Big high-five for Horse Lake Trail Runs
Trail runners in Sunday's Horse Lake event emerge from around the corner on the Homestead Trail.
By Steve Maher
RunWenatchee.com
WENATCHEE — In the wide open terrain that is the Horse Lake Reserve, Christian Wood could see the two runners ahead of him — Cory Feil and Amy Sheehan — for, well, virtually the entire way.
“I chased you for five miles,” Wood shouted to Sheehan as they exchanged high-fives shortly after finishing the Horse Lake 5-Mile Trail Run on Sunday morning.
The two also shared a laugh and a smile. And how could they not on a day when the temperature rose into the 70s, the Wenatchee Foothills were carpeted in wildflowers, and they got to hang out with 200 fellow trail runners present for the 5-Mile, 12-kilometer and half-marathon distances.
“You can never complain on a day like this,” said Sheehan, a Wenatchee resident and former Australian Olympic Ski Team member. “Everything about this place, Horse Lake, is amazing. You can’t keep me away.”
Sheehan captured the 5-mile women’s race in 41 minutes and 34 seconds. In the men’s 5-mile, Feil was clocked in 40:58 and Wood in 42:35.
Feil came in fifth place in the same race a year ago. This time, after the first switchback on the Homestead Trail, he didn’t see anyone in front of him. So he went for it.
“I said to myself, ‘I guess I will lead for awhile,’” he said.
In the 12K race, Heidi Loewen of Wenatchee came in first with a time of 58:48. Emerson Peek of Peshastin was the men’s 12K winner in 53:18.
Wenatchee’s Cody Gillin claimed the men’s portion of the half-marathon in 1:43:47, while Dani Reese of Portland finished first on the women’s side in 1:47:14.
For complete results: https://www.runwenatchee.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/HorseLake2016RaceResults.pdf
The snow-capped North Cascades are frequently in view during the Horse Lake Trail Runs.
Other participants garnered ‘firsts’ in other ways.
Chelan’s Kelly Larson said it was her first trail run race ever and also the first time she had visited the 1,700-acre Horse Lake Reserve, owned and managed by the Chelan-Douglas Land Trust.
“It is very beautiful, almost distractingly beautiful,” said Larson, who grew up in the Cashmere area. “I’ll be coming up here more often.”
Another first-time trail racer, Rachel Kakach of Seattle, said the views were amazing. She participated in the 12K run.
“I’ve been to Leavenworth but I’ve never been farther east; never been to Wenatchee before,” Kakach said. “It’s completely different terrain. It is absolutely stunning.”
Another Seattleite, Luke Dow, was on hand to support 12K trail runner Hannah Glover of Seattle. They were hanging out with their friends, Cody Gillin and his wife, Maura.
““It’s so very beautiful,” Dow said. “I told Maura that I’d love to have a house nestled up in one of those nooks. And she said, ‘So does everyone else. That’s why it’s protected.’”
A trio of North Branch, Mich., residents held the distinction of having come the farthest away for the Horse Lake Trail Runs. A few years ago, Dwayne Hawk, Shelly Bowman and Nicole Wernette set a goal of running at least one race in all 50 states. The Horse Lake event brought the number of states for races up to 19. Earlier this year, they ran in a Lafayette, La., race. Later this year, they will do ones in Boise, Idaho, and Turkey Run State Park, Ind.
The three flew in for the Horse Lake Trail Runs, spent Saturday evening in Wenatchee, and were due to leave for the trip home on Monday.
They found Wenatchee refreshing, loved glancing at real mountains, and were pleased with the condition of the Foothills trails.
“Oh my gosh this place is amazing,” Bowman said. “We had an awesome time.”
Horse Lake Trail Runs
Sunday, May 1
Men’s Half-Marathon
1. Cody Gillin, Wenatchee, 1:43:47
2. Craig Vander Hart, Wenatchee, 1:48:29
3. Dale Reicheneder, Malibu, Calif., 1:48:45
Women’s Half-Marathon
1. Dani Reese, Portland, 1:47:14
2. Laura Valaas, Wenatchee, 1:56:33
3. Justin Hambleton, Cashmere, 2:06:20
Men’s 12K
1. Emerson Peek, Peshastin, 53:18
2. Mike Parrish, Wenatchee, 56:41
3. Eric Merriman, Dryden, 57:59
Women’s 12K
1. Heidi Loewen, Wenatchee, 58:48
2. Colleen Miller, East Wenatchee, 59:00
3. Stephanie Macon, East Wenatchee, 1:00:17
Men’s 5-Mile
1. Cory Feil, East Wenatchee, 40:58
2. Christian Wood, Malaga, 42:35
3. Robert Johnson, Wenatchee, 44:02
Women’s 5-Mile
1. Amy Sheehan, Wenatchee, 41:34
2. Haley Johnson, Wenatchee, 47:28
3. Carly Morrison, 45:49
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