Haile Breaks World Record in Berlin!

(9-28-08) From Press Release - Haile Gebrselassie of Ethiopia shattered his own marathon record in the real-Berlin Marathon on Sunday morning, running 2:03:59, to become the first man in history under 2.04 for the distance. It is Gebrselassie's 26th world record, and improves by almost half a minute the world record of 2.04.26 that he set in Berlin one year ago. It is exactly five years ago, in this same race that Gebrselassie's great rival, Paul Tergat of Kenya ran 2.04.55, becoming the first man under 2.05. Thus in two stages in successive years, Gebrselassie, 35 has taken almost a minute off that record, and taken it into new territory.

"I'm so happy," said Gebrselassie immediately afterwards. "Everything was perfect, the weather (10-12C and sunny), the pacemakers. Two weeks ago, I had a little problem, I ran 20k 40 seconds faster than in my preparation last year. But I had some cramps, and missed a week's training. I started again a week ago, and had some doubts today, but in the end, everything was fine. This really is my lucky city".

James Kwambai of Kenya, who stayed with Gebrselassie until 36 kilometres was second in 2.05.36, taking close to five minutes off his best, and his colleague, Charles Kamathi was third in 2.07.48.

Irina Mikitenko of Germany won the women's race in 2.19.19, improving her best by over four minutes, breaking the national record and becoming the first German woman under 2.20. Irina Mikitenko is equal first in World Marathon Majors 2007-2008 series with Gete Wami of Ethiopia they have 65 points each

Oregon Runners Win XTERRA Trail Run Nationals

(9-27-08) From Press Release - Several hundred athletes from 21 states gathered at the upscale Old Mill District in Bend today for the fourth annual XTERRA Trail Running National Championship on an incredibly beautiful, crisp and clear morning along the Deschutes River.

Outside Magazine called this the best trail running town in America, and some of the fastest runners from around the state of Oregon and across the nation came to put its reputation to the test.

Ultimately the king of XTERRA trail running turned out to be none-other than Bend's very own Max King. The local favorite set the standard high turning out close to five-minute miles for a winning 21km course time of 1:08:01. After just winning a six-day 125 mile race through the Rockies earlier this month and coming in second at the 2008 World Mountain Running Championship last weekend, King was able to use his hometown advantage to edge out steeplechase star Ben Bruce, 26, of Eugene, Oregon by just over a minute. Ryan Bak, 27, also from Eugene and King's teammate on the 2008 USA World Cross Country Team, took third in 1:09:41.

"When I spoke to Ryan, he said he was just coming to do the race for fun. Both he and Ben entered the race at the last minute, but I knew they would be tough competition" King said.

Being from Bend, King was familiar with the course and was able to run part of the upper track last night giving him a good feel for the twists and turns. "I love to run a course with tight curves. It might be because of my low center of gravity" he joked. It was a close race for the first section, but at mile 3 Max took the lead and never looked back. When talking to Bruce and Bak, they said that as primarily track racers, "The course was more technical than they were used to. Max was able to take the sharp turns and really open up his lead."

"It's a great course and nice to show all these runners from out of town what we have here in Bend and how you can go from this really cool downtown-type setting to forested single track in just miles," said King. "Today was beautiful in Bend, the trails weren't dusty, just perfect. Bend is really a great place for XTERRA to be, and I think that showed today."

Overall Top 5 Men
Max King, 28 (Bend, OR) 1:08:01
Ben Bruce, 26 (Eugene, OR) 1:09:04
Ryan Bak, 27 (Eugene, OR) 1:09:41
Joseph Gray, 24 (Lakewood, WA) 1:13:53
Rich Skorczewski, 31 (Portland, OR) 1:15:01

In the women's race it was marathon specialist Susannah Beck, 40, who took home the women's top prize with her time of 1:23:07. This Eugene native "duked it out" for first place with Bend local Kami Semick, 42, who finished just 19 seconds later. These two ultra trail runners battled each other just six weeks ago at the USATF 50 Mile Trail Championship in Crystal Mountain, Washington where Beck and Semick also took the first and second place respectively.

This morning, it was an all out tug of war as Beck took the lead from the start giving way to Semick at mile six, and then regaining the lead at mile ten to take the women's title. 2008 World Mountain Running Champion Lisa Nye, 40, of Bend, who was under the weather and only made it to the race by her children's urging, came in an impressive third at 1:25:11.

Runners for the championship 21km distance ranged in age from 16 to 84. John Keston, the race's most senior participant from Sunriver, Oregon, is originally from England and honored the event by singing a beautiful rendition of the National Anthem at the awards ceremony. "I have only been racing competitively since I was 55" said Keston after completing the event in just 2:19:16.

After a 50+ event XTERRA Trail Run Series, 22 regional champions went head to head at this morning's race to see how they stacked up against the competition. Usually behind the scenes instead of the starting line, Philly Series race director Don Morrison said, "This was a great, fast race. The rolling hills were beautiful but not too technical. Everyone had a great time."

Overall Top 5 Women
Susannah Beck, 40 (Eugene, OR) 1:23:07
Kami Semick, 42 (Bend, OR) 1:23:26
Lisa Nye, 40 (Bend, OR) 1:25:11
Katie Caba, 37 (Bend, OR) 1:25:18
Lisa Goldsmith, 44 (Colo Springs, CO) 1:27:52

Five Bend runners won national titles today, along with several other Oregon-based athletes and out-of-state champions from California, Pennsylvania, Washington, Utah, Colorado, and Nevada.

2008 XTERRA Trail Running National Champions - Women
Division	Name	Hometown	Time
15 - 19	Amanda Root	Bend, OR	1:59:36
20 - 24	Ixel Sanchez	Ashland, OR	1:33:31
25 - 29	Jenn Shelton	Ashland, OR	1:30:04
30 - 34	Holly Hight	Wilsonville, OR	1:32:30
35 - 39	Katie Caba	Bend, OR	1:25:18
40 - 44	Susannah Beck	Eugene, OR	1:23:07
45 - 49	Jodi Ruby	La Verne, CA	1:37:08
50 - 54	Maureen Schlerf	Bend, OR	2:01:22
55 - 59	Leah Whipple	Kimberton, PA	1:47:26
60 - 64	Jessie Stratton	Redding, CA	2:04:05
65 - 69	Amy Galbraith	Venice, CA	2:21:35
2008 XTERRA Trail Running National Champions - Men
Division	Name	Hometown	Time
15 - 19	Eddie Lacy	Bend, OR	1:48:20
20 - 24	Joseph Gray	Lakewood, WA	1:13:53
25 - 29	Max King	Bend, OR	1:08:01
30 - 34	Rich Skorczewski	Portland, OR	1:15:01
35 - 39	Richard Bolt	Portland, OR	1:15:32
40 - 44	Mark Ryan	Redmond, OR	1:19:21
45 - 49	Bernie Boettcher	Silt, CO	1:16:16
50 - 54	2 Kevin Tuck	Salt Lake City, UT	1:21:53
55 - 59	Don Morrison	Brandywine, PA	1:36:18
60 - 64	Phil Rossi	Lake Oswego, OR	1:40:06
65 - 69	Steven Humphrey	Reno, NV	1:57:48
75 - 79	Don Hildebrand	Sisters, OR	2:33:14
80+	John Keston	Sunriver, OR	2:19:16

More than 400 runners from 21 states registered for today's trail races and the beneficiary, the Central Oregon Trail Alliance, received $10 from every paid entry.

In addition to the main event there were 5km and 10km trail runs, nearly 100 kids enjoying the XTERRA Kids Zone obstacle courses, running races and agility drills, the Paul Mitchell Cut-a-thon was six stylists deep creating cool hairdo's as a benefit for the Challenged Athletes Foundation all day, and an enormous crowd of spectators, friends and family enjoying an epic day in Bend.

All the day's action was filmed by the award-winning TEAM TV crew and will be edited into a segment for a future nationally syndicated XTERRA Adventures TV show that will be seen by millions of viewers across the country.

ON TO OKTOBERFEST: The official post-race party is the Bend Oktoberfest, where the National Champs will be recognized onstage and a highlight video and slideshow from the race will be shown.

BEND LOCALS DOMINATE 5KM/10KM RACES: Bend natives Andy Martin and Becky Bjork won the men's and women's 10km races while Mike Olson and Nicole Smith took top honors in the 5km race. Martin crushed the 10km in 35:29, more than six minutes ahead of Dennis Durling (41:36) who is also from Bend. Bjork's winning time was 43:53, more than a minute ahead of fellow local Leah Shirley. Olson finished the 5km in 16:54, exactly two minutes ahead of La Pine, OR runner Scott Abrams and Smith was nearly two minutes quicker than Linda English (Bend) with a winning time of 21:18. The most inspiring story of the day came during the 5km event as Tudor Gilmour, 36, crossed the finish line. While previewing the course for the Honolulu Marathon six years ago, she was hit by a car while riding her moped. Gilmour has been training to work her way back up to competing in another marathon ever sense, just one step at a time. "I usually run on paved roads, so I'm getting used to running on trails. This was a fun, beautiful course" she said.

UP NEXT: The XTERRA Trail Run World Championship is December 7 at Kualoa Ranch on the Hawaiian Island of Oahu, and many of today's runners have already signed-up to take on the world. Read more at xterratrailrun.com.

Age Group National Champions Crowned in Oregon

(9-20-08) From USAT Press Release - More than 1,000 triathletes competed in the pinnacle event of the season - the USA Triathlon Age Group National Championship on Saturday, September 20 at Hagg Lake.

The age groupers shared the spotlight with the elites, who competed in the USA Triathlon Elite National Championship later Saturday. Click here for the elite recap.

The first of 17 waves jumped into Hagg Lake at 7:15 a.m. and the action didn't stop all day. The weather was ideal for endurance sports with temperatures ranging from the mid-50s to low 60s with cloudy skies and little to no wind. Jason Schott, 37, of Dahlonega, Ga., was the overall male winner with a time of 1:54:08. Brooke Davison, 37, of Boulder, Colo., finished in 2:05:52 to win the women's overall championship.

The athletes soaked up the atmosphere in the post- race zone and later in the expo tent for vendor presentations and contests, the awards ceremony and the post-race dinner.

The event, USA Triathlon's version of the "Super Bowl," attracted athletes from 45 states ranging in age from 18 to 78. Many of these athletes have trained all season in preparation for the event, some hoping to earn a spot on Team USA by finishing in the top 16 in their age group.

With the top talent present at Hagg Lake, prestigious age group and overall honors were on the athletes' minds.

"This is the best of the best - that's why it's nationals, said Adam Webber, who finished second overall. "I put a lot of focus into preparing for this race, and the goal was to be the national champion overall."

Steven Smith of Granger, Ind., defended his grandmasters title with a win in the 60-64 age group. Though he had a substantial gap on second place, Smith said there was nothing easy about the race.

"This is the most challenging Olympic distance course I've ever done. There's nothing flat on it - it's just one hill right after another."

Despite winning another national title, Smith isn't ready to rest - yet. He'll compete at Kona and in Clearwater and says that the challenge is what keeps him going.

"Seeing if you can beat the calendar is part of the challenge. Every October the calendar clicks over another year and I'm just trying to get my times back to what they were the year before."

Former elite marathoners Lauren Binder (F60-64) and Ellen Hart (F50-54) knew from experience what type of effort it would take to be successful. The two know a lot about being successful on the national stage. After all, they finished second and third to Joan Benoit- Samuelson when she set an American record in the marathon.

Now, they've embraced a new sport."To give us the opportunity to race competitively at this level at this time in our lives is the greatest gift," Hart said. "Even though we're so into the competitive part, there were times out there that I was just plain old having fun."

Hart also talked about the draw of triathlon.

"I'm new to the sport and I just feel so lucky to have this second chance at trying to push my limits as an athlete and pushing my comfort zone - I don't like being wet and I don't like being cold," Hart said. "Some aspects of the sport are not that comfortable, but it makes me try to be more brave."

Click here for full results

Men's overall
1. Jason Schott 1:54:08
2. Adam Webber 1:54:58
3. Nathan White 1:56:03

Women's overall
1. Brooke Davison 2:05:52
2. Cathy Yndestad 2:09:37
3. Stacey Richardson 2:09:51

Age Group Winners
F19 Under: Kelsey Markham (Collierville, Tenn.)
M19 Under: Eric Lagerstrom (Gresham, Ore.)
F20-24: Chris Tommerdahl (Chapel Hill, N.C.)
M20-24: Brian Duffy, Jr. (West Chester, Pa.)
F25-29: Lindsey Whalen (Chicago, Ill.)
M25-29: Adam Webber (Denver, Pa.)
F30-34: Cathy Yndestad (St. Paul, Minn.)
M30-34: Mark Harms (Madison, Wis.)
F35-39: Brooke Davison (Boulder, Colo.)
M35-39: Jason Schott (Dahlonega, Ga.)
F40-44: Steph Popelar (Parker, Colo.)
M40-44: Doug Clark (Morristown, N.J.)
F45-49: Judyann Cummings (Denver, Colo.)
M45-49: Pete Kain (Cupertino, Calif.)
F50-54: Kelly Molaski (Bellingham, Wash.)
M50-54: Steve Pyle (Boulder, Colo.)
F55-59: Karen McKeachie (Ann Arbor, Mich.)
M55-59: Dean Harper (Walnut Creek, Calif.)
F60-64: Lauren Binder (Portland, Ore.)
M60-64: Steven Smith (Granger, Ind.)
F65-69: Elizabeth Brackett (Chicago, Ill.)
M65-69: Robert Plant (Woodside, Calif.)
F70-74: Jan Miller (Green Valley, Ariz.)
M70-74: Jon Adamson (Alpharetta, Ga.)
F75-79: Madonna Buder (Spokane, Wash.)

Masters
Female: Steph Popelar
Male: Doug Clark

Grandmasters
Female: Lauren Binder
Male: Steven Smith

CEO Challenge: Aaron Wallen (Honolulu, Hawaii)

The Future Is Bright For Northwest XC Skiing

(9-17-08) by J.D. Downing - With today's headlines crowded with gloomy news and forecasts related to climate change, a troubled economic picture, and energy prices -- it can be hard to be upbeat about active outdoor sports. When one considers the logistical challenges of winter sports compared to "out the door" activities such as running, the outlook for the coming decade could be downright dismal.

Despite this dark backdrop, the future for one winter outdoor sport in the Pacific Northwest -- cross country skiing -- is much brighter than the global headlines would otherwise suggest. Since many RaceCenter readers are cross country skiers, it's worthwhile to see how the future looks for the world's premier on-snow endurance sport.

2010 Winter Olympic "Bounce"
In both good and bad times, the sporting world loves the Olympics. Now that the Beijing 2008 Summer Olympics are history, world-wide attention has already shifted to Vancouver, B.C. and the 2010 Winter Olympics. The Vancouver/Whistler Games will be the first time the Pacific Northwest region has hosted either a Winter or Summer Olympics not to mention 22 years since Canada last was an Olympic host (1988 Calgary, Alberta Winter Olympics). Suffice it to say, 2010 will be anything but a normal winter throughout the region!

International ski teams are expected to increase their presence in Oregon, Washington, western Idaho, and B.C. over the next 18 months as they try and adjust to everything from travel logistics, altitude, weather patterns, and course profiles. Even if your local ski area isn't a training locale for one of these teams, the excitement will be building throughout the Northwest as we all realize how close the Games are both in time and distance.

For cross country skiing the Olympics provide a huge attention boost. As with most endurance sports, the best (often only) U.S. television coverage of cross country skiing is found during the Winter Games. Mass market print, radio, web, and regional/local television also ramp up their coverage. With the 2010 Winter Olympics actually in our region, it is easy to see how media attention for cross country skiing may never be better than the next two years.

For the average Northwest skier, the benefits of all this attention may not be readily obvious -- but I assure you, it's all good!

One immediate boost is that your local ski areas, retailers, and clubs will almost certainly benefit from millions of dollars in free publicity provided by the build-up to 2010 Vancouver. The XC ski industry has documented this positive "bounce" from past Games, all the more so in areas within a day's drive of Olympic venues.

In turn, ski businesses and non-profit groups that are doing well economically are in a better position to expand programs such as learn-to-ski packages, dryland XC ski fitness programs, weekly educational clinics for all ages, point-to-point tour packages, and race events.

Even if you prefer all save all your competitive juices for dryland activities, every RaceCenter reader that plans on cross country skiing in the next few years is very likely to benefit from the 2010 Winter Olympics being in the Pacific Northwest.

Climate Change: A Tiny Bit Of Good News
For those of us in the ski world, there's a whole lot to be scared about when it comes to climate change. Computer models generated by researchers in the Northwest are showing wetter and warmer winters in coming years with rising snow lines that may very well imperil several of the more popular resorts in our region. (this isn't the good news!)

Whereas the 07/08 Pacific NW winter was just about as good as it gets with plentiful snow from Thanksgiving to Easter, upcoming winters may or may not be as generous.

The one big positive for Northwest cross country skiing lies in the historical origins of the sport. Scandinavians originally used to XC ski for survival in the harsh northern winters and they most certainly didn't depend on ski resorts to provide a manicured experience.

Although I've spent the past quarter century encouraging people to experience XC skiing on groomed trails with professional instruction and the most modern equipment -- the reality is that XC skiing has the ability to adapt to marginal snow wherever it does fall in coming years. I've spent hours XC skiing on no more than a few inches of snow on dirt roads and grass parks that typically are never thought of as "ski trails".

This versatility may even mean that XC skiing sees a certain level of growth if lift assisted snow sports become too inconsistent. After all, climate change or not, people will still want to go out and play in the winter whenever and wherever snow does fall.

Too Far To Drive at $4 A Gallon?
Pretty much the same reasons that may allow XC skiing to thrive when other winter sports are riding the ragged edge, also give XC skiing an advantage when it comes to increased costs with winter transportation.

In the Northwest, almost all of us have to travel at least a few miles to be in consistent snow during the winter. The further any of us have to travel to participate in winter sports, the worse the bite of increased fuel prices will be.

But even with likely rising snow levels in coming years, the ability to XC ski right on the edge of the snowline -- as opposed to the heart of winter where ski resorts are located -- represents a huge future savings in gasoline. This, in turn, may allow XC skiing to remain very economical compared to other winter sports that are "stuck" at remote resorts that get ever more expensive to reach.

Baby Boom = Boom For XC Skiing?
The final positive trend that could very well work in favor of XC skiing in coming years is the appeal of XC skiing over lift-assisted snow sport to retiring Baby Boomers. As health care spirals upwards in cost, seniors are seeing the advantages of staying active year round and keeping themselves as fit as possible. However, big air at the snowboard half pipe or 70mph alpine downhills are unlikely to attract a lot of novice seniors. XC skiing on the other hand is a near perfect fit.

With a short learning curve, very low injury risk, and unbeatable fitness benefits XC skiing is a proven winner with retirees looking for a way to enjoy the winter wilderness.

The Northwest has a very active senior population compared to many regions of the country and increasing numbers of Northwest seniors are undoubtedly going to start picking up XC skis over the coming decade. This increase in new skiers will again pay big dividends for skiers at younger ages as the industry stays healthy and support grows for increased public and private support for XC ski resorts and trails.

There may be a few potentially dark clouds on the horizon, but all things considered -- the future is indeed looking bright for XC skiing in the Northwest.

About the Author
J.D. Downing is the Coach/Director of the XC Oregon elite XC ski race team. Several members of the XC Oregon team are hoping to qualify to compete in the 2009 Nordic World Championships and the 2010 Winter Olympics. RaceCenter NW is a proud sponsor of XC Oregon. Find out more about the team and special public events at xcoregon.org.

Portland's Kara Goucher to Make Her Marathon Debut at the ING New York City Marathon

(9-10-08) Courtesy Running USA Wire #72-09-08 - United States Olympian and 2007 IAAF World Championships 10,000 meter bronze medalist Kara Goucher will make her much-anticipated marathon debut at the ING New York City Marathon 2008 on Sunday, November 2, it was announced today by New York Road Runners president and CEO Mary Wittenberg.

"Last year when I watched the race first hand, I decided I wanted to run in New York," said Goucher. "The ING New York City Marathon is one of the most prestigious, and the course is challenging, so I'm excited for my first marathon to be this one. I have a strong emotional connection to New York, as it is where I was born, where my family lives, and where my father passed away. This one will be personal for me and my family."

Goucher, 30, of Portland, OR, is the latest in a line of stars to make their debuts in New York, including Grete Waitz (1978), Goucher's coach Alberto Salazar (1980), Liz McColgan (1991), Deena Kastor (2001), Marla Runyan (2002), Meb Keflezighi (2002) and Dathan Ritzenhein (2006).

"Our wish has been granted," said Wittenberg. "American track star Kara Goucher will make her much anticipated marathon debut in NYC following in the footsteps and with the help of her coach and mentor, the marathon's last great American star, three-time winner Alberto Salazar. This is a two-for-one deal. We get Kara and she comes with the benefit of Alberto's experience. I anticipate another milestone in American long distance running."

Goucher is the first athlete announced for the professional field in the 39th running of the famed 26.2-mile five-borough race, which is expected to feature a field of about 39,000 runners.

Goucher's breakout performance at last year's World Championships in Osaka, Japan, established her as one of America's finest distance runners. She was the first American woman since Lynn Jennings in 1992 to win a World Championships or Olympic medal at 10,000 meters. Goucher qualified for this year's U.S. Olympic team in both the 5000 and 10,000 meters, defeating U.S. record holder Shalane Flanagan in the 5000 meters at the Trials to win her first USA track title.

At the Olympic Games in Beijing, Goucher finished 10th in the 10,000 meters in a time of 30:55.16, setting a personal record and becoming the third-fastest 10,000 meter runner in U.S. history behind Flanagan and Deena Kastor. In the slow, tactical 5000 meter final, she placed ninth in a time of 15:49.39.

A bona-fide star on the track and in cross country, Goucher has run few road races, but in her most recent one, last September, she upset marathon world record holder Paula Radcliffe to win the BUPA Great North Run, a half-marathon in England, in 1:06:57, the fastest-ever half-marathon by an American woman. The race was Goucher's first serious race longer than a 10K and only the third road race of her career.

This year's ING New York City Marathon will again be featured in more than six hours of television coverage, including five hours of local coverage on WNBC in the tri-state area and a one-hour national highlight show on NBC on Sunday afternoon.

Top Five Marathon Debuts by U.S. Women
2:26:58 Deena Kastor, New York City, 2001
2:27:10 Marla Runyan, New York City, 2002
2:29:01 Deeja Youngquist, Chicago, 2003
2:30:41 Blake Russell, Twin Cities, 2003
2:31:48 Elva Dryer, Chicago, 2006

For more information, visit: INGnycmarathon.org

Beijing Olympians to Compete at USA Triathlon Nationals

(9-4-08) From Press Release - USA Triathlon is pleased to announce that all six athletes who competed for the U.S. at the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games last month, will be racing at Henry Hagg Lake just outside Portland at the USAT Elite National Championship on Saturday, Sept. 20.

The elite championship will take place on the same day as the 2008 Age Group National Championship that will feature close to 1,400 amateur triathletes from across the country. It's the second-straight year the amateur event has been held at the Hagg Lake venue.

"We are thrilled to be hosting triathletes from throughout the country and are especially excited this year to have some of the world's top professionals competing in the Elite National Championship at Hagg Lake," said Drew Mahalic, CEO of the Oregon Sports Authority. "We invite Oregonians to come out and join the festivities by participating, volunteering and watching."

The amateurs, ranging from age 18 to 88, will be on the start line in the morning after qualifying at regional events throughout the past year. This select group of U.S. athletes will compete in a 1.5k swim, 40k bike, and 10k run with a goal of qualifying for the 2009 International Triathlon Union Age Group World Championship on the Gold Coast of Australia. The top 16 in each age group will earn a spot on Team USA.

The men's and women's elite races, featuring close to 100 of the top professionals in the U.S., will take place in the afternoon. These races are the same distance as the amateurs, but feature a spectator-friendly, multiple-loop course in a draft-legal format.

In addition to attending the races on Saturday, media and general public are invited to attend all of Friday's activities at the Lake, including the amateur athlete check-in and registration and the Vendor Expo with product demos, contests, and giveaways. Friday will be highlighted by autograph sessions with the 2008 U.S. Olympic Team, including Hunter Kemper, Laura Bennett, Jarrod Shoemaker, Sarah Haskins, Matt Reed, and Julie Swail Ertel.

Following is the autograph session schedule for Friday, Sept. 19 at the Lake:
Noon to 1pm - Matt Reed and Laura Bennett
1pm to 2pm - Sarah Haskins and Jarrod Shoemaker
(break for the 2pm elite meeting to be held at the lake)
3pm to 4pm - Julie Ertel and Hunter Kemper

Shuttles from parking lots outside the park will take athletes and spectators to and from the race venue at Boat Ramp C on Saturday.

Find out more about the event: http://triathlon.teamusa.org/event/event/47

Race Report: 2008 Scoggins Valley Triathlon

(9-2-08) Submitted by Dave Campbell - Autumn is here and precious few multisport racing opportunities remain! Nonetheless, nearly three hundred kindred spirits gathered Saturday at Henry Hagg Lake outside of Forest Grove, OR for the Scoggins Valley Triathlon which would also serve as a preview of sorts for those hoping to end their season with a bang on the same course at USAT Age Group Nationals September 20. The water level was fairly low, the skies cloudy, and the air quite chilly as the athletes prepared to compete in Tri-iT (novice tri), Sprint, and Olympic Triathlons as well as an Olympic Duathlon.

19-year-old Alycia Hill of Tacoma, WA posted the fastest swim time (22:21), but due to separate male/female wave starts, the first out were actually 21-year-old Damon Burnett from Snohomish, WA and 27-year-old Daniel Hough of Talent, OR both swimming 22:29 before beginning the long lumpy run up the carpet into the transition zone.

The Hagg Lake course is one of the most difficult to be found anywhere with a relentless series of hills in the second half of the bike. Many of Hagg's hills are about momentum and gear selection and so knowing the course and planning ahead, as well as really letting it rip on the descents is key. The bike is my specialty and as such I love this course and quickly moved into the lead, ultimately posting a 1:04:13 on the day, fastest by over two minutes. Many athletes found changing shoes slow due to their cold fingers and toes, as the temps were only in the low 50s and the sun mostly hidden by clouds. I started the run with a near four-minute lead but with some high-quality runners in the field it was far from safe.

Coming back from the turnaround, my gap was down to about a minute and a half and the writing was on the wall. With two miles to go, 25-year-old uber-runner Rusty Pruden of Marysville, WA went by me like a train. The Hagg run course is 10k out-and-back on those same vicious steep climbs that conclude the bike and Pruden was going over them like he was on the flat and was soon out of sight. He posted a 36:53, far and away the best run of the day, a 5:56 pace on a very difficult course. He broke the tape in 2:11:10 and when his swim and bike improve, he is going to be force to be reckoned with on the Northwest tri scene. I, meanwhile staggered home in 2:12:19 (Top Master) and decided it was time to call it a season. The ageless Patrick Wallace (50 from Lake Oswego) ran well to claim third overall, 2:30 back.

On the women's side, swim leader Hill gave way to the incredible Lauren Binder (61 from Portland) with a 1:14:03 (26th fastest overall) bike split, which moved her into second behind 53-year-old Jan Acuff from Seattle with Deborah Potts of Bellevue close behind. Hill was the best runner on the day (45:11) but her bike left her a minute and a half down at the line behind the consistent and now victorious Potts who finished in 2:31:23 with Acuff, third and Top Master.

Not all of the top athletes contested the Olympic with some opting to do the Sprint Triathlon as the first piece of a big training weekend in preparation for Nationals. 19-year-old phenom Eric Lagerstrom of Portland stormed to a wire-to-wire win in 1:03:31. The sophomore at Cascade College in Portland earned a bronze medal this spring in his age group at Worlds in Vancouver, BC and is aiming to peak for Nationals and improve on last years silver medal. With four overall regional wins to his credit this year and an 8:40 swim (1st), 35:04 bike (4th), and a blazing 17:21 run (1st) today, he will definitely be a favorite. Perennial top NW triathlete Ignacio Rodriguez-Lopez has returned to the scene strongly and was second, also with a strong run of 18:40. 55-year-old Jess Hickerson, 6th overall, was the top Master in 1:12:53.

28 year-old Anne Davis of Portland dominated the women's sprint event in 1:12:36 (5th overall) with Kimberly Pancoast from Kirkland second two minutes back and the amazing Bridget Dawson, age 50, was third another 19 seconds back and top Master.

I look forward to concluding a busy 2008 racing year with my "local" triathlon, the Lincoln City Sprint Triathlon, a very fun and low-key event Sunday on the coast. September and October are beautiful months in the Northwest and many running events as well as Cyclocross beckon those of us who have had our fill of multisport. The hardier souls will continue to train hard to peak for Age Group Nationals and the first 16 in each age group will get a chance to represent the U.S. next November on the Gold Coast of Australia. Whatever you are doing, enjoy it and stay active! I will look forward to seeing all my multisport friends and competitors out training in the coming months and on start lines again soon!