A Round-Up of Lithia Loop Trail Marathon Post Race Literature

Folks often look for literature, descriptions and photos about an event they just completed and/or will compete in. It provides a good sense of closure and at the same time provides a good reference for the years to come. So, what we've decided to do here is post the press, blog, photo and, yes, even video coverage the 2009 Lithia Loop Trail Marathon collected this year. Enjoy and please do chime in and let us know if we've missed something! Thanks for all the great write-ups!!!

Blogs:

Scott Dunlap's "A Trailrunner's Blog": Fast Run at the Lithia Loop Marathon
Devon Crosby-Helm's "The (Ultra) marathon Life": Lithia Loop Marathon
Jim Johnson's "DoubleJRunning": USA Trail Marathon Championships
Scott Sandow's "Trail Runner Chronicles": Lithia Loop Trail Marathon Race Report
Dave Dunham's "Double-D Mountain Runner": USA Trail Marathon Championship
Richard Bolt's "USATF Oregon Mountain, Ultra & Trail Running": USA Trail Cahmpionships
Bryon Powell's "iRunFar.com": Lithia Loop Trail Marathon Results
Mai Cam Doung Photography: Lithia Loop Trail Marathon
Team INOV-8 USA: Saft and Dunlap at USATF Trail Marathon Championships
Team Swiftwick: Nick Lewis finishes 7th at US Trail Marathon Championships
Heather Daniel's (2008 report) "Run With It": Lithia Loop Trail Marathon Race Report

Race Coverage:

USA Track & Field: "King Named Athlete of the Week"
Competitor Magazine: "King and Arnold Claim USATF Trail Marathon Crowns"
Runner's World TrailHeads: "Champions All Around"
Mail Tribune's "King Wins Lithia Loop Marathon"

Photos:

Chippy D's
Mailtribune's
Richard Bolt's
Cathy Dunham's
Mai Doung's

Video:

From Dave Dunham's Blog: Video 1; The Lead Pack and Video 2; The Chase Pack

Results:

Online Race Results
USA Track & Field and Photos

2009 Lithia Loop Trail Marathon Wrap-Up

Once again the weather held out for the Lithia Loop Trail Marathon. During the middle of the race some drizzle fell at the finish line while snow flurries swirled around runners and volunteers higher on the course. Ideal conditions for a USA Track and Field National Trail Marathon Championship.

The lead runners separated themselves immediately. A pack consisting of Aaron Saft (NC), Sam Robinson (CA), Jim Johnson (NH) and Max King (OR) pushed each other to the top of the first major climb (3000' in eight miles) at Upper Horn Gap. It was there that King made a move on the flatter section of the course to gain the lead for the rest of the race. He finished in 2:40:23. Robinson and Saft didn't make it easy for King as they finished roughly two and eight minutes behind him respectively.

In the men's master race Greg McMillan (AZ) and Dan Verrington (MA) took the early lead. McMillan worked his way through the pack, eventually passing a cramping Jim Johnson in the last mile to finish fourth overall in 2:54:50. Verrington finished second about ten minutes behind McMillan. Local harrier, JC Callans (Central Point, OR), finished third in the men's masters race in 3:08:25.

In the women's race things played out a little differently. Right from the gun, Cynthia Arnold (KY) took the lead and never looked back. At mile 23, however, she took a wrong turn and was directed by race management to retrace her steps and run the correct course. Arnold had built such a lead (14 minutes by 20 miles) that the extra mile of course correction did not affect her placing. She crossed the line in 3:08:42, seven minutes ahead of second place finisher Becca Ward (WA). Ward pushed hard to the finish in order to out-lean third place finisher Devon Crosby-Helms (CA) by six seconds. Kate Lapides (CO) finished first in the women's masters race and crossed the finish line in 3:48:57. Karla Nash finished second about 14 minutes back of Lapides. Local Ashland runner, Lisa Norvell, finished third in the women's master's division.

143 runners crossed this year's finish line. Full race results can be found here. We'd like to thank the more than thirty volunteers that spent their day on the course and made this race possible. Join us on November 6th, 2010 as the Lithia Loop Trail Marathon returns and plays host as the USA Track and Field National Trail Championships for yet another year.

Fall foliage provides an excellent back-drop for the start of the 2nd Annual Lithia Loop Trail Marathon.

(left to right)Devon Crosby-Helms (3rd woman), Win Goodbody (pink body suit), Krissy Moehl (4th woman) and Ellen Parker (5th woman) less than a minute into the race.

Cynthia Arnold: Women's National Trail Marathon Champion

Max King: 2009 Men's National Trail Marathon Champion

Sam Robinson: Runner-up at the USA Track and Field Championships

Greg McMillan: Men's Masters winner from Flagstaff, AZ

Dan Verrington and Greg McMillan battle in the early miles for the Masters title.

The lead pack charges up the 2060 road. (Left to right) Aaron Saft, Max King, Sam Robinson, Jim Johnson

By popular demand, "The Fat Author" Todd Ragsdale.

Photos were taken by Mailtribune's Jamie Lusch and Cathy Dunham.

2009 Lithia Loop Trail Marathon Results

A write up and photos will be coming shortly! For now, most folks will be interested in the results. You can view the 2009 results here. Here's the Mailtribune's write-up and coverage on the race. Congratulations to all!

Lithia Loop Trail Marathon Comes to Town!!!

2009 USA Track & Field Trail Marathon Championships
Lithia Loop Trail Marathon
Ashland, Oregon
November 7, 2009

Contact:
Hal Koerner & Ian Torrence
Rogue Valley Runners
(541) 201-0014

Southern Oregon hosts 2009 USA Track & Field Trail Marathon Championships

Runners can expect much more than the standard marathon “bonk” at this year’s USA Track & Field Trail Marathon Championships. Runners will face an initial eight-mile, 3,200-foot ascent through the steep Siskiyou Mountains that shadow the southern Oregon town of Ashland. The trails and fire roads do flatten out for twelve miles in the middle of the race but maintaining pace may become difficult at the oxygen deprived 5,000 foot level. The final six miles and 3,000 feet of descent will test even the strongest of quads as runners descend on technical single track to the race’s finish at Ashland’s town center, Lithia Park.

Championship prize monies totaling $6000 will be awarded to the top five USA Track & Field male and female finishers as well as the top three USA Track & Field male and female masters finishers.

Last year’s Lithia Loop Trail Marathon winner, Jeff Caba (Bend, OR), is returning to defend his title. Sporting a 2:31:12 at this year’s Twin Cities Marathon, Caba will defend his title against his fellow training partner Andy Martin (Bend, OR). Martin ran a 2:25:46 at Twin Cities, and is no stranger to the trails as his team placed second at this year’s six-day Gore-Tex Trans-Rockies Race.

Chasing these gentlemen will be Thomas Brooks (Eugene, OR) who placed third in the steeple at the 2007 USA Track & Field Championships with a time of 8:27.34. Aaron Saft (Fletcher, NC) who won the 2007 USAT&F Trail Marathon Championships in 2:30:53. Phil Kochik (Seattle, WA) who won the 2004 USAT&F 50 Mile Trail Championships. Mark Godale (Aurora, OH) who sports personal records of 2:30 in the marathon, 3:17 in the 50 kilometer and 7:08 in the 100 kilometer distance.

In the women’s race, the two race favorites are Devon Crosby-Helms (Sausalito, CA) and Krissy Moehl (Seattle, WA). Crosby-Helms brings with her a time of 2:49:50 at the 2008 California International Marathon and a 2:53:20 at this year’s Boston Marathon. She also has wins at the 2008 Vermont 100 Mile Endurance Run and this year’s Vermont 50 Mile Run. Moehl hopes to cap a stellar year which includes a victory in France’s 103-mile Ultra Trail du Mont Blanc and her runner-up position at the Western States 100 Mile Endurance Run.

Also heating up is the competition for the men’s master’s title. Dan Verrington (Bradford, MA) ran a 3:25:22 at this year’s USAT&F 50 Kilometer Championships. Verrington will be chased by his fellow club mate (Central Mass Striders) Dave Dunham (Bradford, MA) who finished runner-up in the 2001 JFK 50 Mile and 2001 USAT&F 50 Mile Trail Championships. Greg McMillan (Flagstaff, AZ), of McMillan Elite, will vie for the title as well, as he sports a personal record of 2:31:58 in the marathon.

Birds of a Feather Slide Show

Local runner Arnie Abrams took a load of photos at this past weekend's Bird of a Feather Run. It really captures the event (start to finish), the energy, the smiles, the fun, the runners and the scenery. He put his best photos together in this slide show. It's really worth your time to see the show.

Also, here's a link to a Mail Tribune article on the Birds of a Feather Run.

Birds of a Feather

More than 200 runners participated in this fund-raising run for Erik Skaggs, the Rogue Valley Runners' store employee that upon winning and setting a new course record at this year's 100 Kilometer Trail National Championships acquired acute renal failure. The support locally and nationally has been tremendous. Hundreds of folks came together in order to assist Erik with his medical bills. The Bird of the Feather Run, held here in Erik's hometown of Ashland, was the culmination and celebration of one of the best support groups we've ever seen! The list of "thank you's" is endless. We could not have done it without YOU!!!

Full results for the two mile and five mile runs can be found over on the Southern Oregon Runners web site. They've posted photos too. Take a look. Below are some other images captured on race day.

Race day registration in Lithia Park.

They're off!

Finish line volunteers at work.

Erik Skaggs hands out the many awesome raffle prizes.

Bob Julian, wins the very hilly five mile race.

Erik Skaggs with his very own Bird of a Feather, Jenn Shelton.

Final 100's of the Season

Well, it looks as if the 100-mile season has finally come to an end for the ultrarunners of the Rogue Valley. Ben Benjamin and Annie Crispino-Taylor wrapped up the year in style at the Arkansas Traveler 100 Mile and Hundred in the Hood respectively.

Scenery along the course at Hundred in the Hood.

After missing the final cut-off at last year's Angeles Crest 100 Mile Run in southern California, Annie Crispino-Taylor was looking for redemption. She got that and more at this year's Hundred in the Hood, an ultra that sweeps across the Pacific Crest Trail near Mt. Hood in our home state of Oregon. Annie powered through and finished in 28 hours, four minutes and 57 seconds. She had the help of several, including her friend Darcy Kleiman. In her own words, this is what Annie had to say about her adventure:

"The first 55 miles went just as planned. I was staying within my projected times, not staying too long at aid stations; all was going well. I picked up my pacer, Darcy, and we headed to the turnaround at mile 65. This part of the course provided some beautiful views of Mt. Jefferson, and we experienced an awesome sunset. However, when the sun went down it got cold, and I left my warm clothes at the previous aid station figuring I wouldn't need them until the way back -- BIG mistake. Although still on pace, when we got to the turnaround something didn't feel right. I sat down and immediately started shivering, violently. I soon found myself sandwiched on a cot between Darcy and Liz Kellog. After about 20 minutes I was feeling better, but stayed bundled up in blankets in front of a space heater for about another 30 minutes. I ate and drank everything warm that was available. Soon, Darcy and I decided we'd be better off moving than sticking around any longer at this COLD aid station. We got back to where my clothes were where we both bundled up as best we could for a long, cold night."

"We did a lot of walk-running through the night, but when the sun came up and we passed the last aid station, I felt a sudden burst of energy and started running for the barn. I wasn't sure what time I would get in, but I knew I didn't want a 29 hour finish! I've had issues at both my 100's now -- although they've been different issues -- and I've learned a lot. Although my second 100 was better than my first, hopefully I'll take what I've learned and do even better at my next 100."

Annie takes aid along the course.

All smiles and satisfied with a huge accomplishment.

Congratulations Annie!

In the southeastern Ouachita National Forest, Ben Benjamin focused his efforts on the Arkansas Traveler 100 Mile. Like he does in all his races, he clicked off the miles like a metronome and finished in 25 hours, 37 minutes and 19 seconds. Trivia question: How many 100 mile races has Ben Benjamin finished now? Below are some photos of his adventures:

Ben Benjamin gets ready for his 100 in Arkansas.

The morning and afternoon hours brought touchdowns and sunshine...

...while the night hours brought rain and Ben was ready for it with umbrella in hand.

Ben finishes the Arkansas Traveler. Nice work Ben Ben!