Girls "run" the McKenzie

The Lady Outlaws cross country runners.

In what has promise to become a tradition, eight members of the Sisters girls' cross country team spent three days and two nights camping, rafting and running along the scenic McKenzie River.

Rima Givot, assistant coach to the Outlaw team, organized and led the outing which was designed to build teamwork, foster new friendships, and spark pre-season training.

"I want the girls to develop a true enthusiasm for running," said Givot. The group, with assistance from Givot's husband Gabe Chladek, her brother John, and friend Gabe Pagano, set up a base camp at Bridge Trail Campground on the upper McKenzie, about 40 miles from Sisters on Tuesday, July 23.

Chladek operates Rapid River Rafters.

One of the physical goals of the trip was to run as much of the 26.5 mile McKenzie River trail over three days as possible.

The trail follows the McKenzie from Clear Lake to Paradise Campground.

The girls completed 22.5 miles by running different sections of the trail each day.

"The river and the trail is a treasure of Oregon," said Givot, "so it was great to have them experience nearly the entire section both in the water and on the trail."

Team members who made the trip include Monet Tyler, Lindsay Chick, Kelly Cundiff, Teresse MacKenzie, Resa Hodson, Melissa Little, and Amy Cretsinger. Terri Hodson, Resa's mother, made the trip to help out in camp and to care for Givot and Chladek's five month old son, George, while the rafts were out on the river.

Givot was pleased to see the girls develop a sense of accomplishment as they finished more and more of the trail.

"Little by little they began to understand what a great goal it was," she said. The first day's itinerary included a 45 minute run late in the morning followed by about ten miles on the river from Paradise Campground to Forest Glen.

After a short run Wednesday morning, the group rafted about five miles, including a run through Martin's Rapids.

Everyone ended up in the water in a calm section as Chladek taught the girls to do "water wheelies" with the raft.

"We had a lot of fun and accomplished what we set out to do," said Givot.