A Runner's Resolve

We're delighted to see that the Cascade Crest 100-Mile Endurance Run made a number of ultrarunners' 'Best Of 2009' lists, and it's fun hearing everyone's resolutions for the new year. Among the most inspiring comes from Cheri Redwine, who paced her husband Gary to a 28th place finish at the Cascade Crest 100 this past year.

The backstory: just three years ago, this mother of five was spending most of the day in her recliner, out of shape and on pain killers. Her doctors said she had fibromyalgia. Then she picked up Dean Karnazes' book and came to believe she could do better for herself. She hadn't run since childhood -- and she started with a twenty-minute mile.

Last year she finished the Where's Waldo 100K.

This year she goes for her first 100-mile finish.

We venerate our elite runners in ultrarunning, and deservedly so. Their accomplishments are so mind-bending, they sometimes seem to be of a different species altogether. But Cheri's story reminds us that every runner has their own deep history, their own personal demons and battles. Turning your life around like Cheri has done is truly something remarkable. Remember her when your new year's resolutions start to grow stale, and we'll see you out there on the trails.

Want to Run the Cascade Crest 100 in 2010?

Here are some things you'll need to know. The race takes place August 28 & 29, and the entry process is the same as we've used in the past. The application will become available on the Cascade Crest 100 website on February 1. We'll accept runner entries by regular U.S. mail starting with a Friday, February 13 postmark. Please don't send by FedEx, UPS, or Express Mail, all of which risk waking a sleeping baby. Qualified runners will be accepted according to postmark date on a first-come, first-serve basis.

We plan to start 140 runners this year and will close the field at 170 entries. We expect the race to fill quickly, and as before, there won't be a wait list. The entry fee is $195, same as it's been since 2008. Runners who cancel prior to July 1 will be refunded $100.

Additionally, you must complete a 50-mile race sometime prior to the race start date, and we'll have a trail work requirement again this year. As before, volunteers from the 2009 race will be able to enter early, starting with a Monday, February 1 postmark.

Unique Gifts

If you're still on the hunt for a unique gift -- and who isn't -- check out the beautiful rings and necklaces created by our good friend Leah Kangas Jurek.

Leah, of course, is the artist responsible for those gorgeous hand-carved block prints that all Cascade Crest finishers received in recent years.

Leah's jewelry is handmade from a variety of natural materials, including metal, leather, and wool, silk, bamboo and cotton fibers, the latter of which are massaged together in a process known as felting, aka the oldest-known form of fabric-making. You can now find Leah's jewelry at the Seattle boutiques KOBO on Capitol Hill, Bitters Co. in Fremont, and Juniper in Madrona. Out-of-towners can also contact her via her website.

For the Ultrarunner on Your List

The Tribute to the Trails 2010 Calendar makes a perfect holiday gift for the active or aspiring ultrarunner on your list. The calendar features twelve months of Glenn Tachiyama's beautiful trail photography and a handy ultramarathon schedule for the Pacific Northwest and Western U.S. -- very helpful for making next year's training and racing plans. Plus, all profits go to the Washington Trails Association, a group that protects and enhances trails statewide, including some of the Cascade Crest 100 course.

Purchase calendars for $20 in person or online at the Seattle Running Company; Rogue Valley Runners in Ashland, Ore.; and Zombie Runner in Palo Alto, Cal.; and in person at the Balanced Athlete in Kent, Wash.; Everyday Athlete in Kirkland, Wash.; Fairhaven Runners in Bellingham, Wash.; Fit Right Northwest Walking and Running in Vancouver, Wash. and Portland, Ore.; and Fleet Feet in Bend, Ore. And become a fan on Facebook, if you're so inclined.

UPDATE: Glenn tells me that the calendar raised an amazing $15,000 for WTA last year and more than $35,000 since 2006. Thanks for supporting those who support us.

Ultrarunning Magazine Race Report

Charlie's Cascade Crest 100 race report is the spotlight article in November's Ultrarunning Magazine. It's a great summary of this year's event and includes such gems as this one about fourth place finisher Wouter Hamelinck, of Belgium:

"Wouter Hamelinck impressed everyone he met with his adventurous spirit and cheerful, helpful nature. He flew from Belgium to Seattle with his bike and pedaled to the start on Thursday. Friday he volunteered a full day on his feet helping race staff sort and pack gear for the aid stations. After scorching through the Cascades to a fourth place finish and grabbing a nap and shower, he loaded up his panniers and took off bicycling to the East, heading for Minnesota and the Superior 100 two weeks away. Keep that in mind the next time you plan what Wouter described as "a quick vacation from work".

New Assistant RD for Cascade Crest

Lucy Crissman finally arrived on the scene Tuesday morning. Her parents are so grateful to have a healthy little girl back at home. Thanks so much to all of you who have shared your good wishes and offered support. We've put our ultra skills to use and found a new use for duct tape!

2009 Splits

Apologies for the delay stats lovers but I've finally got the splits entered. If you see any obvious errors send me a note (charliecrissman at gmail). Splits are in an excel file. They are entered by aid station arrival using time of day and the excel entries are text strings.

2009 Race Reports

Check out race reports from runners, pacers, and others involved in this year's Cascade Crest 100. Among our favorites are runner reports from Jen, Christian, Scotty, Franz, Dan, Miles, Scott, Van, and a newspaper writeup about Matt. Also of interest: narration from pacers Cheri and Heidi, runner crew Jessica, sweepers Becky and dogs, and volunteer Jon. And check out a fun race summary from local endurance athlete and coach Matt Hart.

Late additions: More runner reports, from Linda and Rod, and a pacer report from Bruce.

Randy Returns

Among the many great stories from this year's race was that Cascade Crest 100 founder Randy Gehrke returned as an entrant for the first time. Randy, a retired King County Sheriff's deputy, used to mark the entire course in one push, unsupported, under the 32 hr time limit (check the old results) and accompanied only by his dogs and a couple of friends. This year almost a dozen runners shared that same course-marking job.

To Randy's right in the photo above are Tim Stroh who helped with course marking and Ron Behrmann, who co-directed the run and handled logistics in the race's early days. Tim finished an impressive 7th overall in this year's race, in 21 hours and 44 minutes.

Glenn Tachiyama's Race Photos

Seattle-based photographer Glenn Tachiyama has posted his photographs of this year's race as seen from Goat Peak, Stampede Pass, and Thorpe Mountain. As usual, Glenn delivers amazing images of the course and the runners. Check them out!