27 and
of Portland's Team Red Lizard, clocked in at 37:38. "I ran really well in college (at Marquette
University in Milwaukee, Wisc.)," she added. "And
I've been struggling since college to get
anywhere close to those times. . You just run the
best you can and the rest takes care of itself."
The men's masters (age 40 and older) winner - and
second place overall - was Redmond's Mark Ryan,
who finished in a time of 33:00. Chuck Coats, 49,
of Sherwood took second in the masters field and
grabbed fourth overall (33:31), pulling ahead of
Sisters' distance runner Sean Meissner 200 yards
from the finish line. Coats, who wears his Team
Red Lizard jersey proudly, runs not for the prize
money or to win, but for his sobriety."I've taken a 180-degree turn," said Coats, who
is leading the masters runners in the Grand Prix
Series. "When I quit running, I was about 21
years old. I really started drinking heavy and
the lifestyle was just totally different back
then. . Finally coming back, it's like, 'Yeah, I
like this a lot better.' It's a healthy
lifestyle, a lot neater people to be hanging
around, people that take care of their bodies."
Coats remembers important dates. He said he has
been sober since November 30, 1999, and he began
running again after an 18-year hiatus on January 25, 2000."For me running is just an extra deal," added
Coats. "The main thing is staying sober."
The top masters female in Saturday's race was
McMinnville's Beth Armstrong with a time of 39:54.
While out-of-towners took some of the top spots,
Central Oregonians were running in full force.
Jeff Caba of Bend took third overall. Racing in
the men's age 35-39 category, Caba clocked in at
33:07, which placed him first in his age group.
Bend's Mary Primrose, 32, who is no stranger to
local races, was the second female to cross the finish line (39:00)."She passed me right after the first mile or so,"
said Primrose of the winner, Barth. "Her pace was
perfect. She just went. I was jealous, I was like, 'Look at her go!' "
The third-place female finisher was Denise Bourassa of Eugene (39:43).
While the Bigfoot is a competitive race, it's
also an easy run that is less demanding than many
of Central Oregon's races that feature big
elevation gains or technical courses."It's fun to run fast," said Primrose of
competing on Bigfoot's course. "You just feel so
much faster when you go downhill like that,
although it pounds you, it's so much fun to just ... RUN."
Katie Brauns can be reached at 541-383-0393 or kbrauns@bendbulletin.com .
------
From bendbulletin.com - published daily in Bend,
Oregon, by Western Communications, Inc. Copyright 2005
In the running ...Study shows running may help maintain a healthy life later on
By Betsy Q. Cliff / The Bulletin
Runners may not only live longer, but they also
may live better as they age, according to a new study.
The study, published this month in the Archives
of Internal Medicine, followed members of a
50-and-older running club and a group of healthy
but less active peers for more than 20 years,
until the average age of the participants was nearly 80.
They found that not only were the members of the
running club less likely to die, they were also
less likely to experience everyday disabilities
such as trouble walking up stairs, washing their hair or cutting food.
The researchers said they were surprised because
the differences in ability continued for years, even amplifying later in life. "As they got older, the difference in disability
became greater and greater," said Dr. Eliza
Chakravarty, an author of the study and an
assistant professor in immunology and
rheumatology at Stanford University's School of
Medicine. "You would expect that as people got
older (the differences in disability) would come
together, especially past normal life expectancy,
but they were continuing to diverge."
The researchers said these findings were evidence
for a hypothesis that regular exercise can help
people live with fewer disabilities as they age,
giving them more functional years of life.
Though they studied only runners, Chakravarty
said they felt that the findings would apply to
people who did other forms of vigorous exercise as well.
The runners were an average age of 60 at the
beginning of the study and had been pounding the
pavement for an average of 10 years before the
study began. "One of the things that this showed
us was that it's probably never too late to start
an exercise program," Chakravarty said.
After starting and stopping running as a young
man, Bill Lauderback, who lives in Bend, started
running regularly again after a bout with
rheumatoid arthritis at 43. Now 91, he recently
ran a mile in 10:52, setting the world record for his age group, 90 to 94.
Lauderback, who regularly runs several times a
week, credits his habit for his good health. "Last spring I went through a complete physical -
nervous system and the brain and the heart," he
said. "They can't find one thing wrong with me."
Lauderback says that his age does limit him in
some ways. Running a mile once or twice a week "will be the max," he said.
Why? "Your body does age."
Betsy Q. Cliff can be reached at 541-383-0375 or bcliff@bendbulletin.com .
------
From bendbulletin.com - published daily in Bend,
Oregon, by Western Communications, Inc. Copyright 2005.
Competitors climb to the finish in Sunrise to Summit, Bend to Bachelor Duathlon
More than 200 people competed in the Sunrise to Summit foot race and Bend to Bachelor Duathlon on September 6, 2008.
Richard Bolt, 38, of Portland was the first finisher for the men in Sunrise to Summit, a three-mile race from Sunrise Lodge at Mount Bachelor to the summit of the mountain, an elevation gain of 2,500 feet. He completed the course in 36 minutes and 47 seconds.
Lisa Nye, 39, of Bend took first in the women's race in 39:45.
In the Bend to Bachelor Duathlon, which included a 20-mile cycle from Cascade Middle School in Bend before the three-mile run to the summit of Mount Bachelor, Teri Sheasby, 46, of Bend won the women's race in 1:56:37.
Bruce Rogers, 41, of Bend won the men's race in 1:47:47.
From bendbulletin.com - published daily in Bend, Oregon, by Western Communications, Inc. Copyright 2005.
The Peterson Ridge Trail is arguably this city's most valuable and widely used public recreational asset, an excellent trail system accessing the adjacent forest lands with two trailheads actually in the city limits. Big trees, fascinating landforms, and spectacular overlooks add to the attraction. Locals can ride or run without the need to drive. While heavy local use by walkers, runners, cyclists, and equestrians provides an obvious health and fitness benefit for the community, visitor use provides a growing economic benefit to local businesses.
The trail is presently in the process of a major upgrade, adding over 8 miles of equestrian trails and nearly 20 more for hikers and cyclists. A dedicated group of volunteers has added several miles of each since getting final approval for the project in April.
The end result will be a destination grade trail system that will not only get heavier and happier use by locals, but will put Sisters on the map regionally and beyond for cyclists and trail runners, bringing people to Sisters who would otherwise go elsewhere. Additionally, the community will be able to host a variety of running and cycling events that at present are either very awkward or simply impossible.
In the interest of providing this expanded amenity to the community sooner rather than later, Sisters Trails Committee is seeking matching funds from the community in order to hire a four man trail building crew for two weeks this fall. A professional crew, working in concert with local volunteers, could reasonably add well over five more miles to the system. This would essentially double the mileage already added this summer and would put us on track to complete this ambitious project next year. Total cost for the crew and associated expenses is $14,000, with the Trails Committee putting up half, $7,000. If we can raise the other half from the community, we can
take a very big step towards the completion of this very worthy project.
Please consider a generous donation for this great trail system. Donations can be made to SOAR, our parent organization. This is a non-profit, and donations may be tax deductible.
Thank you for your consideration of this request.
An update on the progress being made on the Peterson Ridge Trail system: We added another 1/2 mile or so of trail during Sunday's work party, which will be incorporated into the Poker Run. We have now constructed approximately 5 miles of new trail this year, and have a professional crew coming in which will hopefully add another 5-8 miles. If anyone needs work credit for upcoming 100-milers, please keep us in mind.
Sincerely yours,
John Rahm
Chairman, Sisters Trails Committee
The 2008 Where's Waldo 100k Ultramarathon was held on August 16, and was this year's USATF 100 km trail national championship race. Even though it was held under very hot and challenging conditions it was almost certainly the best one yet. And as has been the case for the last seven years CORK played a very important part in the execution of the race. From Bob Latham's help as a USATF official and liaison to gain the championship sanction, to Doug William's and Barb Ringstad's roles as captains of the first and last aid stations, which were staffed with too many Corkers to risk missing a name, they were instrumental in assuring a safe and successful event. I am proud to be a CORK member along with all of you who will always be willing and eager to help at Waldo and so many other Central Oregon running events. In my view, that is what we are all about.
I will paste below some of the positive comments we have received this year from the runners. And if anyone has some spare time I recommend checking out the stats page of our website to read some of the stories written by the runners. You will also see quite a few Corkers as race finishers, congratulations to all of them! It is:
I just wanted to tell you both that Where's Waldo was awesome (it maybe my favorite ultra so far). As tough and long as it was, the race was amazing and I feel like a rock star for completing it (thanks for making me feel like a rock star). I have never experienced such encouraging and helpful aid station volunteers. They all said and did the right things to keep me going, so I always knew I would finish despite my longest previous race being one 50 miler. I wouldn't have said this a week ago, but I can't wait to be back next August. - Laura Gould
I had a fantastic time! You definitely have one of the best volunteer crews in the business." - Scott Dunlap
"I know the volunteers put a lot of effort in this, but I have to say that with 7 years of experience under their belts, they make it seem "automatic" from the runner's perspective." - Tom Janzen
"They [the volunteers] bring a passion to the race that I can't adequately describe" - Geoffrey Donovan
"the vast and supremely helpful armada of volunteers who always help make 'Waldo' such a FANTASTIC event!" - Paul Lindauer
"You both have a great support crew and from my limited experience, probably the best aid stations/crews on the Ultra circuit. Keep up the good work!" - Brad Mitchell
"The aid station people were extremely attentive to my needs and so up-beat. I asked for some vasoline, and in a flash the volunteer had an open container with a gob of it on her fingers asking, with a straight face, where to put it." - Neil Olsen (the overall winner & national champion-even he noticed!)
This is why we do it!
Thank you very much,
Curt Ringstad
CORK Board Member and Co-RD Where's Waldo 100k
EUGENE Several local masters competed in the 27th annual Oregon Track Club Masters Hayward Classic this past weekend at the University of Oregon's Hayward Field. The event was a USA Track and Field sanctioned masters championship for Oregon athletes.
Bill Lauderback, 91, of Bend broke an age-group world record for the 100-meter dash, finishing in a time of 28.32. Lauderback ran in four other events, winning three of them by default no competition in his 90-94 age group. In the 200-meter race, Lauderback clocked in at 1:03.32. His 400-meter time was 2:47.81, and 800-meter time was 5:23.83. Competing against 10 runners, ages 30-94, in the 1-mile race, Lauderback clocked in at 10:52.98, taking 10th.
Chris Gassner, 47, of Bend finished the 1-mile race in 5:30.19, and was runner-up to winner Garth Merrill, 42, of team Loose Moose (5:15.92).
Rod Thompson, competing in the 55-59 age category, won the 5,000-meter race in a time of 20:46.9. Thompson also posted second-, third- and fourth-place finishes in the 1-mile, 1,500- and 3,000-meter races.
Jeanette Groesz, 58, of Redmond took third in the women's age-graded 1-mile race, clocking in at 6:08:99.
Bend's Suzi MacLeod, 74, placed second in the women's 70-74 age division for the 100- meter dash (20.78).
Bend's Tom Sorenson vaulted 12 feet, 112 feet in the men's 30-34 pole vault competition, taking first.
Jack Cleveland took part in the men's 80-84 pole vault competition, but did not place.
Area track athletes shine at Hershey Finals
Published: August 05. 2008 4:00AM PST
HERSHEY, Pa. Young athletes from Central Oregon placed as high as third at the 2008 Hershey's Track & Field Games North American Finals.
The meet, which included some 600 qualifiers from across the United States and Canada, was staged Saturday at Henry Hershey Field.
Among 11 Oregon athletes at the meet were four from Central Oregon, including Brit Oliphant of Bend, whose time of 5 minutes, 28.2 seconds was good for third place in the girls age 13-to 14-year-old 1,600-meter run.
Also earning a third-place finish was Natalie Ambrose of Sisters, who posted a time of 13.88 seconds in the girls 11-to 12-year-old 100-meter dash.
Two other entries from Bend competed in the boys 9-to 10-year-old division: Samuel Buzzas placed fifth in the standing long jump with a distance of 6 feet, 612 inches, and Justin Parsons finished seventh in the 200-meter dash with a time of 31.86 seconds.
A youth Track & Field and Cross Country Running Club has been established within CORK. The purpose of the CORK Youth Club is to:
Provide a fun environment for youth athletes in grades 2nd through 5th to discover the sports of Track & Field and Cross Country Running.
Extend training seasons for Middle School athletes (grades 6th-8th) who seek to participate in Junior Olympic Track & Field and Cross Country events after conclusion of the regular middle school seasons.
Facilitate opportunities for all age groups to compete in Local, State, Regional and National USATF developmental and Junior Olympic events.
The club is now seeking volunteer support from the CORK community and beyond to assist with several aspects of getting the youth club up and "running".
Volunteers are needed in the following areas:
Youth committee members to assist with near term and long term planning for the club organization and events. Near term items include: website design and planning for both fall & spring local meets.
Volunteers to help with sponsorship and fund raising activities.
Volunteer coaches for Track & Field. In particular help is needed in field events and hurdles for next spring.
Volunteer coaches for Cross Country running. Several coaches are needed to assist with the younger age groups.
Volunteers are already available for the Middle School age range.
Please feel free to volunteer for one or more of the areas where help is needed. Overall a group of 5 to 8 volunteers would be great. Parents of youth athletes are encouraged to consider this volunteer opportunity.
If you are interested or would simply like to learn more about the youth club, then please contact Doug Lange via email or phone. Thank you.
douglange@bendbroadband.com
617-0499 home
Jeanette Sullivan finished life last Sunday as she had lived it; full of the same spirit that had always expressed itself in her athletic activities. Pancreatic cancer only took her physical strength, her spirit finished strong. A marathon runner since college, she added swimming and biking and did her first Ironman race in 1983 followed by 16 more IM's over the years plus hundreds of other running, triathlon and ski races.
These pictures were from her last race, the National Triathlon Age Group Championship in July 2007 and of her finish at the Tour Deschutes later that month.
A memorial service will be held at Aspen Hall, Shevlin Park at 2 pm Monday, 23 June. Everyone is invited to share memories of Jeanette at our home this Sunday from 4 until 7, 2098 NW Trenton, Bend.
Teaching Physical Education was her profession but inspiring others was her gift. She generously gave that gift to me over the 20 years since we met on the Oregon Bike Ride.
One of her favorite sayings, and she had many, was "Run While You Still Can". She always did and is now running forever without tiring.
Please support Tour Deschutes, the Hospice Center, and elevate your heart rate often in memory of her.
Tim Lester
Kami Semick runs a personal best in race in the Netherlands
By Bulletin staff report
Published: September 12. 2007 5:00AM PST
Kami Semick of Bend ran a personal-best time Saturday, and it was good for a silver medal at the International Association of Ultrarunners 100-kilometer World Cup.
The race took place in Winschoten, Netherlands.
Semick, 41, finished the race in 7 hours, 51 minutes, 54 seconds topping the time of 7:56:38 she posted last year in finishing 11th overall among women at the 2006 100K World Cup in Misari, South Korea.
Competitors completed 10 laps of a 10-kilometer (6.2-mile) loop course that Semick described as flat and mostly asphalt.
"There was some cobblestone," she said Tuesday after returning to Bend. "You can't go to the Netherlands and not find cobblestone."
Semick finished ninth overall among women in the 2007 event, and she was second in the women's 40-44 age group, for which she received a silver medal.
"I was hoping for a 10-minute PR," Semick said. "I was shooting for maintaining a 7:30 (per mile) pace consistently throughout the race, and through 80K I was right on target. The last two laps (20K), I slowed down. The wind was pretty strong at times, and it make the last few laps kind of tough."
In an international field of more than 300 entries (224 finishers), Semick was the fifth United States runner to cross the finish line and the first U.S. woman. No. 2 among American women was 25-year-old Devon Crosby-Helms of San Francisco, whose time was 8:06:20.
Competing in her second 100K World Cup, Semick placed 64th among all finishers, male and female.
The overall women's winner was Norimi Sakurai, 36, of Japan. Her time 7:00:27 set a new women's 100K record.
The overall men's winner, also of Japan, was Shinichi Watanabe, 30, in a time of 6:23:21. The first American man to finish was 42-year-old Howard Nippert of Blacksburg, Va., who was eighth overall in 6:49:31
Published daily in Bend, Oregon, by Western Communications , Inc. Copyright 2007
Local runner places in Masters World Championships Published: September 11. 2007 5:00AM PST
RICCIONE, Italy Jeanette "Jeanie" Groesz of Redmond is competing in the track and field 2007 World Masters Athletics Championships, which began Tuesday, Sept. 4, and continue through Saturday.
Groesz joins athletes ages 35 to 95 from around the world and has raced in three events so far. Competing in the women's 55-59 age group, she placed fifth out of 16 competitors in the 5,000-meter race, finishing in a time of 20 minutes, 18.42 seconds. The first-place finisher was Great Britain's Janette Stevenson with a time of 18:25.94.
Groesz earned fifth place out of 39 runners in the 8-kilometer event (31:38). American Kathryn Martin won the race in the time of 29:27. In the 800-meter sprint, Groesz placed sixth out of 12 finishers, with a time of 2:42.14. The first-place finisher was Waltraud Egger of Italy (2:32.07).
Published daily in Bend, Oregon, by Western Communications , Inc. Copyright 2007.
Veteran long-distance runner and triathlete Roger Daniels demonstrates the proper technique for running downhill safely and efficiently. Daniels shortens his stride, bends his knees, and keeps his body upright to lessen the impact on his joints while maintaining his speed.
more photos
Many would agree that the simple act of running - putting one foot in front of the other - involves some level of endurance, speed and athletic ability.
But skill? Running is not usually the first chapter in any "how to" book.
But in fact, there is a whole slate of techniques that can help improve running efficiency and make runners less prone to injury. And with the fall running season - an active time for longer races such as half-marathons, marathons (26.2 miles) and ultramarathons - nearly upon us, it's an ideal time to learn some new techniques or brush up on forgotten mechanics of running.
Anyone who has run with the Central Oregon Running Klub (CORK) on Saturday mornings likely knows Roger Daniels - or at least has seen him before leaving the trailhead. Daniels, a spry 70, is the one leading the pack up challenging mountain trails for tens of miles; the one with whom runners only a fraction of his age can barely keep up.
Daniels, of Bend, has had a lot of time to ponder the science of running. He has competed in the Western States 100 (a 100-mile footrace) 10 times, completed six Ironman races - consisting of a 2.4-mile swim, 112-mile bike ride and 26.2-mile run - and run countless 50-mile and 50-kilometer races. He is also a part-time coach of the Bend High School cross-country team.
"You have a lot of time to think about (running technique) when you train for and race ultras," Daniels says with a laugh. "You think about what's most efficient and what will hurt you the least in the long run; what will do the least amount of damage to your body.
"I think the average runner tends to not understand what form does for them," he adds. "You see people stumbling around at the end of a marathon. They don't understand that sometimes, even if they slow down, good running form will get them to the end more quickly (than if they picked up the pace while letting their form lag)."
According to Daniels, focusing on downhill technique is most important in staving off running-related injury.
"The gravity combined with the force can beat you up really bad," he observes.
The rundown
Running dos * Keep upper body relaxed to increase efficiency
* Keep body upright and aligned to increase efficiency
* Shorten stride and bend knees while running downhill to lessen impact Running don'ts * Slouch forward
* Fully extend and straighten legs on downhill terrain
* Allow lead leg to get too far ahead on uphill terrain
The veteran runner and coach recommends that runners keep their head upright, over their hips, with their lead foot directly in front of them. He also recommends a shorter stride than most runners normally use.
"You should be over your center of gravity with your foot underneath you so when you land you push straight down," Daniels explains. "That way you're pushing down on loose rocks so they don't slide out from under you, and your weight comes down on the part of your stride that can support you best.
"Shortening your stride also helps," says Daniels. "The shorter your stride, the less energy will be transferred back into your knees or joints." Daniels suggests thinking of oneself as a wheel. The more points that touch the ground over a certain distance, the smoother the ride.
Daniels stresses that a runner's knees and ankles should also be flexed enough to absorb shock.
"Locked knees are like ramrods," Daniels notes. "Each joint takes a shock if they're locked. It moves from the knee to the hip to the lower back. A flexed knee acts like a spring instead of a rod."
Ellen Welcker, a FootZone running store sales person, says the injuries she hears runners complain about most frequently are soreness in the knees, arches, hips, hamstrings and lower back. Welcker, 29, who competes in races ranging in distance from five to 50 kilometers, suggests allowing the body to relax a bit while running downhill.
"Running downhill is jarring," she says. "A lot of people try to brake by leaning back. It can help to let go some; allow your body to absorb the shock."
Daniels reminds runners that on flat terrain they should continue to keep their bodies upright and hands relaxed at waist level.
"Your energy should come from your lower abdomen and your upper (body) should just float along for the ride," says Daniels. "You don't want to waste any energy in your upper body that you don't need to use. In a sprint, you can put more energy into your upper body because you're running for a short amount of time. But in a long run, (relaxing your upper body) will make a difference."
Daniels notes that each runner has a certain form and style. Style is something natural to one's body, and form is about correctly positioning one's body.
He emphasizes that it's more about the mechanics than the appearance.
"I know one lady who, when she runs, looks like a bagful of broomsticks," he says. "But her form is very good."
Daniels cautions runners who are running uphill not to put their lead foot too far forward and slump their upper bodies forward.
"When you're too far forward, your lever (bent leg) is too far forward, so you're not running with as much force. You're using more force to pull your body up rather than to go forward," Daniels explains. "Fatigue causes you to lose form, but this is when you should concentrate on form the most. If you do, you'll go farther with each step."
Welcker says that when she runs uphill, she tries to keep her eyes focused ahead and her stride short in order to keep her weight over her lower body, therefore running more efficiently.
"When I'm tired, I try shifting my feet to use different muscle groups," she notes.
"When I run, I just really try to use my core strength," adds Welcker, who says she has endured some hamstring problems. "(I) lift my shoulders and run from a good position so I'm not just using my legs. It feels much healthier overall."
Charlie Kanzig, coach of the cross-country team at Sisters High School, says his runners work on technique each practice through alignment and form drills.
Coaches watch the young runners for form and technique, including arm swing, posture, foot-plant position and more. Kanzig believes even pigeon-toed runners and those with more serious form issues can improve with effort.
"If you're not upright, you're less stable, your breathing is impacted, and even your stride is shortened," Kanzig observes. "Usually when you're slouching, it means you're not in shape and are working too hard, or you need to strengthen your core, upper body or lower back."
According to the coach, Sisters cross-country runners often perform skipping drills or other types of drills that help strengthen their legs and keep them on a straight running line.
"Every little bit helps," says Kanzig. "The more coordinated you are, the stronger you are, the faster you run. Paying attention to those things also keeps more kids from getting injured."
Abbie Beane can be reached at 383-0393 or at abeane@bendbulletin.com
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Charlene Levesque and
representatives of the Central Oregon Running Klub presented a $75,500 check from Heaven Can Wait to the Sara Fisher Breast Cancer Project on July 21st at 8:30 AM. The names of the people pictured from left to right: Joe Levesque, Peggy Carey, Charlene Levesque, Bob Latham.
Three Central Oregon athletes still cannot escape their Texas roots.
Jim and Carol McLatchie and John Lodwick of Bend, all former longtime residents of Texas, were recently inducted into the Texas Running Hall of Fame and also recognized in "Inside Texas Running," a running magazine published roughly every month.
Jim McLatchie, 65, has been running since the age of 13 and boasts an accomplished running career.
In 1963, he ran a mile in a time of 4 minutes and 6 seconds in Scotland. His success at running ultimately led him to enroll at Lamar University in Beaumont, Texas in the following years. From there, he moved to Houston in the mid-1970s, according to the article in "Inside Texas Running." Since then, he has founded and coached the internationally recognized Houston Harriers running club. He has also coached numerous elite athletes who have qualified for a total of 43 Olympic trials slots since 1984, including two Olympic marathon runners and one steeplechaser.
In addition, he has served on the Women's Long Distance Running Committee, represented the United States as a coach for several national and international events, and been a member of the USA Track and Field Committee to help develop a plan for distance running, among other accomplishments. He is currently a member of the Great Britain elite coaching squad for the steeplechase event, and serves as a volunteer coach at Pilot Butte Middle School.
Jim's wife, Carol McLatchie, 54, began running while attending Kansas State University.
Among her accomplishments, in the early 1980s, Carol McLatchie qualified for the first of three Olympic trials for the marathon, placing 12th in the inaugural women's event with a time of 2:35. She also ran a 33:01 10-kilometer race on the track at an Olympic trials exhibition, and a 15:45 5K at the same meet. In the same year, she clocked a 32:41 personal-best time in the 10K, and four years later she became the national 10K champion.
Carol McLatchie has continued to win races and set world records at the Masters level, including her 1993 World Masters Champion title in the 1,500 meters and the 5K.
She has also worked on several national and international running committees, including Women's Long Distance Running International Subcommittees. From 1996-2002, she was also Chair of the Women's Long Distance Running Committee.
Lodwick, 51, who began running in high school after failing to make the basketball team, has also enjoyed an impressive marathoning career. Both he and his college roommate, Jeff Wells, placed in the nation's top 10 marathon runners in 1976, when Lodwick ran the White Rock Marathon in Dallas in 2:16.23.
For the next five years, Lodwick continued to run times that kept him near the top of the list of U.S. marathon runners.
Among his career highlights is a 2:11 time and fourth-place finish in the 1981 Boston Marathon.
Today, Lodwick is a pastor in Bend, and he still runs 60 miles per week.
Published daily in Bend, Oregon, by Western Communications , Inc. Copyright 2005.
I am attaching some photos I took October 30 at the running of the MacDonald Forest 15K trail run in Corvallis. You may recognize some of our Korkies...
My daughter Erica was first in the 20-25 age group, and fourth female overall. It was a great race, great weather and would have been my to have run it with her. Boo-Hoo!
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WILLIAM JOHNSON
C.O.R.K. SECRETARY
Bend Bulletin Article: Area track athletes cited by association By Bulletin staff report Published: October 11. 2005 6:00AM PST Three Central Oregon athletes were recently honored by the USA Track and Field Oregon Association.
Jeanette Groesz of Redmond was named Oregon's Outstanding Masters Female Track athlete for her winning performances in the 800 meter, 1,500 meter and 1-mile race at the National Masters Indoor Track and Field Championships and World Masters Games in 2005.
Groesz competes in the 55-59 age division. She also received the Outstanding Female Long Distance Runner award. Groesz claimed first place in her age division at the Masters National 8-Kilometer Cross Country Championships this year and is currently the leading female in Oregon Grand Prix circuit.
Dylan Mason of Bend was honored with Oregon's Outstanding Men's Long Distance Runner title.
Mason, 32, won the April Fool 15K in Eugene earlier this year and posted second-place finishes at three other 2005 Grand Prix races in Oregon.
Bob Latham of Bend was named Most Outstanding Person by the Oregon track and field committee. Latham was awarded the honor for his role in creating the Grand Prix Series, a circuiit of eight running races in Oregon for masters competitors.
Published daily in Bend, Oregon, by Western Communications , Inc. Copyright 2005.
That makes three overall winners from CORK, and all the other CORK runners won their divisions. It was a perfect day and the parade was the longest ever.
I have been waiting to sort out some of the thank you's that we have been receiving this week from the race participants to forward to you. They all say it better than I can, I know I am not the best communicator when I have the floor at the board meeting. As Craig has mentioned this was probably the best Waldo to date, the race seems to have taken on a life of its own on the strength of the best volunteer team that I could ever dream of or thought possible when Craig and I decided to proceed with this crazy event. I am extremely grateful to have the support of all of you from the insurance coverage to your rocking aid station which you run with care and professionalism at considerable personal expense of your valuable time and money. I am very proud to be a CORK member, I owe all of you undying gratitude and hope nobody hesitates to contact me when there is work to be done, how could I ever catch up? I am pasting some of the choice comments that we have received from participants this week, we have enjoyed a flood of them. To get the full flavor of the race please visit the website @ http://www.wpsp.org/ww100k for stories and pictures from race day. Craig has been updating the site daily.
Thank you all again, I am looking forward to talking to you at the board meeting on Monday,
Curt Ringstad- ( See some comments below)
Hi Craig and Curt,
Your race was really become an amazing event on all accounts. The volunteers, the trail maintenance, the markings and course itself are just grand.
RONDA SUNDERMEIER
Thanks to all of the great people at the aid stations for taking such good care of me. Thanks to all the folks who were at the summits, sweeping, marking course, monitoring turns, keeping track of me on the radios, cooking, recording data, horsing around, waiting for me, telling me I looked good, letting me use the ski lodge - whew!
ED WILLSON
My special thanks to Curt and Craig, and all the fabulous volunteers. What a celebration of what this ultra running is all about. Beautiful course, volunteers galore, seclusion, partying, crying, hurting, euphoria. Man-oh-man.
MEGHAN ARBOGAST
I had a most fabulous time at the WW race this year... even tho I only did the 2nd 1/2 of the relay (quite a nice distance, actually!! hee hee)... The aid stations were fabulous! the volunteers so attentive... frozen orange juice slushies (i love ice!!!), excellent aid station fare.
KRISTIN JOSSI
Also, I can't say enough about the folks at the aid stations. If there is any way to pass along my appreciation for their efforts, their help, please tell me how or forward this to them. They really made the race. They went above and beyond. I had a couple raspberries from a fall, and every aid station wanted to lend me a hand. They filled my Camelback promptly (one guy ran back to me, grabbed it, then ran ahead to fill it up so I wouldn't have to wait very long; that was the backcountry patrol guys). The people at the Maiden Lake aid station were phenomenal about checking me out, offering me grub, but then again so were the folks at the Twins station and 4290. Really, they were great and totally kept my spirits up.
Anyways, thanks again. I had a blast and I really, really hope to do this again next year.
JIM MUREZ
Thanks again for a great race. The aid station volunteers were, no exaggeration, the most pro-active I've ever seen. My unorthodox training meant that I suffered a lot the last 9 miles, but otherwise I had a great day, very similar splits to 2003. I can't make it every year but I'll be back when I can, at least as long as I can finish under 16 hours (not sure about that 3AM business).
MARK SWANSON
TIP 4#: GET BY WITH A LITTLE HELP FROM YOUR FRIENDS
At this A.S., like every single station on the entire course, the volunteers where awesome. I have had very positive experiences at almost all the races I have done over the last 3 years, but Waldo's folks take the cake hands down. If I have to run 100+ kilometers is sure makes the travail a lot easier when you can look forward to seeing a group of strangers every 5-8 miles who are going to treat you like a long lost relative!
CLAY FIFE
I wanted to let you know how much we enjoyed Where's Waldo this past weekend. The race was well-organized, the course was challenging, beautiful and well-marked, and the volunteers were amazing. In particular, we appreciated the tremendous support for those of us at the back of the pack - stumbling into that last aid station in the dark to find hot soup, shoulder rubs, and frappacinos and seeing so many people waiting around at the finish to cheer on the last runners - all of this made it truly a great day. NADIA COSTA
I will be sure to thank the sponsors and i wanted to thank you guys (and all the volunteers) for putting on such an unbelievably great event I'm still amazed how hard you all worked to make this thing happen by far the coolest, best organized, most gonzo event i've ever been a part of you guys rock!
LEWIS TAYLOR
You did it again with another virtuoso performance in RD, together with the assembled and highly practiced aid station and trail volunteers! The course as usual was the star (though it should bear an "X" rating for gratuitous pain at Twins and Maiden and for mystery mileage), marked for race with Curt's (Hemingway) philosophy ("that's enough flagging; you get lost, it's on you!"), and best of all for the runners, it's patrolled and attended by great aid station and trail volunteers, knowledgeable and enthusiastic.
THOMAS JANZEN
Thank you for an excellent race. I had a blast. Well organized, great aid stations, good support throughout. I appreciated the course markings, as I am directionally challenged! One of these years I will attempt the full course... JOANNE BERNT
Craig,
You, Curt and all the volunteers put on one hell of an event. A super course with super aid stations. Thanks for all your efforts and energy! JON GNASS
What a wonderful event. I highly recommend it to anyone looking for a good challenge and a day spent surrounded by majestic pines, glorious vistas, mind numbing climbs and the best volunteers and aid stations in Oregon! MARIELLA BOTELLA
Thank you so much for another fantastic race. The volunteers are amazing! Wow! Waldo is tough, beautiful, and extremely well organized. Maiden Peak is brutal! What a great event!
SCOTT MARTIN
I hope I didn't break any bandwidth rules, I just wanted to show you how appreciated your work was last weekend.
Thank you for the magnificent quilt what a great gift! I was totally surprised, speechless (and that does not happen often) and overwhelmed!
It is now hanging in the center of our living room. A special thanks goes to Kathy Harshburger for all the work and skill to make it and to Nancy Macinnis for her instigation and assistance.
Thank you, one and all. It is a wonderful feeling to belong to such a neat group of nuts and to have so many wonderful friends.
I can not believe that no one even hinted at it and you all knew. You sure can keep a secret.
I love you all!
Lew Hollander
A note from all your CORKer friends -- Thank YOU for being such an inspiration to all of us!
Dr. David Williams is a medical investigator, international traveler, and one of the world's leading authorities in natural healing. Often years ahead of the conventional medical establishment, he has located and evaluated effective treatments and cures for practically every major health concern today. He shares these breakthroughs with over 250,000 insiders through his in-depth monthly newsletter Alternatives .
Salt in Your Osteo Wound
Osteoporosis has become a 21st Century epidemic. Between 25 and 30 percent of all people in nursing homes are there because of a hip fracture (actually a fracture of the head of the thighbone, or femur). Even when you take into account the increased age of the population, the rate of hip fractures has doubled in just the last 50 years. There are now in excess of 2.3 million hip fractures a year worldwide. I want to provide you with a few steps you can take to make yourself less likely to fall victim to this disease.
Don't Salt Your Kidneys
For the most part, the decades-old debate over the use of salt has focused on its effects on blood pressure. Researchers took a closer look at the link between salt intake and osteoporosis, however, and found that increased salt intake causes the kidneys to remove increased amounts of calcium from the blood and deposit it in the urine. Obviously, as more calcium exits the body, the bones become weaker. (Eur J Clin Nutr 97;51(8):561-565) (JAMA 01;285(18):2323-2324)
It goes without saying that you should minimize the amount of salt you add to your food. The biggest problem, however, may be from prepared and processed foods in the diet. You've heard me say before that, as a society, we consume too many processed foods, and salt is a major ingredient in most of them. When you take a close look at the steady increase in the incidence of osteoporosis over the past two or three decades, you'll see it coincides with the increased use of processed foods.
Drug companies are ever-willing to jump on any disease bandwagon, and with the increased awareness of osteoporosis, several new calcium-sparing drugs and hormone-like compounds have come to market. But if you have problems with this disease, or want to avoid problems in the future, lowering your salt intake should be one of the first steps you take.
Pump Up Potassium
In addition to limiting the amount of salt you add to food, you should substitute fresh foods for prepared foods. Look particularly for potassium-rich foods, which counteract the effects of sodium in your diet. Such foods include bananas, oranges, all of the green leafy vegetables, whole grains, potatoes (especially the skins), and my favorite, sunflower seeds. In fact, a craving for oranges or bananas is sometimes an indicator that you are deficient in potassium.
On the other side of the scale, sugar, alcohol, diuretics, profuse sweating, vomiting, stress, and diarrhea deplete potassium levels. If any of these are factors in your life, you have another reason to increase your consumption of potassium-rich foods.
Nutrient-Packed Food You Can Grow Yourself
Sprouts are very easy to digest and when you add them to your diet you get...
An excellent source of vitamins, as well as phytochemicals, chlorophyll, and even essential fatty acids.
Valuable antioxidants that protect against free radical damage.
Certain cellular enzymes that help support the body's detoxification process.
Now you can grow nutrient-rich, delicious sprouts right at home.
Bone growth and strengthening is not just a function of how much calcium, magnesium, vitamin D, hormones, or prescription medication you take. Bones are living structures, and as a consequence, they can grow and re-mineralize. In fact they adapt, grow, and change their internal structure according to the stresses placed on them.
If you were to look at the interior mesh-like structure of the bone in your leg, it would be much different than the inside of, say, the bone in your skull. The bone in your leg bears weight, while the skull doesn't. Your body is constantly building and rebuilding the weight-bearing bones with internal scaffolding to support weight. What this means is that the more weight you force your body to lift, the stronger your body will build your bones.
How to Exercise Your Bones
If you want to strengthen your bones, you've got to get exercise; ideally a resistance exercise that exerts stress along the axis of the bones, gradually increasing the weight they must support. Lifting weights would be great, but other forms of resistance training (stretch bands, etc.) or weight-bearing exercises will help. Even walking (with hand weights) is better than nothing.
In short, your bones are going to grow only when you stress them, only when you create demand for additional calcium, magnesium, and other minerals.
* * * * *
Decreasing salt and processed foods, increasing potassium from fresh foods, and starting resistance exercise are three excellent steps you can take today to help prevent and reverse osteoporosis.
Breathtaking scenery, clean air.....has anyone seen Mark and Lew lately? Come to think of it, it has been a few weeks! Should we wait for the spring thaw?
Overuse injuries can be the bane of a distance runner's existence. One of the key questions in dealing with such an injury is just how quickly you should try to return to your previous level of activity.
For an in depth study on this subject, with some practical advice for all runners, click below:
Harry Kittleman presented with Lifetime CORK Membership
Harry Kittleman was presented with the lifetime membership in the Central Oregon Running Klub by Joe Levesque. Harry moved to Cheyenne, Wyoming May 2004 and is greatly missed as a friend and as our CORK Treasurer. Harry has many awards for his personal running achievements. Congratulations, Harry! We are very proud of you and your achievements !
1. Sean,1:29:33. 
