An Applegate Lake Bedtime Story...

The Protagonists:

Abbey "How many ticks can I collect" Koerner

Todd "Sandbagger" Ragsdale

John "I'm gonna cut that switchback" Leuthold

Hal "Compression socks" Koerner

Ian "Wasn't this supposed to be an easy run?" Torrence

Aaron "Tort Claim" Brian and Scott "Where's the sun?" Jurek

Tim "Shiatsu massage" Olson

The Setting:

Applegate Lake, southern Oregon/Northern California, temps in the 50's, sun, no shirt necessary.

Views of the Red Buttes Wilderness Area, still looking cold, snowy and uninviting.

Tasty Single Track!

The Plot:

Running, 2 hours and 18 minutes.

Running, 17.6 Miles.

Running, averaging 7:54/mile on an assortment of trails, two track and roads.


The Curtain Call!

Re-introducing the Cast (l to r)Tim Olson, Aaron Brian, John Leuthold, Todd Ragsdale, Scott Jurek, Hal Koerner (not pictured: Ian Torrence and Abbey)

Your Moment of Zen:

A photo of a photo.

TNT Visions

Almost 200 registered and 180 finished!!! The weather held out again. Erik Skaggs won for the second year in a row and lowered his own course record by 33 seconds to finish in 35:02. Jenn Shelton won the ladies race in 41:09 a new course record by six minutes and 39 seconds. In fact, five ladies broke last year's course record!!! Thanks to all of the wonderful volunteers that made the race a huge success. Thanks for all the participants in making the TNT another fine event. See you next year! Same time and place.


(l to r)Chuck Whitley, Krista Olsen, Carly Varner and Darcy Kleiman work as volunteers at this year's race...it was folks like them that made the event run smoothly!


The Start...runners and walkers head out for six miles of pure pleasure!

Joe Vale and Sarah Wilson run side by side on a portion of The Ditch Road.

Megan Heuberger and Anne Reid enjoy the course together.

Jamil Coury, from Arizona, sprints up Strawberry Hill.

Jessica and Duane Miller came up from California for the race.

Colin Anderson is happy to be a part of it all.

Jenn Shelton wins the ladies race in course record time.

Your top three finishers: (l to r)Bob Julian (third), Ryland Karlovich (second), Erik Skaggs (first)

Tar 'n Trail Preliminary Results

Tar 'n Trail

6 mile

Ashland, OR

3/14/09

Skaggs, Erik 26 0:35:02
Karlovich, Ryland 18 0:37:24
Julian, Robert 40 0:37:52
Loftus, Justin 37 0:39:49
Olsen, Jeff 24 0:40:22
Coury, Jamil 24 0:40:25
Hakanson, Guy 21 0:40:28
Wikander, Chad 36 0:40:38
Bugg, Colin 24 0:40:44
Shelton, Jenn 25 0:41:09
Eisen, Jeremy 38 0:41:13
Luksich, Aaron 32 0:41:48
Engstrom, David 43 0:43:42
Callans, JC 41 0:43:43
Miles, Ali 25 0:43:50
Mueller, Greg 38 0:43:54
Ryan, Chuck 54 0:44:03
Cortell, Adam 37 0:44:07
Olson, Jeff 39 0:44:15
Bruner, Mike 25 0:44:23
Haug, Colin 16 0:44:25
Jantzer, Travis 15 0:44:25
Sotos, Michael 33 0:44:26
Ruhland, Zach 0:44:28
DioDato, Alex 24 0:44:36
Christensen, Zechariah 14 0:44:53
Jenks, Jocelyn 23 0:45:17
Frantz, Seena 17 0:45:27
Naversen, Douglas 60 0:45:45
Staha, Stephen 29 0:46:03
Stringer, Michael 34 0:46:17
Mondello, Freeborn 29 0:46:51
Elbert, Chad 37 0:47:00
Fralich, C.B. 36 0:47:05
Vale, Joe 34 0:47:25
Wilson, Sarah 31 0:47:25
Davis, Mike 49 0:47:54
Daniel, Paul 28 0:48:03
Avila, Thomas 21 0:48:05
Marshall, Dave 44 0:48:09
Raber, Laura 30 0:48:15
Anderson, Priscilla 32 0:48:24
Hacker, Becky 38 0:49:04
Stemple, Camden 13 0:49:25
Ewing, Hannah 16 0:49:32
Miller, Jessica 33 0:49:32
Miller, Duane 36 0:49:34
Bott, John 50 0:49:36
Potocki, Stan 52 0:49:40
Stoiber, Daniel 13 0:49:41
Faulkner, Terry 57 0:50:30
Bolz, Darrin 41 0:50:34
Combs, Chris 30 0:50:36
Wewerka, Ben 32 0:50:42
Lowe, Jacob 12 0:51:13
Brown, Zoe 12 0:51:16
Barnes, Desiree 26 0:51:32
Stemple, Lela 11 0:51:38
Rogan, Mike 49 0:51:40
Dinger, Nikki 32 0:51:52
Kiesling, Alex 14 0:52:22
Mayfield, Camelia 16 0:52:22
Caballero Uhtoff, Marie 33 0:52:36
DuVivier, Dana 36 0:52:37
Bruner, Larissa 24 0:52:39
Clementi, Maria 27 0:52:46
McPherson, Timothy 11 0:53:06
Hazel, Felicia 45 0:53:26
Spears, Leshaya 27 0:53:31
Hodge, Charles 58 0:53:40
Millan, Rene 36 0:53:41
Preboski, Leisa 42 0:53:42
Stone, Jeff 53 0:53:48
Engstrom, Amy 40 0:54:05
Reynolds, Bruce 49 0:54:26
Ellis, Tamara 39 0:54:36
Wyszynska, Karolina 31 0:54:37
Murphy, Jack 17 0:54:57
Abrans, Arnie 55 0:55:27
Minter, David 42 0:55:33
Swenson, Renee 37 0:55:36
Ward, Todd 41 0:55:39
Rogan, Mary 43 0:55:52
Hunter, Whitney 23 0:55:55
Gramley, Molly 42 0:56:00
Wiesen, Josh 28 0:56:20
Kling, Alison 53 0:56:40
Fernbacher, Tara 39 0:56:42
Strickler, Sarah 30 0:57:15
Wipfli, Tess 23 0:57:20
Olsen, Esther 16 0:57:26
Sallee, Jennifer 38 0:57:33
Hoisington, Jenine 46 0:57:43
Bosworth, Heidi 36 0:57:53
Miller, Dusty 61 0:58:08
Ali, Shahid 23 0:58:24
Zowada, Lydia 16 0:59:03
Stone, Don 52 0:59:25
Pedersen, Scott 48 0:59:40
Bischoff, Thomas 62 1:00:35
Bauer, Brooke 35 1:00:36
Sayre, Kouba 37 1:00:49
Nelson, Joseph 27 1:01:08
Luksich, Laura 29 1:01:12
Geygan, Kelly 36 1:01:22
Eadie, Annie 45 1:01:26
Fralich, Zack 9 1:01:42
Britting, Sarah 16 1:01:46
Ball, Leah 14 1:01:52
Fralich, Ian 7 1:02:09
Thompson, Darian 14 1:02:09
McFadden, Tim 34 1:02:23
O'Neill, Jocelyn 45 1:02:35
Christensen, Stephen 10 1:02:36
Thompson, Jennifer 35 1:02:52
Justice, Tracy 41 1:03:54
Pereman, Maya 27 1:04:03
Hyland, Ken 18 1:04:59
Hyland, Mike 48 1:04:59
Lovett, Rebecca 31 1:05:01
Reid, Anne 34 1:05:14
Heuberger, Megan 28 1:05:18
Pidgeon, Jessica 26 1:05:18
Murphy, Cindy 59 1:05:21
Fralich, Maisie 11 1:05:27
White, Theo 28 1:05:36
Hill, Jeremiah 11 1:05:41
Fralich, John 8 1:05:57
Reckard, Rob 37 1:05:57
Wood, George 44 1:06:00
Hill, Maegan 13 1:06:19
O'Connell, Rebecca 33 1:07:22
Randall, Lyric 16 1:07:22
Reynolds, Kathryn 16 1:07:22
Green, Diane 52 1:07:53
Livni, Joseph 12 1:07:54
Kenning, Kirsten 34 1:08:20
Haag, Steve 42 1:08:54
Cuddy, Amy 47 1:09:18
Bestor, Nancy 41 1:10:00
Levy, Kimberly 22 1:10:00
Anderson, Jessa 21 1:10:03
Levy, Lisa 27 1:10:04
Atleberry, Heidi 45 1:10:28
Murphy, Anna 15 1:10:31
Avila, Olivia 23 1:10:32
Elbert, Nikki 35 1:10:40
Boylan, Gretchen 40 1:10:45
Hecox, Kerri 36 1:10:50
Lyons, Kai 12 1:10:56
Drake Donohue, Jenny 41 1:11:03
Nixon, Laurie 34 1:11:04
Wethaiser-Kent, Dan 37 1:11:28
Anderson, Colin 25 1:11:30
Jones, Megan 23 1:11:32
Levy, Kathy 56 1:11:44
Shaskey, Norman 61 1:12:03
Winslow, Julie 41 1:12:03
Fralich, Kristian 6 1:14:13
Fralich, Erinn 38 1:14:26
Fralich, Eunora 30 1:14:26
Howell, Danica 34 1:14:27
Dugan, Chuck 37 1:14:46
Dugan, Christy 31 1:15:45
Voorheis, John 58 1:23:53
Carole, Jana 51 1:29:00
Haag, Jody 41 1:30:19
Ring, Eric 46 1:40:35
Becker, Katie 48 1:43:44
Livni, Gabriele 10 1:43:44
Ring, Barbie 54 1:43:44
Mara 45 1:47:35
Scionti, Lynne 55 1:47:35
Van Heuit, Maura 47 1:47:35
Cutler, Mary 49 1:47:45
Livni, Kat 42 1:49:19
Becker, Jayden 10 2:06:40
Becker, Ken 54 2:06:40
Livni, Maya 8 2:06:40
Ring, Hannah 12 2:06:40


180 finishers

After All That Chocolate 5K Run

Runners await the "Go"!

What do you do after you've eaten all that chocolate? That was Karolina Wyszynska's thought after orchestrating much of the Oregon Chocolate Festival at the Ashland Springs Hotel last weekend. So...she organized the first annual "After All That Chocolate 5K" in order to burn off all those "to die for" calories.

Camden & Scott Stemple

(l to r) Eric Poole, Maria Clementi, Jocelyn Jenks

The course started at The Plaza in downtown Ashland, looped well-known Lithia Park and finished just above the Ashland Springs Hotel. The hilly, but scenic 5K, had more than 50 entrants. Here are the results:

Last Name First Name Time Bib # City State
1 Moroney Andrew 17:54:00 28 Woodinville WA
2 Poole Eric 19:39:00 55 Ashland OR
3 Shelton Jenn 19:57:00 57 Ashland OR
4 Ray Bree 20:39:00 29 Seattle WA
5 DioDato Alex 20:51:00 53 Ashland OR
6 McKay Levi 20:52:00 26 Ashland OR
7 Stemple Scott 21:20:00 41 Medford OR
8 Meriy Ray 22:20:00 30 Stillwater MN
9 Stemple Camden 22:24:00 42 Medford OR
10 Ray Suzanne 22:44:00 31 Medford OR
11 Alvarez Marco Antonio 23:05:00 32 Ashland OR
12 Hacker Becky 23:11:00 51 Ashland OR
13 Janousek James 24:20:00 25 Ashland OR
14 Jenks Jocelyn 24:27:00 38 Ashland OR
15 Clementi Maria 24:27:00 12 Ashland OR
16 Montes Joel 25:13:00 40 Ashland OR
17 Hacker John 25:24:00 52 Ashland OR
18 Brettner Nick 26:18:00 54 Ashland OR
19 Gardiner Greta 29:28:00 24 Ashland OR
20 Rudd Nina 29:40:00 27 Ashland OR
21 DuBois Tom 30:01:00 35 Ashland OR
22 Noles Dodie 30:44:00 6 Talent OR
23 Segner Doris 32:00:00 33 Ashland OR
24 McConnell Torrey 33:20:00 14 Ashland OR
25 Miller Rob 33:56:00 34 Ashland OR
26 Hearn Susan 34:33:00 61 Ashland OR
27 Friedman Jill 36:58:00 8 Ashland OR
28 Ogden James 37:11:00 37 Vocaville CA
29 Nasra Ali 37:40:00 47 Ashland OR
30 Ogden Bonnie 39:05:00 36 Vocaville CA
31 Oppenheimer Priscilla 40:19:00 15 Ashland OR
32 McCloskey Susan 49:24:00 44 Ashland OR
33 O'Brien Kate 49:24:00 43 Ashland OR
34 Weber Meredeth 51:38:00 56 Central Point OR
35 Owens Ava 51:41:00 22 Talent OR
36 Reynolds Anji 52:04:00 4 Ashland OR
37 Lair Cathi 52:05:00 21 Ashland OR
38 Bloom Laura 52:07:00 3 Ashland OR
39 Downey Magee 52:09:00 20 Ashland OR
40 Hood Wendy 52:11:00 5 Ashland OR
41 Clark Habeeba 52:11:00 2 Ashland OR
42 Duerfeldt Emily 57:55:00 7 McMinville OR
43 Early Selisha 1:01:02 50 Ashland OR
44 Christensen Alexis 1:01:02 58 Talent OR
45 Harper Hillary 1:02:00 60 Ashland OR
46 Glass Michelle 1:02:00 10 Ashland OR
47 DeRosier Ava 1:02:00 11 Ashland OR
48 Tattershall Paige 1:02:00 48 Ashland OR
49 McMillan Melissa 1:02:00 9 Ashland OR

The Ladies at the finish. (l to r) Jenn Shelton, Susanne Ray, Bree Ray, Greta Gardiner, Becky Hacker

Races Galore

So much going on, so little time...

Let's start with this weekend:

The First Annual "After All That Chocolate" 5K gets underway at 8AM on Sunday morning at The Plaza in downtown Ashland. The course circumnavigates Lithia Park. It's run in conjunction with the Oregon Chocolate Festival at the Ashland Springs Hotel. Want info about the race or the Chocolate Festival go here.

Can't make it Sunday morning, try the Shamrock Five Mile Run at Crater High School in Central Point, OR. The race starts at 9AM on Saturday morning. It's an official Pear Blossom Run tuneup. Flat and fast! Go to the Southern Oregon Runners web site for more information.

Don't Forget next weekend is the second annual Tar N' Trail Six Mile Run. The run starts at 9AM at Lithia Park. It's the only organized race that runs the trails through Lithia Park! A challenging and beautiful mix of trails and roads. Go to the Rogue Valley Runners web site for entries and information.

Looking forward, there are two great events coming up:

The Siskiyou Outback 15 and 50 Kilometer Trail Races just opened for registration. These two races, that traverse the Pacific Crest Trail near Mt. Ashland, are bound to fill quickly this year. Don't get left out! The race falls under new management this year John Price and Rob Cain bring their excellent organizational and people skills to the task. Go to the newly revamped SOB web site for entry and course information.

Entry for the Pompadour Half Marathon is now open. Don't waste your excellent Pear Blossom training, keep it up and increase the challenge. Try this course that takes place on the roads east of Ashland. Go to Rogue Valley Runners web site for more information. Oh yeah, there will be prize money for the first three men and women!!!

Trails, Roads and Volcanos

Over the past several weeks some Rogue Valley Runners have been turning in some impressive racing results.

Running to the Volcanoes in Hawaii!
Back in late January, Ashlander Jenn Shelton traveled across the Pacific Ocean to visit our 50th state. Though she didn't soak in as many rays as she had hoped (she was visiting the rainy side of the islands) she did capture a victory at the Hilo to Volcano 50 Kilometer Ultramarathon. The uphill road race started in the ocean-side town of Hilo, HI and traveled up to Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. Jenn won the ladies race, finished third overall and set a new course record for women; 4 hours, 15 minutes, and 10 seconds.

Fall Creek Reservoir
This past weekend Phoenix, OR's John Leuthold went north to Lowell, OR to use a comp entry he won back at a race on New Year's Eve. John started the Fall Creek Run Around 20 Miler, a mix of asphalt and gravel roads, and found himself running in the lead after a few miles. Challenged once just past the half-way mark, John "put the hammer down" and gapped the competition for the win. John turned in a 2:08, roughly three minutes ahead of second place.

Marilyn Bailey running at Hagg Lake.
A huge congratulations to Marilyn Bailey and Ben Benjamin (both of Ashland, OR) who, two weeks ago, successfully finished the Hagg Lake 50 Kilometer Ultramarathon. This northern Oregon ultra is known for it's mud, but this year, things weren't so bad. Ben finished his fourth Hagg in 6:04:15 and Marilyn Bailey crossed the line in 7:00:35, her seventh Hagg Lake 50K finish.

Ben Benjamin at Hagg Lake
Nice work everyone!!!(photos of Ben and Marilyn were taken by Thomas Riley)