Over my Quest, have been asked: what’s your favourite race? Previously kinda limped thru a response: “every state is different…”
Mesa Falls‘ (Ashton ID) high on my list (scenic Targhee National Forest start); also, rank Grandma’s (Duluth MN) near the top – my first sub-4, foggy cool drizzle along Lake Superior in mid-June, amazing crowd support.
Got a solid answer after today’s run – favourite 50 State Marathon: Crater Lake Marathon in Oregon.
Always strong in the mountains. Felt the morning cold blow, wind blasting over the Lake. Stood strong. Watched the sunrise peek over majestic Crater Lake. Nothing like it, truly spectacular.
Low key 730am start – ok, go. Eased into the first 3 miles, relatively flat, few ups & downs. Was not fooled – knew hills were a comin’. Researched this run in advance (altitude range 5,980 to 7,850 feet); would be my most challenging marathon to date.
Steady 5-mile climb near mile 8 – no relief…slight, medium or steep – but all grades UP as we climbed the top of the Rim.
Found hills to be an age equalizer. On each climb, I’d pass young guns walking the upticks. Every downgrade, they’d fly past my heavy legs. Mile 19, mile 21 – UP again. Tagged two runners (Michigan & Jersey) miles 22 & 23, and soaked in my surroundings – HUGE ponderosa pine & sunshine. Heat kicked in, eyes salt-burned but flying on adrenaline this day.
Have never experienced such a beautiful run – literally ran Start to Finish in a National Park. Whatta journey! Still appreciate my other state experiences – but telling ya, Crater Lake is unmatched, really something special.
Slowed on the cruel 2-mile finish UP but did not stop, did not walk – I stayed strong.
Breathing laboured & heavy, volunteers at mile 26 promised the last 2-tenths were flat…and straight ahead. Crossed with a smile on my face. Planted on a nearby tree stump — no fancy Finish digs, my 36th state finish.
Most challenging, most rewarding run ever. FANNN-FRICKIN-TASTIC day!
2015 Marathon
1 Sergio Morales, 2:53:38; 2 Gary Krugger, 2:53:38; 3 Kyle Hall, 3:07:38; 4 Stephanie Cooke, 3:32:52; 5 Richters Warnick, 3:37:46; 6 Scott Schwasnick, 3:39:59; 7 Mark Albanese, 3:40:44; 8 Jonathan Seiber, 3:43:53; 9 Thomas Hallberg, 3:49:59; 10 Angela Wells, 3:51:44; 11 Micah Harpel, 3:53:38; 12 Jeffrey Schulte, 3:57:34; 13 Stephen Guynn, 3:58:45; 14 Timothy Hamn, 4:00:31; 15 Josh Wood, 4:01:10; 16 Alyssa Bowers, 4:01:24; 17 Beth Henderson, 4:04:58; 18 Geoffrey Rabie, 4:06:01; 19 Paul Andrews 4:07:00; 20 Jessica Armstrong, 4:07:15; 21 Ryan Stansfield, 4:07:49; 22 Jennifer Arrowsmith, 4:07:49; 23 Aaron John, 4:10:43; 24 Darryn Zawitz, 4:17:25; 25 Tobin Turner, 4:17:40; 26 Joe Binevento, 4:19:58; 27 Jonathan Richards, 4:19:40; 28 James Salge, 4:20:17; 29 Adam John, 4:23:07; 30 Louis Pahnke, 4:25:02; 31 K R Haga, 4:25:39; 32 Irwin Hosea, 4:25:49; 33 Gerald King, 4:32:17; 34 Jeni Hous, 4:34:37;
Hiked Mount Hood, trail ran Warm Springs, marathoned Crater Lake Nat’l Park – leaving a HUGE fan of Oregon.
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- Finished 31st overall – WOW! Bring on the hills, STRONG today. Everything’s clicking – mountains & marathoning…perfect combo!
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- “Like No Place Else On Earth”
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- multiple forest fires ablaze, 30 miles away
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- towering Ponderosa pines (mile 22, 23 & 24) – INSPIRED!
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- The Pinnacles (mile 25)
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- warm finish: eyes burned, salt collected ’round my glasses
Continental DIY ‘waffle machine’ breakfast at Klamath Falls’ Super 8 — started Friday B-I-G (ya’ll know, FREE is for me) 🙂 — then travelled north on Highways 97 & 62, today’s ‘bucket list’ destination: Crater Lake Nat’l Park.
Like No Place Else On Earth
Crater Lake has inspired people for thousands of years. No place else on earth combines a deep, pure lake, so blue in color; sheer surrounding cliffs, almost two thousand feet high; two picturesque islands; and a violent volcanic past.
It is a place of immeasurable beauty…
Started at the Visitors Center & tutored myself of everything Crater Lake before veering east on Rim Drive, travelling counter-clockwise ’round the Lake. Best view of this volcanic wonder? Less then 2 miles from the Visitors Center. Seriously.
Parked an hour+ & soaked in the landscape. Ponderosa pine, pristine blue water — trapped snow melt from thousands of years, no water inlet or outlet from the Crater. Natural, untouched by man.
Lunched in Rim Village. Stopped at Watchman Overlook to best view Wizard Island — organically created after Mt Mazama’s eruption 7700 years ago. Today was about taking it all in. Tomorrow I’ll be up-close & personal — marathoning the Rim from Watchman Overlook to the Pinnacles, including a 5 mile grind UP past Llao Rock. Will be my most challenging marathon to date.
Finished the day with a Wet Wubba at Wubba’s BBQ Shack. Early to bed, early to rise — tomorrow, my 36th state run 🙂
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- out of the desert, now surrounded by massive pine
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- check out that horizon – FAAANNNNTASTIC!
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- Wizard Island (foreground), created after the collapse of Mt Mazama
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- tomorrow I’ll run the height of Crater Rim (8,000ft+ elevation)
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- “Like No Place Else On Earth” – no words, stunning
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- trip highlight: pristine blue water & Ponderosa pine – WOW WOW WOW!
‘bucket list’ destination, Crater Lake
Down from Hood, drove 2 hours south – day vaca on Warm Springs Indian Reservation.
Indian casino? Nope – resort day in the high desert between Mount Hood & Crater Lake. Good fit, an unexpected adventure.
Woke Thursday in Kah-Nee-Ta, lil’ stiff from the prior day’s hike, but on a mission. 9-mile morning run on reservation trails up high desert bluffs. Surrounded by sage and volcanic rock, heat kicked up & my energy level kicked in.
Eyes burned of salt, running sweat ’round my goggles. An eagle hovered, motionless riding the wind current – then dropped directly in front of me. VISION QUEST. Super spiritual, centering moment.
Showered, reflected on my run – unexpected beauty trail-running thru Oregon’s high desert. WOW day!
Similar to most Native Americans, Oregon’s tribes lost their land in the late 1800’s & were resettled onto a large swatch of high desert in central Oregon near Warm Springs. Fish-gathering Wasco from the Cascades, nomadic Northern Paiute from the South & the Sahaptin of Warm Springs – all 3 tribes survived on Oregon’s abundant Chinook salmon population.
Visited the Nat’l Fish Hatchery where Ranger Mary Bayer educated on everything Pisces, Pacific Northwest – from dwindling salmon numbers to global warming. Unfortunately nothing to see this day – fish were released 2 weeks prior because of rising river temps, a result of the California/Pacific West drought & increasing ground temps (up another 4° from last year).
Half day at the reservation’s Native American Museum – art, music, dance & local history. Highly recommended.
Tomorrow, Crater Lake Nat’l Park – super excited. On the 3-hour drive south (17 miles from the California border), stopped & watched bungee jumpers leap from Crooked River Bridge on Highway 97. Hmm…someday 🙂
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- BIA 26 to Kah-Nee-Ta
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- 1,019.385 sq mi occupied & governed by the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs
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- 9 mile high-desert run – spiritual & centering
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- mow pesa mu ka yow we yoona
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- the Museum at Warm Springs
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- no Chinook salmon today
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- bridge bungee jumping — hmm, someday
