Hoodoo race challenges runners

If dusty trails and dry weather weren't enough, the two kilometers up Hoodoo Butte to complete the 13.1-mile half-marathon provided a tremendous athletic challenge to everyone who finished the third annual Run to the Top trail run, put on by the Sisters Kiwanis Club on Saturday, July 28.

This year's event also included a 5-kilometer race on the Hoodoo property.

At just after 8 a.m., about 80 brave runners toed the line at the Corbett Sno-Park parking lot and then headed down the dusty course that wended its way along Forest Service roads as well as the Cross-District trail on the way up to Hoodoo. Parts of the course were in such deep dust that runners likened it to running up a sand dune.

Stefan Weeber of Portland, running the race for the second time, described the course as "Interesting, and a definite challenge."

He went on, "I really enjoyed the course, it's super nice. It feels remote and far different from running in Portland with the different landscape, dry air and sand."

Weeber finished in second place after a mix-up in which the top three runners were misdirected by a volunteer, who pointed them in the direction of last year's course.

The top three official winners for men included Doug Mc Lucas (1:49:58), Weeber (1:52:26), and Garrett Ping (1:54:44).

Women's top three were Angelina Salerno (2:00.52), Laura Grasle (2:11:21), and Amy Peterson (2:12:48).

Prizes included season passes at Hoodoo. A total of 74 runners finished the half-marathon.

Nick Scalfone of Bend, who won the race the past two years, was leading the race before going off course. He ended up as the fifth runner to the finish, but received a consolation gift from race director Suzy Ramsey, who offered him and the other two free entry to next year's race, along with some race swag.

Jesse Ordonez, a La Pine High School sophomore in his second half-marathon race, said, "It was really hot by the time we got to the last uphill, but I made it."

He came to the race with Scott Abrams, who has run all three years of the race's existence. Unlike some of the first-timers, Abrams had a clear vision of what the course would throw at him, unlike one racer, upon starting up the road leading to the top of Hoodoo remarked breathlessly, "I had no idea we had to go all the way up there!"

Nakao Yoshiyuki of Tigard called the course "memorable." He said, "I have run 13 or 14 marathons and many half-marathons and none of them had a finish line with such a beautiful view as this one."

Runners with local ties included Eric Liddell, 2:08:43; Laura Grasle, 2:11:20; Ryan Geser, 2:21:24; Amy Bennette, 2:24:48; Annie Winter, 2:33:53; Rachel Kelleher, 2:35:37; Garni Jo Carter Powell, 3:09:54; and Matt McCurdy, 3:15:57.

The 5-kilometer winner, 10-year-old Jamison Ping, of Winona, Minnesota, ran away with the victory. Official times were not published by press time.

Proceeds from the race support Kiwanis service projects and scholarships, according to Kiwanian Suzy Ramsey.

"A large portion of our proceeds go directly to the school scholarship and our career opportunity program. It will also support other causes in the community, such as Family Access Network, SPRD and Healthy Beginnings."

She added, "The event was a huge success with a large turnout and the addition of the 5k race. We could not pull this off without our club's support and our many local sponsors."