Rumble attracts record field of runners

The 13th annual Peterson Ridge Rumble ultra marathon included a record number 440 finishers under nearly perfect conditions Sunday, April 12.

Director Sean Meissner was all smiles as runners from the 20- and 40-mile courses made their way the final 300 meters around the Sisters High School track to the finish.

"It was pretty typical Rumble weather with a cold clear morning at the start that warmed up to pleasant running conditions as runners moved through the course," he said.

The popularity of the race stems from a number of factors, but Meissner believe one of the main ones is the view racers get along the course.

"The beautiful views of the peaks are a highlight for runners every year," he said.

The course starts near Sisters Middle School at the junction of Edgington Road and the McKenzie Highway and ties into the Peterson Ridge Trail System. The 20-mile course is out and back, while the 40-mile course connects with the Metolius-Windigo Trail southwest of Sisters.

Thomas Morgan of Lexington Kentucky held off runner-up Rob Russell of Redmond to win the 20-mile course in 2:05. Local boy TJ Hooks, 17, placed fifth overall in 2:14:41.

Collen Little of Lake Oswego captured the women's crown in 2:25:20.

A total of 314 participants finished the 20-mile course.

Ryan Kaiser of Bend blasted through the 40-mile course in 4:18:36, an average of 6:28 per mile, to win by a full 24 minutes over second-place Tyler Green of Portland.

Nikki Gadreault of Battle Ground, Washington, finished seventh overall and tops among women in 5:05:25.

The race did have a bit of misfortune in its 13th running when Meissner discovered that a vandal had removed much of the flagging on the west side of the course near Cow Camp, causing a couple of dozen runners to go off course.

"I think it is really sad that someone in the Sisters community would vandalize the course like that and act in such a thoughtless manner," said Meissner. "It's actually rather dangerous to have people who have already run over 30 miles get off course in unmarked territory."

It's the second time in four years that flagging has been removed in the same area.

Meissner wanted to acknowledge all the helpers who made the event both fun and safe for the runners, including Rima Givot, cross country coach at Sisters High School, who commandeered many young runners to act as volunteers at aid stations, course monitors, and finish-line helpers.

The Rumble has a significant impact on the health of the local economy given that most of the contestants make a weekend stay in Sisters for the event. Additionally the profits from the Rumble are largely directed toward running programs at Sisters schools.

"I see the race as a win all the way around for everyone involved," said Meissner, who lives in Arizona, but returns to his former home of Sisters each year to keep the Rumble tradition alive.

"One goal I have for 2016 is for more local runners to join the fun, so I hope people will put it on their calendars now and start training," he said.

The 14th edition will take place on April 10, 2016.