Meissner, Shelton take Crater Lake run: Oregon runners become first-time marathon winners in 33rd annual event

Mail Tribune

Medford, Oregon
August 10, 2008

By FRANK SILOW

 

Jenn Shelton, of Ashland, runs by the 10-mile maker on her way to winning the Crater Lake Rim Runs and Marathon on Saturday.

Sean Meissner capitalized on a colossal mistake, while Ashland’s Jenn Shelton was in need of a workout. But the two runners came away as the male and female marathon winners in the 33rd Crater Lake Rim Runs and Marathon on Saturday.

 

Meissner, of Sisters, was destined as the runner-up until leader Chuck Engle missed a turnaround two miles from the finish line.

 

Engle, a 37-year-old experienced marathoner from New York City, led the race from the outset and built an insurmountable lead in his first appearance in the Crater Lake race. After passing through the Lost Creek campground and going uphill two miles on a dirt road, runners turn around and come back down the road to finish at the campground. When Engle got to the turnaround, flagged by orange cones and manned by race staff, he kept going. Race officials attempted to point Engle in the right direction, but he ignored their instructions. Engle ended up finishing fifth, more than 15 minutes behind the winner.

 

“I feel bad for (Engle),” said Meissner, 35. “He should have won.”

 

Crater Lake Rim Runs

recap: Sean Meissner takes advantage of error by race leader Chuck Engle to win men’s marathon, while recent Ashland resident Jenn Shelton easily breaks women’s record.winning times: Meissner, 2:55.47; Shelton, 3:15.01

Meissner recorded a victorious time of 2 hours, 55 minutes, 47 seconds. Former winner Todd Ragsdale of Talent was runner-up for the second straight year.

 

Meissner, who specialized in longer ultra-marathons, had run in the Crater Lake race only once before, in 2002. His goal was to break the three hour mark.

 

“I had a great race,” said Meissner. “I was stoked about my time. It’s probably the hardest road marathon in the country.”

 

Meissner was sixth earlier in the race before moving ahead of Ragdale into second place at about the 11-mile mark. Ragsdale retook second on a long downhill, but the central Oregon runner regained the No. 2 spot on an uphill stretch about 1/2-mile later and was never passed again.

 

Meissner was unclear about Engle’s predicament, but the Washington native knew he had the lead after the final turnaround.

 

“I just leaned forward and let my legs take me,” said Meissner about the last two miles downhill to the finish line. “I knew I had a good enough lead on (Ragsdale) going up. My strength is the ups. The whole day, that’s where I passed people.”

 

Shelton moved to Ashland just two months ago from Bend. It was her first time at Crater Lake. The 24-year-old runner called race director Bob Freirich on Thursday in an attempt to enter. Freirich told her the race was full, but called back later that day to inform Shelton there was an opening because someone dropped out.

 

Shelton’s time of 3:15.01 shattered the previous record of 3:18.10 by Hillary Simmons of Roseburg in 1991.

 

“I’ve been injured and out of shape,” said Shelton, who is also a ultra-marathoner. “I wanted to do the race because I needed a good workout.

 

Shelton went to the lead early and was never challenged. Abigail Stephens, of Knoxville, Tenn., placed second, over 12 minutes behind.

 

“There were two out-and-backs and I knew I was ahead,” said Shelton. “I wanted a nice, sustained effort. It went well without a hitch.”

 

Alex Peterson, a 17-year-old senior at Klamath Union High, won the men’s half-marathon with a time of 1:22.42, while Elyse Braner of Washington D.C. took the women’s race at 1:30.57.

Crater Lake Rim Runs Results – Top 25

MARATHON

MEN — 1, Sean Meissner, Sisters, 2:55.47; 2, Todd Ragsdale, Talent, 2:57.06; 3, Brendan Lunty, Camrose, Canada, 3:05.41; 4, Tyler Baker, Scappoose, 3:07.55; 5, Chuck Engle, New York, 3:11.27; 6, Mike Miller, Sonora, Calif., 3:29.12; 7, Steven Chorma, O’Fallon, Ill., 3:31.14; 8, Eugene Trahern, Sisters, 3:31.59; 9, Lance Dayton, Portland, 3:35.45; 10, Iain Bailey, Los Angeles, 3:42.01; 11, Brad Mangan, Klamath Falls, 3:46.29; 12, Kevin Dean, Portland, 3:49.50; 13, John Mick, Klamath Falls, 3:55.18.

14, Dan Lutes, Noblesville, Ind., 3:55.31; 15, William Dubinsky, Hoboken, N.J., 3:55.54; 16, Theo Parisek, Rescue, Calif., 4:02.19; 17, Dean Hutchinson, Long Beach, N.Y., 4:03.00; 18, Mike Chamberland, Klamath Falls, 4:06.45; 19, Eric Rubinson, Cranford, N.J., 4:14.33; 20, Tom Craven, Honolulu, 4:15.06; 21, Martin Balding, Susanville, Calif., 4:15.10; 22, Tom Vasquez, Anderson, Calif., 4:15.10; 23, Don Fenno, Seattle, 4:28.33; 24, Jose Guerra, Eagle Pass, Tex., 4:38.36; 25, Dale Finchum, Gold Hill, 4:43.25.

WOMEN — 1, Jenn Shelton, Ashland, 3:15.01; 2, Abigail Stephens, Knoxville, Tenn., 3:27.56; 3, Van Phan, Maple Valley, Wash., 3:53.43; 4, Terry Kremer, Manitou Springs, Colo., 4:04.40; 5, Lisa Dean, Fort Jones, Calif., 4:07.44; 6, Tricia Perrine, Hesperia, Ariz., 4:09.02; 7, Sandy Mundy, Klamath Falls, 4:11.50; 8, Ann Borland, Eugene, 4:23.55; 9, Jayne Baker, Vancouver, Wash., 4:35.26; 10, Lynn Gray, Tampa, Fla., 4:43.03; 11, Sharon Rogers, Noti, 4:49.17; 12, Romney Jagotka, Tijeras, N.M., 5:00.23.

13, Sondra Marker, Tipp Way, Ohio, 5:07.21; 14, Fenny Roberts, Salem, 5:08.51; 15, Leslie Miller, Newcastle, Wash., 5:11.23; 16, Jeanette Palmer, Scottsdale, Ariz., 5:40.34; 17, Kim Holliday, Lake Almanor, Calif., 5:40.34; 18, Carolyn MacOla, Loomis, Calif., 5:50.00; 19, Andrea Lynn, Naples, Fla., 5:51.29; 20, Yolanda Holder, Corona, Calif., 5:55.44; 21, Cyndie Merten, Corvallis, 5:56.35; 22, Bonnie Menicucci, Burlingame, Calif., 6:19.03; 23, Sally Tyree, Yorba Linda, Calif., 6:32.36.

 

HALF MARATHON

MEN — 1, Alex Peterson, Klamath Falls, 1:22.42; 2, Shawn Miller, Coos Bay, 1:30.14; 3, Eric Jensen, Athena, 1:33.38; 4, Ryan Ogliore, Berkeley, Calif., 1:37.08; 5, Gerald Davis, Bandon, 1:39.42; 6, Stephen O’Neal, Klamath Falls, 1:40.12; 7, Grif Wilder, Gold Hill, 1:41.43; 8, Phillip Kriett, Corvallis, 1:41.45; 9, Christof Graber, Corvallis, 1:41.49; 10, Russell Morgan, Reno, Nev., 1:44.41; 11, Thomas Bentley, Klamath Falls, 1:46.30; 12, Justin Morgan, Nampa, Idaho, 1:46.46; 13, Tyler Gerking, San Francisco, 1:47.24.

 

14, Greg Boeh, Gig Harbor, Wash., 1:47.40; 15, Curtis Grant, Othello, Wash., 1:48.31; 16, Brandon Lemerande, Bandon, 1:48.46; 17, Richard Spaccarelli, Lake Oswego, 1:53.49; 18, Steve Hasenmueller, Memphis, Tenn., 1:54.38; 19, Doug Madsen, Bonanza, 1:54.52; 20, Michael Albrecht, Randallstown, Md., 1:56.32; 21, Patrick Martinez, Medford, 1:59.30; 22, Greg Bingham, Eugene, 2:00.22; 23, Scott Brainard, Keno, 2:00.40; 24, Frank Swisher, Eagle Point, 2:02.54; 25, McCoy Smith, Portland, 2:03.05.

 

WOMEN — 1, Elyse Braner, Washington D.C., 1:30.27; 2, Cheryl Tronson, Bend, 1:35.08; 3, Brooke Vogel, Cottage Grove, 1:35.49; 4, Jenna Cunningham, Central Point, 1:43.34; 5, Megan Czemy, Corvallis, 1:47.54; 6, Lisa Ott, Fort Collins, Colo., 1:49.02; 7, Megan Gerking, Medford, 1:49.55; 8, Jennifer Lloyd, Bend, 1:54.26; 9, Talia Starkey, Altadena, Calif., 1:57.01; 10, Rachal Royce, Lake Oswego, 1:58.04; 11, Gina Classen, Branson, Mo., 1:59.08; 12, Amy Frazer, Portland, 1:59.59; 13, Summer Carter, Tampa, Fla., 2:00.44.

 

14, Jenine Holsington, Montague, Calif., 2:02.11; 15, Kaali Sill, Coville, Wash., 2:03.51; 16, Kerrie Johnson, Berwyn, Ill, 2:03.58; 17, Maria O’Neal, Klamath Falls, 2:05.40; 18, Juliane Ross, Eugene, 2:10.42; 19, Christy Lin, North Quincy, Mass., 2:12.16; 20, Jessica Czerny, Beaverton, 2:12.25; 21, Lori Lunty, Camrose, Canada, 2:13.30; 22, Cesia Kearns, Minneapolis, 2:15.21; 23, Heather McManus, Portland, 2:15.46; 24, Michelle Albrecht, Randallstown, Md., 2:16.40; 25, Cassie Barton, Milwaukie, 2:16.47.

 

6.7-MILE RUN

 

MEN — 1, Chris Reed, Klamath Falls, 35:26; 2, Dan Brown, Portland, 38:21; 3, Kirby Garlitz, Klamath Falls, 38:43; 4, David Carruth, Klamath Falls, 39:05; 5, Cortland Henderson, Klamath Falls, 39:53; 6, Adrian Martinez, Bonanza, 40:28; 7, Chuck Janes, Medford, 42:24; 8, Brent Corning, Lakeview, 42:46; 9, Caleb Agular, Klamath Falls, 44:21; 10, Tony Vido, Amity, 49:44; 11, Brian Warren, Klamath Falls, 50:03; 12, Riann Parker, Klamath Falls, 50:28; 13, Amie Tronson, Bend, 50:45.

 

14, Denny Brumback, Klamath Falls, 50:46; 15, Tim Newnham, Klamath Falls, 51:56; 16, Micah Harpel, Battleground, Wash., 53:25; 17, Allan O’Neill, Monroe, Wash., 53:54; 18, Travis Caldwell, Ashland, 54:07; 19, David Caldwell, Coppersburg, Pa., 54:38; 20, Noah Grant, Othello, Wash., 54:46; 21, Benjamin Thorpe, Bonanza, 54:48; 22, Timothy Choma, Brookline, N.H., 56:02; 23, Jerry Rich, Roseburg, 56:28; 24, Dustin Waugh, Klamath Falls, 56:30; 25, Eric Rupert, Klamath Falls, 57:01.

 

WOMEN — 1, Jennifer Dobson, Oakton, Va., 42:12; 2, Laura Raber, Eagle Point, 45:05; 3, Sue Fuller, Reno, Nev., 47:57; 4, Susie Waugh, Klamath Falls, 49:15; 5, Edith Moss, Hoboken, N.J., 49:28; 6, Karlene Austin, Prineville, 50:02; 7, Alexandra Enriquez, Medford, 56:52; 8, Cathy Marshall, Sisters, 57:29; 9, Ashley Loetscher, Santa Clara, Calif., 58:07; 10, Jessica Dean, Philomath, 58:53; 11, Kirsten Peterson, Klamath Falls, 59:26; 12, Lane Spunaugle, Gig Harbor, Wash., 59:33; 13, Marigrace Marshall, Sisters, 59:54.

 

14, Beth Sprague, Oakridge, 1:00.25; 15, Kathy Fultz, Monmouth, 1:00.29; 16, Kristen Sukraw, Pullman, Wash., 1:01.47; 17, Amy Halloran-Steine, McMinnville, 1:01.58; 18, Laurie Sarkinen, Battleground, Wash., 1:02.18; 19, Caitlyn McLauchlin, Bandon, 1:02.55; 20, Desirae Hall, Bandon, 1:02.56; 21, Jenelissa Martin, Klamath Falls, 1:03.16; 22, Kriena Harris-Brown, Bly, 1:03.18; 23, Amyh Acosta, Eagle Point, 1:04.19; 24, Rachel Borgman, Portland, 1:04.46; 25, Joanne Hartley, Sublimity, 1:06.11.

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