CASHMERE — Organizers of the June 1 Red Devil Challenge Trail Run have redesigned the event’s 10-kilometer course to accommodate a road closure in the area.

The event’s 25K course remains the same.

Runners leave the Sandcreek Trailhead in last year's Red Devil 25K race.

The 10k run will begin and end at the Sandcreek Trailhead in the Wenatchee National Forest and is a mix of single track trail and U.S. Forest Service roads. There is one long 1,200-foot climb, approximately 1.5 miles in length, followed by a 1-mile steep downhill jaunt on a retired Forest Service road. From there, the course features a gradual downhill back to the start/finish area. The final 1.5 miles are on a single-track trail and include two stream crossings.

“Runners will really enjoy this run,” said race director Joel Rhyner of RunWenatchee, which puts on the Red Devil event south of Cashmere.

On May 3, the Forest Service announced it was closing the upper portion of Mission Creek Road — including access to the Devil’s Gulch Trailhead — because of the potential of flooding this spring due to last year’s wildfires that left some hillsides barren of vegetation. The Devil’s Gulch Trailhead had been slated as the starting spot for the 10K run.

“In many ways, the closure will make it easier for us and participants because both the 10K and 25K will now start and end at the Sandcreek Trailhead,” Rhyner said.

The race has sold out. But runners can still get on a waiting list for the 25K at http://reddevilchallenge.eventbrite.com/#.

Other Red Devil Challenge updates:

— The 25K run will start at 8:45 a.m. June 1 and the 10K run will start at 9 a.m. Both had originally been scheduled to start at 9 a.m., but Rhyner said the earlier start for the 25K is needed to reduce congestion on the trail near the start.

— Due to the closure of Mission Creek Road, the Devil’s Gulch aid station at mile 9 on the 25K course will be self-serve only. There will be a fully staffed aid station at the top of the Red Hill climb, approximately 4.5 miles into the race. RunWenatchee is recommending runners carry water and nutrition with them. On the 10K course, there will be one staffed aid station.

— The 25K course is in good shape and has been brushed and cleared of downed trees by the Forest Service.

— Shuttle service will begin loading at 7:45 a.m. June 1 at Milepost 111 Brewery and Restaurant in Cashmere. The buses will leave at around 8 a.m. The trailhead is about a 25-minute drive away. Parking is extremely limited at the trailhead so runners are being asked to utilize the shuttle service.

— Packet pickup will be held from 5 to 6 p.m. Friday, May 31, at Arlberg Sports in downtown Wenatchee, and again from 8 to 8:40 a.m. on Saturday, June 1, at the Sandcreek Trailhead.

— Others who plan to recreate in the area on June 1 — including mountain bikers, hikers and motor bikers — should note there is a trail run taking place that day, Rhyner said.

— For more details in the coming days, runners should check the RunWenatchee Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/RunWenatchee.

This was the scene along the Apple Capital Recreation Loop Trail shortly after Saturday's start of the Columbia Valley Girls on the Run 5K and 2K race.

WENATCHEE — There may not have been a more festive place in the entire Wenatchee Valley on Saturday morning than at Pybus Public Market.

Yes, the new public market was enjoying its second weekend of business, with the farmers market and inside vendors attracting a large crowd. But the market also was the staging area for the inaugural Columbia Valley Girls on the Run 5K/2K race, which attracted an additional estimated 500 participants, spectators and volunteers. It was the first sporting event held at Pybus.

The scene was colorful with some girls getting their hair painted in the group’s trademark colors of green and pink, and others milling about inside with their families. Outside, the adults who had come to race readied themselves along the adjacent Apple Capital Recreation Loop Trail.

Although the event was officially for Girls on the Run and Peshastin Striders members, organizers opened it up to the general public and to adults as a fundraiser.

When the race finally began at 9 a.m., a large hoot arose from the runners and walkers — both big and small.

“There was a lot of excitement in the air, and the focus really was on the girls,” said Marlen Mendez, director of Girls on the Run. “Pybus is a really good venue. It gave us a lot of exposure, and we brought a lot of people to the venue who hadn’t been here before.”

Girls on the Run is an after-school nonprofit program for third- through fifth-graders that is affiliated with Columbia Valley Community Health. Besides instilling fitness, the program is meant to help girls develop a positive self-image and to better handle peer pressure.

Peshastin Striders is a running club for elementary school students in the Peshastin-Dryden area.

On the racing side, Doug Wood captured the open men’s 5-kilometer title, covering the course in 18 minutes, 43.4 seconds, and averaging 6:02 a mile in the process. Finishing second was Wenatchee’s Dan Kavet, who was clocked in 19:25.6. Third was Erik Johnson in 21:56.0.

East Wenatchee’s Melissa Fenter won the open women’s 5K in 23:22.3. Wenatchee’s Roselle Wood took second in 23:55.5.

In the Girls on the Run 5K race, McKenna White came away with the title in 23 minutes and 2.2 seconds. Will White was runner-up in 24:12.7, and Molly Oswald was third in 24:15.5.

In the Girls on the Run 2K race, Tatum Grosdidier took first in 12:19.8, followed by Aiden Hawes in 13:37, and Olivia Harle and Karissa Harle, both in 15:04.9.

In the Peshastin Striders 2K race, finishing first was Karsten Bowles in 11:17.3. Runner-up was Anthony Villalobos in 12:18.5. Calvin Wilder was third in 12:26.0.

There was plenty of cowbell heard along the course.

More than 360 people registered for the event, which raised money for local Girls on the Run scholarships. That included about 130 elementary school girls and their adult running buddies. The rest of the field was made up of the general public and about 40 Peshastin Striders members.

“This program is impacting the entire community,” Mendez said. “It’s a family event, and it’s getting everyone out and everyone running. And it doesn’t feel like it’s hard. It feels fun.”

“The event went just fantastic,” said Joel Rhyner of RunWenatchee, which organized and directed the event for Girls on the Run. “We had a huge outpouring from the community in registration numbers and volunteer support. And working with Pybus was great. Everybody I ran into who hadn’t been down there was blown away by how cool it is. Those who had been there said it was amazing to be able to do a race from there.”

Mendez said she anticipates the Girls on the Run event returning in 2014.

“There will be a Part II,” she said.

Columbia Valley Girls on the Run
Saturday
Pybus Public Market, Wenatchee
Open 5K — Top 10 Men
1. Doug Wood,18:43.4
2. Daniel Kavet, 19:25.6
3. Erik Johnson, 21:56.0
4. Billy Conner, 22:25.5
5. Ed Knobel, 23:58.2
6. Tanner Rodelard, 24:20.3
7. Gibson Tarr, 24:34.4
8. Conner Smith, 24:57.0
9. Heath Allen, 24:58.5
10. Jaxon Cosina, 26:01.8

Open 5K — Top 10 Women
1. Melissa Fenter, 23:22.3
2. Roselle Wood, 23:55.5
3. Nevlyn Harper, 24:04.5
4. Emelia Burgess, 24:14.8
5. Jennifer Madrigal, 24:16.6
6. Casi Tarr, 24:31.8
7. Kellie Dillin, 24:35.6
8. Ella Polley, 24:43.0
9. Jennifer Polley, 24:48.3
10. Marissa Hand, 26:05.8

Girls on the Run 5K — Top 20 Overall Finishers
1. McKenna White, 23:02.2
2. Will White, 24:12.7
3. Molly Oswald, 24:15.5
4. Fran Oswald, 24:17.0
5. Alberto Granados, 24:35.0
6. Geovanna Granados, 24:36.3
7 Jennifer Witherbee, 24:59.0
8. Jose Sanchez, 26:17.0
9. Gabriela Lozano, 27:12.3
10. Jesus Lozano, 27:20.3
11. Lydia Montalvo, 27:30.7
12. Mackenzie Williams, 27:46.5
13. Alison Williams, 27:47.4
14. Jaqueline Adamek, 27:53.9
15. Cynthia Sanchez, 27:56.2
16. Talitha Zelaya, 28:09.7
17. Lorinda Parks, 28:09.7
18. Elizabeth Anderson, 28:25.0
19. Wendy Bowman, 28:29.5
20. Rhonda Bekker, 28:29.6

Girls on the Run 2K — Top 10 Overall Finishers
1. Tatum Grosdidier, 12:19.8
2. Aiden Hawes, 13:37
3. Olivia Harle, 15:04.9
3. Karissa Harle, 15:04.9
5. Emery Hughes, 14:23.7
6. Shannon Grosdidier, 14:25.2
7. Karen McIver, 14:38.6
8. Bailey Wood, 15:20.2
9. Alicia Volyn, 15:26.1
10. Gabriella Volyn, 15:26.7

Peshastin Striders 2K — Top 10 Overall Finishers
1. Karsten Bowles, 11:17.3
2. Anthony Villalobos, 12:18.5
3. Calvin Wilder, 12:26.0
4. Lane Etheridge, 12:32.3
5. Paige Nunnally, 12:46.9
6. Scott Lindsay, 13:18.5
7. Corae Forbes, 14:35.0
8. Benjamin Jerome, 15:38.9
9. Cohen Davis, 15:46.6
10. Quentin Farrell, 16:00.0

Note: For complete results, visit http://www.buduracing.com/

Girls on the Run participants register inside Pybus Public Market on Saturday morning.

FINAL INSTRUCTIONS FOR SATURDAY’S GIRLS ON THE RUN 5K AND 2K

Hello, runners and walkers! Thank you for registering for this Saturday’s Columbia Valley Girls on the Run 5K and 2K! It’s going to be a momentous occasion — the first Girls on the Run event in the Wenatchee Valley and the first race ever held adjacent to the new Pybus Public Market.

Pybus Market officials want to welcome all runners/walkers and their families and friends to this beautiful new facility. They encourage you to check out the market before and after the race.

If you are driving to Pybus, please park in the lot directly north of the market along Worthen Street (see below for more).

Girls on the Run participants, volunteers and spectators are asked to park in the parking lot just north of Pybus Public Market.

Here are some last-minute instructions for those of you participating in either the 5K or 2K:

Location: Pybus Public Market is located at 7 N. Worthen Street (near the corner of Worthen and Orondo streets). The Apple Capital Recreation Loop Trail, where the 5K and 2K runs/walks will be held, is located directly behind Pybus Public Market above the Columbia River.

Race start time: 9 a.m. Saturday

Start/finish area: Runners and walkers will begin and finish the event at a spot along the Apple Capital Recreation Loop Trail directly behind Pybus Public Market, 7 N. Worthen St. From the start, participants will head north on the trail to their turnaround spots and then back.

Parking: This will be just the second weekend of Pybus, so market officials expect a big crowd to visit. As a result, they are asking everyone associated with the Girls on the Run event — participants, volunteers, spectators — to park in the large lot directly north of the market off Worthen Street. We will have volunteers on Worthen Street directly vehicles into this parking lot.

Road closure: With the City of Wenatchee’s approval, we will be closing River Drive, from Worthen Street to just before the boat launch entrance. This is being done to ensure a safe race.

Packet pickup/registration: This will be held from 5 to 6:30 p.m. Friday and from 7:30 to 8:50 a.m. Saturday at tables set up inside Pybus Public Market. If you are a member of a Girls on the Run team, look for your individual table. The same goes for community members who have signed up.

Raffle: Girls on the Run will be raffling off a Garmin Forerunner 210 (with heart-rate monitor and strap) on Saturday after the race. The Garmin is valued at $250. Raffle tickets are $1 each and can be picked up at the Columbia Valley Community Health table at Pybus on Friday evening and Saturday morning.

T-shirts: If you forgot to order a shirt or want one anyway, we will have a limited number of shirts on sale Friday evening and Saturday morning during packet pickup/registration. They will be on sale for $12. If you paid for a shirt while registering, you can pick up your shirt at the same times.

Timing: Buduracing is the official timer for the Columbia Valley Girls on the Run 5K and 2K. Timing mats at the start/finish area will be used to record your time.

Results: Buduracing will post the results by Sunday at www.buduracing.com. There also will be a link on www.runWenatchee.com

Aid stations: We will have two fully stocked and staffed aid stations on the course — one at the 2K turnaround and the other at the 5K turnaround. Big thanks to our volunteers for making this happen.

Refreshments/food: We will have nourishment for runners and walkers to replenish themselves at the finish area.

Thanks again and have a great race!

Marlen Mendez
Columbia Valley Girls on the Run director

Joel Rhyner
Michele Rhyner
Steve Maher
RunWenatchee

The high point in Saturday's Horse Lake Trail Run was at 2,400 feet in elevation. Views of the Columbia River were to the east and the Cascades to the west.

WENATCHEE — The Horse Lake Trail Run was held under cloudy skies and temperatures in the high-50s and low-60s on Saturday, May 11, in the Wenatchee Foothills about four miles northwest of the city of Wenatchee.

Here are the results:

Horse Lake Trail Run
Horse Lake Reserve, Wenatchee Foothills
Saturday
5-Mile Race
Men
1. Clayton Belmont, 39:20
2. Luke Hakensen, 39:41
3. Mike Carter, 40:55
4. Ron Martin, 41:25
5. Corey Stephens, 41:34
6. Nik Winjum, 41:43
7. Matthew Tangeman, 42:56
8. Eli Kahn, 42:59
9. Sean Seaford, 43:44
10. Welcome Sauer, 44:01
11. Eric Bryan, 44:51
12. Derek Gildersleeve, 45:10
13. Allan Galbraith, 47:00
14. Caleb Hoosier, 47:59
15. Garrett Fish, 52:55

Wildflowers were aplenty on Saturday at Horse Lake and the Wenatchee Foothills.

16. Travis Dolge, 53:00
17. Michael Garrity, 53:05
18. Mark Van Reenen, 53:29
19. Adam Brunner, 53:42
20. Jim Mott, 54:04
21. Ted Mischaikov, 54:17
22. Marc Macias, 54:28
23. Chris Yankoviak, 55:11
24. Kevin Wieczorek, 55:21
25. Wyatt McCredy, 57:10
26. Nathan Harmon, 58:36
27. Ray Oliver, 58:54
28. John Whisler, 1:00:15
29. Siverio Sierra, 1:02:00
30. Jim McCredy, 1:06:43

5-Mile Race
Women
1. Jennifer Vazquez-Bryan, 44:44
2. Angela Mischiakov, 45:57
3. Jenni Hakensen, 46:20
4. Holly Eagleston, 47:45
5. Jane Davis, 48:27
6. Melissa Fenter, 48:28
7. Christina Cuevas Albert, 49:22
8. Julie Christensen, 49:22
9. Renee Wilkens, 49:22
10. Karen Gemeinhart, 50:06
11. Stephanie Cosina, 51:14
12. Lorena Boyd, 51:38
13. Jennifer Korfiatis, 51:46
14. Angeline Kong, 52:32
15. Laura Monda, 52:51
16. Emily Barto, 53:07
17. Erin Stitt, 53:36
18. Elise Richman, 53:37
19. Elizabeth Mullan, 53:43
20. Angela Hendrick, 54:18
21. Penny Paus, 55:05
22. Lily Wieczorek, 55:25
23. Erin Davidson, 55:40
24. Brenda Yankoviak, 55:51
25. Katy Joslin, 55:51
26. Megan Middleton, 56:14
27. Delcie Mott, 56:22
28. Gara Odenrider, 56:37
29. Susanne Cushman, 56:40
30. Logan Blomberg, 57:58
31. Constance Mehmel, 58:08
32. April Winn, 58:22
33. Janell Robertson, 58:52
34. Sabra Siltman, 59:29
35. Ashley Thomas, 59:52
36. Kim Tangeman, 1:00.07
37. Jenny Fasching, 1:00:26
38. Diane Davis, 1:00:56
39. Nella Bella, 1:01:08
40. Rinne Lamberjack, 1:01:18
41. Natalie Lamberjack, 1:01:18
42. Anwen Cartwright, 1:01:21
43. Joanne Thomas, 1:01:48
44. Nicole Brunner, 1:01:50
45. Emily Phillipi, 1:01:57
46. Tanya Smith, 1:02:04
47. Frances Mullan, 1:02:46
48. Sonya McCredy, 1:06:43
49. Nicole O Brien, 1:08:04
50. Wendy Monette, 1:08:06
51. Angela Allyn, 1:10:25
52. Emily Brown, 1:19:56
53. Vicki Shaver, 1:21:16
54. Jodi Lester, 1:35:04

10-Mile Race
Men
1. Andy Johnson, 1:08:22
2. Will Young, 1:10:47
3. Chad McBride, 1:13:43
4. Michael Broxson, 1:14:10
5. Steve Tidd, 1:19:04
6. Brent Biggar, 1:19:04
7. Paul Heffernan, 1:19:40
8. Emerson Peek, 1:27:05
9. Dayle Massey, 1:28:17
10. Sam Dilley, 1:32:59
11. Chris Goehner, 1:36:28
12. Steve Schwind, 1:39:02
13. Craig Root, 1:42:58
14. Martin Weis, 1:47:03
15. Rufus Woods, 1:51:15
16. Dave Allyn, 1:52:54
17. Rob Lowry, 2:19:50

10-Mile Race
Women
1. Sibyelle Wilbert, 1:36:50
2. Kari Hall, 1:38:37
3. Maria Holman, 1:40:15
4. Mary Lou Guerrero, 1:57:58
5. Raema Hickey, 2:06:53
6. Jan Albin-Bullock, 2:09:22

Runners hit the first stretch of trail on Saturday during the Horse Lake Trail Run near Wenatchee.

Chad McBride, right, and Andy Johnson, left, were the first to top elevation spot (2,400 feet) on the 10-mile course. Johnson went on to win the race. McBride finished third behind Will Young.

By Steve Maher
RunWenatchee.com

WENATCHEE — If the reaction from runners is an indication, Saturday’s Horse Lake Trail Run will not be the last.

The inaugural event in the Wenatchee Foothills northwest of the city came off flawlessly and had participants clamoring for more.

“You should do it every year. It’s perfect,” said Wenatchee’s Andy Johnson, who won the men’s 10-mile race.

Runners charge out along the Horse Lake Reserve road moment after the start of Saturday's event.

About 150 people signed up for either the 10-mile or 5-mile runs. The event was organized by RunWenatchee as a fundraiser for the Chelan-Douglas Land Trust’s Wenatchee Foothills Campaign.

The recent heat wave in the Wenatchee Valley wasn’t a factor. Early morning cloud cover, a slight breeze and the higher elevation (1,750 feet at the start; 2,400 feet at the highest point) left temperatures ideal for the run.

“Everything went smoothly, the volunteers were fantastic, the runners had a great time and the weather held up nicely,” said race director Joel Rhyner of RunWenatchee. “It was a privilege to have the opportunity to hold an event up on the Horse Lake Reserve with the Chelan-Douglas Land Trust, and we hope that we can make this an annual event.”

Many of those who participated — including runners from as far away as San Francisco, Bend and Bellingham, but also some from Wenatchee — had never been to the Horse Lake Reserve before.

Megan Middleton and Mark Macias moved to Wenatchee just a week ago from Seattle — Megan for a position at Fibro Corp. and Mark for a position at Alcoa — and were amazed at Horse Lake’s sights and close proximity to the urban area.

“It’s really cool to see so many people out for trail runs in Wenatchee,” Middleton said. “I’m from Seattle originally and there are trail runs over there, but I didn’t think there would be any here. To be able to see the Cascades and the Columbia River — there’s so much to see here — it’s amazing.”

“Over on the west side, there are so many trees, you really can’t see the mountains,” Macias added. “Over here, it is so open.”

Johnson was in a tight race early with Wenatchee’s Chad McBride. Both crested the first hill climb in the loop course step for step. But Johnson had broken away by the 5-mile mark. McBride was eventually passed by Cashmere’s Will Young and finished third. Mike Broxson of Wenatchee was a close fourth.

Johnson was clocked in 1 hour, 8 minutes and 22 seconds; Young in 1:10:47; McBride in 1:13:43; and Broxson in 1:14:.

“I thought the climbs were a perfect distance, and the banked turns are my favorite,” Johnson said

In the women’s 10-mile race, Seattle’[s Sibylle Wilbert placed first in a time of 1:36:50. Taking second was Kari Hall of East Wenatchee in 1:38:37.

Wenatchee's Jenn Vazquez-Bryan captured the women's 5-mile race in 44 minutes and 44 seconds. Bellingham's Angela Mischaikov was second in 45:57.

"This is a really fantastic trail run," Vazquez-Bryan said afterwards. "It was well groomed. And with all the wild flowers and views, there is a lot to look at. I loved that downhill (stretch). I flew on that."

Clayton Belmont took the men's 5-mile run in 39:20, defeating Wenatchee's Luke Hakensen, who was clocked in 39:41.

By the end, as runners and spectators mingled around the refreshment tent, the talk was already about next year.

Chelan-Douglas Land Trust executive director Bob Bugert said he was impressed with how flawlessly the event went off and credited RunWenatchee for its organizational and race course management skills. He also was appreciative of the shuttle service provided by the Mission Ridge Ski Team. Nearly 70 runners used the van shuttle to get from the Wal-Mart parking lot to the trailhead, and then back later.

Joel Rhyner

“The Mission Ridge Ski Team shuttle was a great asset,” Rhyner said. “It really helped keep the road congestion to a minimum. Wal Mart’s parking space was key to that as well.”

“I was impressed,” said Emily Bjork of Wenatchee. “It’s very beautiful here. And there are great views of the mountains. The course was tough but very satisfying.”

“It was hard but I expected it to be,” said Susanne Cushman of East Wenatchee.

Added Tacoma’s Elise Richman, “It was just awesome. I’m glad there are plans to do this again. We’ll be back for sure.

Horse Lake Trail Run
Wenatchee Foothills
Saturday
Men’s 10 Mile
1. Andy Johnson, Wenatchee, 1:08:22
2. Will Young, Cashmere, 1:10:47
3. Chad McBride, Wenatchee, 1:13:43

Men’s 5 Mile
1. Clayton Belmont, 39:20
2. Luke Hakensen, Wenatchee, 39:41
3. Mike Carter, Wenatchee, 40:55

Women’s 10 Mile
1. Sibylle Wilbert, Seattle, 1:36:50
2. Kari Hall, East Wenatchee, 1:38:37
3. Maria Holman, Wenatchee, 1:40:15

Women’s 5 Mile
1. Jenn Vazquez-Bryan, Wenatchee, 44:44
2. Angela Mischaikov, Bellingham, 45:57
3. Jenni Hakensen, Wenatchee, 46:20

Note: Complete results will be posted later today or Monday at www.runwenatchee.com.

Will Young, left, and Mike Broxson, right, near the top of the course on Saturday during the Horse Lake Trail Run.

Nicole Brunner, left, and Joanne Thomas, take a break at the aid station at the 2,400-foot-elevation point on the course. Volunteers Charlie Naismith and Miranda Silvestre staffed the aid station.

A group of Wenatchee friends — Jennifer Korfiatis, Jane Davis, Stephanie Cosina, Julie Christensen and Christina Cuevas Albert — pose before the start of the race.

Runners heading along the trail shortly after the Horse Lake Trail Run's start on Saturday.

Doing some tempo runs with the Peshastin Striders at practice.

By Marlene Farrell
RunWenatchee.com

Do you ever peruse old mouse-nibbled books left behind in travelers’ havens? Hostels, rental houses and the like. I pulled just such a book off a stack of old National Geographics at the cabin where my family vacationed for three-and-a-half days. We were at the edge of the Olympic National Forest, on the peninsula, and at our doorstep were trails through big trees and bigger stumps, leading to waterfalls.

With small print and yellowing pages, this book could have been written anytime in the Running Boom (and it was, originally published in 1983 with the latest edition in 1999). It was The Competitve Runner’s Handbook, by Bob Glover and Shellylynn Florence Glover.

Marlene Farrell

When I picked it up, I felt only the mildest interest. Chapters had titles like “The First Time Marathoner,” “Race Strategy,” “Fuel and Nutrition for Running.” I had read much of that stuff before. And I didn’t want to look at pace charts of where I’ve been and where I likely am now.

But I found myself randomly flipping through the book and landing on the “Tempo Run” chapter, which dealt with the LT (lactate threshold) workout. The authors wrote, “most competitive runners manage to get in a reasonable amount of aerobic endurance runs and perhaps weekly track intervals or hill repeats, yet neglect specific LT training.”

Bingo! That was the picture of me when I was at the cabin that day. I can think back to times when I’ve done tempo runs regularly. Trisha Steidl, my friend and coach, would prescribe them for me.

So why was I not doing them now? The Glovers stated, “(Tempo runs are) less stressful than intervals, both physically and mentally.” But later they wrote, “You should run in some discomfort, but not the kind of pain that causes you to abruptly end the workout.” They are being blasé. Should we thrill to deliver discomfort to ourselves, but manage the level to avoid vomiting or falling over in agony? We runners read such words and shrug, thinking, “OK … I guess I’m ready for the masochism.”

However, I can attest to the fact that there are good reasons to perform tempo runs. Thanks to the long tempo runs I used to do (building up to 8 to 12 miles, sandwiched between 2 to 3 miles of warm up and cool down), I PR’d in the half marathon and marathon in 2010. The biggest benefits are that I learned the feel of a certain speedy pace and I could relax into the groove of it. It would feel like work, but smoother and more efficient from the practice. And I would end a successful tempo run with a huge confidence boost that is so helpful on race day.

Since that stay on the Olympic Peninsula I’ve put down a few tempo runs. They’ve been sporadic, when my muscles are warm and elongated, and the road or trail stretches out, tempting me to reel it in with long strides. The next step is to jot some down on the calendar, to make tempos a regular ingredient of my training recipe. For the trail races that I’m doing this season, running at pace over varied terrain is the best simulation for the races themselves.

My one planned tempo run was for “fun.” To add spice to the after-school running club I do at Peshastin-Dryden Elementary, I decided to dress up as one of two Super Striders, to speed alongside the kids while they run fast intervals. This “fun” tempo run tested my discomfort threshold by a temperature pushing an unseasonable 90 degrees, a track that could have melted the soles of my shoes, a black costume, cape, ski gloves, and a face mask that limited breathing and vision. At least I wasn’t alone. My fellow superhero and the hordes of kids in the Striders running club were there at my side, running laps, listening to the best of today’s pop music (with Eye of the Tiger thrown in) blaring from the stadium. High-fiving the Striders, the fast beat of the music, and the stares of the high schoolers all helped me dismiss the feeling of running in quicksand. When it was over, 10 laps later, I was certainly jubilant, back in my coaching clothes.

And the next tempo run or race will be that much easier. When the effort gets tough, I’ll recall the smiles of the kids who burst in front of me, to beat the Super Strider to the line. I’ll keep chasing them in my imagination, and be thankful I’m not wearing a mask this time.

Marlene Farrell is a Leavenworth writer and long-distance runner who has qualified twice for the U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials. She also helps coach the Peshastin-Dryden Striders kids running club.

Gosselin, a former Gonzaga University runner who hails from Tacoma, easily captured the men’s division of the 26.2-mile race, coasting home in 2 hours, 39 minutes and 12 seconds. That was more than 10 minutes faster than runner-up Spencer Plumb of Moscow, Idaho.

Meanwhile, Seattle’s Pritchard won the women’s marathon, finishing in 2:56:57, about 18 minutes better than runner-up Sandra Pellon of Kirkland.

Nearly 1,500 runners and walkers registered for the ninth-annual event and its marathon, half-marathon and 10-kilometer races. The start and finish were at the Stanley Civic Center Plaza in downtown Wenatchee.

Wenatchee runners fared better in the other two races, with Sarah Barkley winning the women’s half-marathon in 1:25:39, Casi Tarr claiming the women’s 10K in 39.51, and Andy Johnson finishing first in the men’s 10K in 39:55.

In the men’s half-marathon, Wenatchee’s Caleb Ambrose (1:18:42) took second behind winner Chris Tolonen of Renton (1:15:58).

See below for top placings in each race. For complete results, visit http://results.bazumedia.com/event/results/event/event-3826

Wenatchee Marathon
Saturday
Men
1. Matt Gosselin, Tacoma, 2:39:12
2. Spencer Plumb, Moscow, Idaho, 2:50:37
3. Jason Houck, Issaquah, 2:56:47
4. Michael Bergquist, Medical Lake, 3:02:52
5. Scott Hippe, Spokane, 3:02:50

Women
1. Jaime Pritchard, Seattle, 2:56:57
2. Sandra Pellon, Kirkland, 3:15:28
3. Jodi Brautaset, Mount Vernon, 3:23:45
4. Julie Peterson, Shoreline, 3:32:23
5. Shannon Block, Walla Walla, 3:42:28

Wenatchee Half-Marathon
Men
1. Chris Tolonen, Renton, 1:15:58
2. Caleb Ambrose, Wenatchee, 1:18:42
3. Kevin Saur, Snohomish, 1:20:14
4. Will Young, Cashmere, 1:21:21
5. George Velazquez, Wenatchee, 1:24:42

Women
1. Sarah Barkley, Wenatchee, 1:25:39
2. Rachel Henghan, Seattle, 1:31:06
3. Christina Bruce, Great Falls, Mont., 1:33:29
4. Danielle Nestor, Boise, Idaho, 1:36:12
5. Shelby Port, Kirkland, 1:36:34

Wenatchee 10K
Men
1. Andy Johnson, Wenatchee, 39:55
2. Thomas Hansen, East Wenatchee, 41:12
3. Seth Andersen, Ellensburg, 45:12
4. Don Stone, Wenatchee, 45:25
5. Steve Bovingdon, Chelan, 45:44

Women
1. Casi Tarr, Wenatchee, 39:51
2. Heidi Loewen, Wenatchee, 42:52
3. Kari Vreugdenhil, Renton, 43:05
4. Amy Sheehan, Rock Island, 44:53
5. Karen Weber, Wenatchee, 45:08

Four 'Striders' from last year's program are seen heading for the stretch run.

By Marlene Farrell
RunWenatchee.com

I have created a super-organism that is about to draw its first breath after school this Thursday, April 18. It’s 70 kids strong. They are its muscles, ready to flex and stretch and swarm over the track at Peshastin Dryden Elementary. The super-organism also has 10 or more volunteers, serving as its brain and neurons, whose job it is to coordinate the muscular actions.

I’ve done this before. Last year, the premier year for the Striders running club, we had 90 participants. This year we have less, not for lack of interest, I believe, but because I increased the time commitment to twice a week. The big difference is that last year I didn’t know what we were getting into. When the club ballooned beyond my expectations, and the paperwork never seemed to end and the volunteers didn’t know the difference between a plyometric and a fartlek, I just tried to keep up and didn’t take a deep breath until it was all over, in mid-May.

This year I can’t claim ignorance and whether I’ve put in 50 or 100 preparatory hours, I really couldn’t say.

I feel as ready as I can be. And I feel giddy. I’m scared to make a fool of myself demonstrating a plyometric drill, so I’ll have second-graders show the kindergarteners whenever possible. I worry that kids will complain about our occasional long runs of 2 kilometers (to prepare for the Girls on the Run 2K race on May 18 in Wenatchee) or that one of the 70 might vanish despite my best efforts when a parent arrives at pick-up. But the worries and fears are worth it when I get to watch kids with glowing cheeks, skipping through the grass, trying to bound like a superhero, giving it their all by picking up the pace at the end of a 400-meter time trial.

One of the big surprises last year was my joy when talking to the Striders. This was before dispersing over the football field and track, when we were still inside the gym, depositing backpacks. Although these kids were raring to get outside and move, I wanted their attention because I had so much I wanted to tell them. I forced myself to keep it to a few minutes, and I will again this year.

Running is a quintessential metaphor for life and all its challenges and joys. I want to share with the Striders that there is something for everyone when it comes to running. There is the diversity of running on a track, to climbing the flanks of a mountain, to competing in a race, to easy running and swapping stories with friends. There’s the thrill of speed and toughness and bliss of endurance running. There’s jumping and hurdling and throwing heavy objects. There’s the solitude of picking your own path and tempo and of pushing yourself. But there is also the camaraderie of the team, where everyone’s performance is important.

Running has given me so much. In light of the Boston Marathon tragedy, where I’ve raced several times, I am reminded of the universality of running, of caring for our bodies and for each other, of triumphing over adversity and even, sometimes, despair. Running shows us our inner confidence and courage.

I’m icing my right knee twice a day because spring fever had me running down mountains and rock hopping with my kids a bit too enthusiastically. I realize that icing, stretching and core work are all a part of running as we get older. I don’t love to do these things, but I am trying to be disciplined. For kids who are new to running (at least in the more intentional form of a running club), laps on a track might seem similarly dull or even dreadful. I hope to share the spark with those who will listen, that we accomplish so much by running if we’re willing to dedicate ourselves to trying. We will get faster, and we will go farther, and we will go beyond what we thought ever possible.

Marlene Farrell is a Leavenworth writer and long-distance runner who has qualified twice for the U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials. She also helps coach the Peshastin-Dryden Striders kids running club.

“We want to provide a way for people to come together and to show their respects toward those impacted by this horrific act of violence,” said Steve Maher, a partner in RunWenatchee. “We also feel it’s important to show resolve that runners everywhere won’t be deterred by what happened Monday.

“The entire community is invited. People can walk if they would like. In fact, many of the participants in our regular weekly event walk the course. So you don’t necessarily need to be a runner,” Maher said.

RunWenatchee is encouraging participants to wear a running shirt if they have one. RunWenatchee also will have on hand a limited number of ‘Remember Boston’ bibs for people to wear.

The weekly run/walk begins outside Saddle Rock Pub & Brewery at First and Columbia streets in downtown Wenatchee, gets on the Apple Capital Recreation Loop Trail and then returns to the starting point. People can check in anytime between 5 and 7 p.m. Thursday and run or walk at their own pace and distance. There is no charge.

RunWenatchee has been holding the weekly run/walk since early January. About 150 people typically show up. After completing 10 of the runs or walks, participants receive a free shirt noting their accomplishment.

Founded in 2008, RunWenatchee holds several official running events each year, including the Red Devil Challenge Trail Run, Lake Chelan Marathon and Half Marathon, River Run, and Turkey on the Run. The group also puts on the weekly Thursday runs, track workouts and social events.

I love how disparate parts of my life collide when I least expect it. They throw me off guard and provide me with a lovely “Ah, hah!”

Right now I’m thinking about ants and running. Ants are my recent obsession. Not from a pest-control perspective, but from that of a curious explorer, taking a “Journey to the Ants” with authors Bert Hölldobler and E.O. Wilson. In this amazing book I am learning about ants’ myriad ways of labor division, resource gathering, reproduction and colony construction. All these elements come together and raise ants to preeminence in many ecosystems.

Leaf-cutter ants move fast and hold up under weight

Running is always an obsession, but in March it monopolizes larger chunks of my brain as I devise training schemes, start to trail run and dream of future races. But what does running have to do with these busy hordes of insects, each less than an inch long?

The athletic geniuses of our species have pushed the limits of what we think humanly possible. Usain Bolt can run 23.35 mph when running for 100 meters and Patrick Makau can run 12.72 mph when running 26.2 miles. But we are out of our league, physiologically, when we think of pronghorns and cheetahs. Perhaps if we made the cheetah or pronghorn run backward, Bolt would stand a chance. Or if we strapped an eight-pound weight to their heads (to mimic the human head, our evolutionary choice over quadrupedal locomotion), Makau might cut the tape.

How often do we consider other, less conspicuous inhabitants of the planet and applaud their speed, agility and endurance? Holldobler and Wilson magnify the world of leaf-cutter ants to the human scale. They explain that while foraging, a leaf-cutter ant runs the equivalent of 10 miles at a 16-mph pace. Not too impressive, perhaps. However, then the forager picks up a burden of 600 pounds or more and runs back to the nest at a 15-mph pace! This “marathon” is repeated multiple times in a 24-hour period, for the sake of colony success. There is no massage, dinner buffet or propping one’s feet up for these serious athletes. The foragers often run their routes until they literally fall over. Dead.

Looking for endurance? Try these white-rumped sandpipers that cruise 9,000 miles at 15,000 feet.

Another book that added perspective to my sense of endurance is “Why We Run” by Bernd Heinrich, a biologist, award-winning nature writer and ultramarathoner. Heinrich studies long distance migratory birds. Their feats, when fully comprehended, are mind-blowing. We humans have our 100-mile races and 24-hour endurance runs and even, for those looking for extra challenge, the multi-day events across deserts or the Antarctic. But consider the white-rumped sandpiper. It has a complete journey of more than 9,000 miles, almost from pole to pole, twice a year. The middle chunk of the journey, of just under 3,000 miles, is done non-stop over at least three days and nights. Birds may not suffer rocks and creek crossings and steep climbs as encountered by a trail racer. Rather they cruise at 15,000 feet, where drag is minimal, but so is the oxygen. And there’s no aid station table, laden with salted potatoes, sandwiches and candy, just around the next bend. These migrants carry their aid station on their backs, or more correctly, around their tummies, where they store enough fat to sometimes start at double their finishing weight.

To compare my pedestrian miles to the achievements of ants and birds is a humbling experience. My legs will never be as slender or as numerous as an ant’s. There’s no way for me to hollow out my bones like a bird’s. Like my feathered and six-legged friends, my evolutionary history is one of movement. Long distance running and walking, to be exact. My brain evolved to devise ways to run a little less to reach my goal. My ancestors might have been bee-lining for a fresh carcass, while I run tangents and hug the insides of curves to shorten a race course. I marvel at my athletic betters, under my feet and above my head, while I do what I do best, putting one foot in front of the other. And that fraction of day I devote to endurance exercise really feels quite small, compared to those animals that have made it their livelihood.

Marlene Farrell is a Leavenworth writer and long-distance runner who has qualified twice for the U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials. She also helps coach the Peshastin-Dryden Striders kids running club.