Marathon has world, local flavor
Herald and News
Klamath Falls, Oregon
August 11, 2002
By BRIAN MORTENSEN
CRATER LAKE NATIONAL PARK — In the year Crater Lake National Park turns 100 years old, it’s only appropriate that a runner from abroad and a runner from Klamath County were each champions of the greatest race within the park borders.
Gunner Rethfeldt of Portland, by way of Erfurt, Germany, was the mens’ champion of the Crater Lake Marathon from The Watchman on the Rim Drive to the Lost Creek Campground, part of the 27th annual Crater Lake Marathon and Rim Runs, while Margie Retterath of Klamath Falls was the female champion.
They were the leaders in a field of 49 runners, an unusually low turnout for the race, blamed primarily on an anticipated lingering concentration of smoke from forest fires in southern and central Oregon.
Rethfeldt, 32, said he was “a little bit worried” when he arrived at the national park Friday and saw the slight haze of smoke through the trees.
“I was afraid I couldn’t breathe today, but it was excellent conditions today,” he said. “The air was crisp, the temperature was perfect, and the elevation didn’t bother me that much.”
Rethfeldt won the race in two hours, 57 minutes, 37.6 seconds, nearly 13 minutes ahead of Oregon Institute of Technology distance standout Perry Custance, who ran in 3:10:46.
Retterath, 45, finished 11th overall and won the women’s championship in a time of 3:49:17.
He said the toughest part of the race for Rethfeldt, as is typical for many runners who take on the course — which ranges from 5,980 to 7,850 feet in elevation — the climb of 100 feet in 1.5 miles of the down-and-back portion at Cloud Cap midway through the race.
“But the worst thing was the downhill,” he said. “My quad(riceps) muscles were pounding, especially coming down the last hill (from the Grayback turnaround to the finish at Lost Creek Campground).
“I thought I’d need to walk.”
As tough as the Crater Lake Marathon was for him, it’s not nearly the toughest of the 12 marathons Rethfeldt has taken on.
That would be a 78-kilometer (48.5 miles) race in the Swiss Alps he ran three years ago, which was his last marathon-type race.
“The elevation is even higher,” he said. “It goes up to 10,000 feet.”
Rethfeldt, who works in the financial department of Portland’s headquarters of Adidas, said he had a simple plan for Saturday’s race.
“I wanted to win,” he said, but offered that he wanted to run the first half of the race in one hour, 24 minutes.
“And that was exactly what I did,” he said. “I was 1:23:50 or something like that, exactly on target. And then when I came here (through the Lost Creek Campground at Mile 21), I thought I could run in 2:52, but the last hill is a tough one.”
Rethfeldt, who said he prefers to run 13-mile half-marathons, said he plans on running “a crazy race in New Zealand at the end of the year,” one that is 68 kilometers (42.25 miles).
Retterath, who had completed nine marathons prior to Saturday, including races in New York, Boston, Portland, San Francisco and Las Vegas, nearly didn’t finish Saturday’s race.
“This is a tough course,” she said. “It’s much more difficult than anything I’ve ever done before.
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“I thought New York was hard. It’s a piece of cake compared to this.”
What made it difficult in the beginning for her was a case of diarrhea that dehydrated her and nearly caused her to turn around not three miles into the race.
“There was a man on the course, and as I turned around, I was walking back and he said, ‘What are you doing,'” she recalled with a laugh. “I said, ‘I quit,’ and he said, ‘No, you can’t do that,’ and so he walked uphill with me to the aid station.
“And I got two glasses of Gatorade in me, and I kept going.”
Retterath ran Saturday, in good health or no, to help keep the Crater Lake Rim Runs going with her participation.
“I had heard rumors this might be the last year of this marathon, because (its organization) needs funding and it needs somebody to run it, ” she said. “And I said, Y’know, I’m going to feel really badly if I don’t run it at least once.”
It was this kind of altruistic spirit that led her to run in the New York Marathon last November.
“I had qualified for New York for a second time but had had to cancel for two years in a row because of injuries,” she said. “And I was just getting back into running, and I thought, I really don’t think I should try it, but then with the September 11 disaster, I decided, I’m just going to go and support the city of New York and go ahead and run it.
“I didn’t train for it hardly at all, and I went back there and I did real well.”
She finished first in her age group, running in 3:14:59.
Retterath only began running marathons seven years ago, and she spent three years recovering from injury, including a broken leg sustained two years ago this month that kept her out for 10 months.
Her personal best was run in Portland, at 3:08, and she may run there again this fall.
“It’ll probably be a spur-of-the-moment deal if I do it,” she said.
As incredible as it may sound to decide to run a marathon via quick decision, Retterath said it’s possible mainly through what she calls a strong endurance base.
“I think once you have that base,” she said. “I can do one with relatively little training. I won’t run a great marathon, but I can do one.”
Custance, who finished third in the 2000 Crater Lake Marathon, said he didn’t do much training at all to prepare for Saturday’s race.
“I think the longest run I did was 12 miles a few weeks ago,” he said. “It was kind of like, put myself in pain for a day.
“The downhill just thrashed me to shreds.”
Custance starts practicing with the Oregon Tech team later this month, as the Owls start their season at Humboldt State Sept. 5.
MARATHON MUSINGS — Like Rethfeldt, Bob Shorrock, the 2000 and 2001 Crater Lake Marathon champion, also works for Adidas in Portland … Shorrock happens to be Rethfeldt’s training partner … Shorrock was not back to defend his back-to-back titles … besides Custance, the top local finisher was Retterath … the next local finisher was Neil Zingg, 36, of Klamath Falls … Rethfeldt finished nearly a minute behind Shorrock’s winning time last year … Bob Dolphin, Renton, Wash., completed his 297th marathon at Crater Lake Saturday …. Dolphin, 73, plans to run his 300th marathon at Victoria, British Columbia, Oct. 13 … Saturday’s field in the marathon included 49 finishers, down from last year’s total of 67 … a high of 130 ran in the 1999 marathon.
CRATER LAKE RIM RUN MARATHON (26.2 MILES)
1. Gunner Rethfeldt, Portland, 2:57:37.6; 2. Perry Custance, Jacksonville, 3:10:46; 3. Sean Meissner, Sisters, 3:18:19; 4. Rod Campbell, Vancouver, BC, 3:29:44; 5.Greg Burnett, Lake Oswego, 3:31:01; 6. Eric Jensen, Pendleton, 3:36:47; 7. Martin Balding, Susanville, 3:40:02; 8. Michael McPheters, Wheaton, IL, 3:43:39; 9. Adam Higgins, Corvallis, 3:45:26; 10. Kevin Martinell, Bellevue, WA, 3:49:05;
11. Margie Retterath*, Klamath Falls, 3:49:17; 12. Michael Dutton, Bellingham, WA, 3:52:37; 13. Doug Saari, Tucson, AZ, 3:59:03; 14. Vern Latta, Bellingham, WA, 4:00:10; 15. Martin Silbernagel, Salem, 4:02:23; 16. Garry Sherman, Ashville, NC, 4:04:36; 17. James Simpson, Anaheim, CA, 4:09:36; 18. Neil Zingg, Klamath Falls, 4:10:06; 19. John Dodge, Ashland, 4:22:00; 20. Jon Mahoney, Vernon, BC, 4:22:01;
21. Tracy-Kim Campbell, Vancouver, BC, 4:25:06; 22. Jennifer Bogle, Bend, 4:26:05; 23. Jim Donovan, 4:26:05; 24. Michael Shiach, Bainbridge Island, WA, 4:28:52; 25.Richard Ketchum, Kent, WA, 4:29:45; 26. Erik Bergstrom, Sprague River, 4:30:59; 27. Tom Vasquez, Anderson, CA, 4:35.32; 28. Sandy Padgett, Independence, KY, 4:37:15; 29. Jim Tallman, Beaverton, 4:43:58; 30. Steven Bouwkamp, Farmington Hills, MI, 4:46:04;
31. Jennifer Bouwkamp, Farmington Hills, MI, 4:46:06; 32. Bob Dolphin, Renton, WA, 4:46:12; 33. Steve Shapiro, Portland, 4:48:14; 34. Terry Castles, Portland, 4:50:41; 35. Gene Weddle, San Jose, CA, 4:52:10; 36. David Register, Portland, 4:55:20; 37.Ray Jackson, Modesto, CA, 5:03:16; 38. Ed Hansen, Stayton, 5:14:42; 39. William Knox, Baton Rouge, LA, 5:17:04; 40. Sandy Mundy, Klamath Falls, 5:21:08;
41. Kimberly Keller, Seattle, 5:27:10; 42. Dale Ghaner, Modesto, CA, 5:27:40; 43.Paul Butchko, Greensburg, PA, 5:31:41; 44. Allen Miller, Modesto, CA, 5:40:40; 45.Ronald Rosenblatt, Salem, 5:45:15; 46. Famida Hanif-Weddle, San Jose, CA, 5:46:43; 47. Boyd Richardson, West Jordan, UT, 5:48:18; 48. Laurence Macon, San Antonio, TX, 5:57:08; 49. Bill Hardt, Tualatin, 5:58:52.
Other pages in this section
- Park ranger recognized for rescue efforts – December 15, 2002
- Crater Lake ranger presented with Exemplary Act Award – December 07, 2002
- Obituaries – James Robert Read – November 24, 2002
- Plan: Relocate rim parking: Rim Village parking may leave Crater Lake’s edge – November 22, 2002
- Snow closes Crater Lake’s Rim Drive – November 13, 2002
- Crater Lake symposium broad as well as deep – October 07, 2002
- Renowned oceanographer featured speaker at Crater Lake symposium – September 18, 2002
- Rex Lee Trulove – September 08, 2002
- Crater Lake Fascinations: Diller’s pin, clear water, fish stories keep lake and park a place of wonder forever fascinating – August 31, 2002
- Navy pilot drops in to Crater Lake, again – August 27, 2002
- Crater Lake centennial party: Celebration amid the smoke – August 26, 2002
- Celebration day: Crater Lake National Park transformed for festivities – August 25, 2002
- Crater Lake license plate available in Oregon – August 25, 2002
- Happy 100th to the gem of Klamath – August 23, 2002
- Crater Lake learning center dedicated – August 23, 2002
- Long lines expected for new license plates – August 23, 2002
- National Park Service leader pays return visit to Crater Lake – August 23, 2002
- Crater Lake events listed – August 22, 2002
- Larson honored for Crater Lake work – August 18, 2002
- Obituary: Howard ‘Bud’ Hittenrauch – August 15, 2002
- Speakers set for Crater Lake – August 15, 2002
- Stunning revelations at high elevations: Runners experience life – August 11, 2002
- Lindgren makes memorable win – August 11, 2002
- Runner takes ‘stroll in park’ – August 11, 2002
- Bush to visit Oregon, not Crater Lake – August 06, 2002
- Keep Rim Drive open – all of the way – July 31, 2002
- Crater Lake license plate unveiled – July 31, 2002
- Dedication of Future Science & Learning Center – August 22, 2002
- The fight for Crater Lake/Winning National Park Status Wasn’t Easy – July 28, 2002
- Centennial Award goes to Crater Lake researcher – July 22, 2002
- The Crater Lake murders and the 9-fingered man – July 21, 2002
- The party is ‘on’ at Crater Lake – July 18, 2002
- Park plan looks at snipping Rim Road – July 05, 2002
- Controlled burns set for Monday at Crater Lake – June 16, 2002
- Controlled burns set for Monday at Crater Lake – June 15, 2002
- Crater Lake’s north entrance open – June 05, 2002
- Crater Lake looking at trail relocation, rehabilitation – June 05, 2002
- Lake retains beauty after 100 years – May 22, 2002
- Crater Lake National Park Centennial ‘Let the celebration begin’ 1902-2002 – May 21, 2002
- The jewel turns 100: a century after it was dedicated, Crater Lake National Park inspires wonder for millions – May 19, 2002
- Old stories about W. F. Arant and Steel come back again and again for family – May 13, 2002
- W.F. Arant – Crater Lake’s first superintendent – May 13, 2002
- Quilting Crater Lake: Rocky Point will raffle quilt to raise funds – May 12, 2002
- Crater Lake alumni sought – May 09, 2002
- Cafe at Crater Lake to reopen – April 26, 2002
- Park Service names new concession official – April 13, 2002
- National park’s father returns: Will Steele on stage at Crater Lake – April 9, 2002
- Xanterra Parks & Resorts Receives Contract to Manage Concessions – April 5, 2002
- Crater Lake to be subject of museum lectures – March 30, 2002
- Crater Lake employee reunion part of Centennial celebration – March 25, 2002
- ‘How Crater Lake came to be’: A Klamath Indian legend Special for the Herald and News – February 25, 2002
- Making tracks at Crater Lake: guide shares insights with snowshoers; his knowledge of the lake is legendary – February 24, 2002
- Crater Lake Centennial Cookbook to be a part of this year’s celebration – February 22, 2002
- Crater Lake Ski Patrol crucial to park operations – February 21, 2002
- Crater Lake concession awarded to Amfac – January 30, 2002
- Lost skiers find searchers – January 24, 2002
- Search for overdue skiers – January 21, 2002
- Going postal for Crater Lake – January 13, 2002