With the race course being on the Eastern edge of the Cascade Mountains the weather can vary in just a few miles. While Cle Elum was dark and rainy the route to the start included a drive ten miles East where the clouds did not exist and the full moon brightened the outlook for the day. As the runners neared the start/finish area one could look up and see the fast moving clouds literally fly by.

Thirteen runners elected to take the opportunity and start early. As most of the other competitors arrived the thirteen went out in the woods with flashlights in hand.

At the pre-race meeting the Race Director insisted, if not demanded, that all runners wear a wind shell and hat. While it was not really cold, the wind was still howling and the odds were that it would continue as the runners would reach the ridge line. Many runners opted to wear tights or wind pants. And, of those that did most were happy to have done so.

The Cle Elum Ridge 50 Km Trail Run is on single track all but the first road mile. After two gentle miles it starts up and for the next six miles the runners climb 3,500 feet. Then it becomes rolling and features some more climbs until the ridge is reached at ten miles.

The course was marked the day before and there were no obstacles. The runners reaching the ridge were surprised to find many downed trees. Runners said some of the downed trees were so large that they could not see the trail on the other side. More than one complained of being hit with falling branches and a few thought they were going to be hit by trees. The aid station crews had to break out chain saws to remove trees from the Forest Service Roads so that they could reach their stations.

The course follows the Cle Elum Ridge for several miles. On a clear day the view is spectacular. Even with the overcast the runners reported it great to look out over the valleys.

From mile 13 to mile 17 the trail goes in and out of clear cut that has been reforested. Even in its short five year tenure the course is taking on a different character each year as the new trees grow higher.

Mile 16 finds you on a mountain top some 6,000 feet above sea level. There was a dusting of snow on the ground and some of the runners reported hail at this point. After the peak there is a switch back trail down to Windy Pass where the wind was even greater than the ridge. Most runners made the turn down into the valley quickly and were glad to be out of the direct wind for the rest of the course.

Once the runners were in the valley they find themselves with a 12 mile run on rolling terrain along Taneum Creek. They were out of the direct wind, but they could still hear the branches breaking a hundred feet above them. The dozen stream crossings featured cold water that was more shocking then normal because of the colder air temperature. Most runners were happy to just finish comfortably and did not show concern about time or place in the standings.

But, that was not true for at least six of the runners. Both the men’s and women’s fields saw the fiercest competition ever seen at the Cle Elum.

Montrail’s Scott McCoubrey was out on the course watching and reported that it is the best competition he has seen all year.

On the men’s side Seattle’s Erik Brooks lead the middle part of the race with Arizona’s Brian Wieck close behind and British Columbia’s Rob Lang following a couple minutes later. But, apparently at the two thirds point Wieck and Lang got closer to Brooks and eventually pulled ahead of him. The last mile featured a down hill sprint by both Wieck and Lang. Lang finished so close to Wieck that he could reach out and touch him.

This was quite a demonstration of resolve for Brian Wieck is some 16 years younger than masters runner Rob Lang. Brain muttered something about Lang’s effort and how amazed he was that Rob could continue to push him so long.

And, Erik Brooks finished only a minute and a half behind the winners. It was a great finish for the men.

The women also had a strong race. It is reported that Portland’s Janet Mendel-Hartvig, British Columbia’s Linda Irvine and Washington’s Georgia Sanz Daniels were running extremely close together during the first half of the race. Scott McCoubrey stated that he thought it was fantastic competition even though the finish was not as close as the men’s. In the end Janet Mendel-Hartvig beat out Linda Irvine by one and a half minutes. That is just five minutes of the women’s course record and remarkable given the wind and the obstacles provided by over two dozen downed trees. Georgia Sanz Daniels finished just ten minutes later.

There was a post race barbecue and awards ceremony at the start finish area. Most people were bundled up in almost winter clothes to ward off the chill that the wind continued whipping through the trees.

Sixteen persons completing the fifth Cle Elum Ridge 50 Km Trail Run were presented with cast metal belt buckles which features an elk head. The Race Director announced that they would continue the five year buckle and announced a ten year jacket. More than one runner was heard to mumble, “Damm you Frank, I was going to retire from this tough race!”

The Cle Elum Ridge 50 Km Trail Run continues to be one of the premier races in the Pacific Northwest in part because of the support of Montrail, Hammer Gel, Power Bar, Zing, and Runners World. The event could not be held were it not for the assistance of the Kittitas County Search and Rescue.

For the year 2000 there will be much consideration given to moving to the third weekend in Septmber. The last weekend Saturday has proven to provide more iffy weather. Anyone with an opinion should contact Frank Fleetham at seafrank@seanet.com.

And speical thanks to Becky Wallick and Ray Nicholl for sweeping the entire 31 miles. That's a lot of ribbon and lots of patience with some slow movers during the last half.

Race Director Frank Fleetham

..Also...thanks to Rob Lang for sending this into ontherunevents.com !

Cle Elum Ridge 50 Km Trail Run
25-Sep-99
         Taneum Creek Area - Cle Elum, WA
         Cool, very windy, showers, hail and downed trees
         112 registered
         97 starters
         95 finishers


1.      Brian   Wieck   27      AZ      4:54:23
2.      Rob     Lang    43      BC      4:54:24
3.      Erik    Brooks  27      WA      4:56:00
4.      Tom     Hayes   48      MT      5:14:20
5.      Janet   Mendel-Hartvig  40      OR      5:28:05
6.      Linda   Irvine  44      BC      5:29:31
7.      Kendall Kreft   40      WA      5:31:24
8.      Matthew Sessions        34      BC      5:36:54
9.      Jeffrey Haddox  41      WA      5:39:12
10.     Georgia Sanz Daniels    31      WA      5:39:54
        Mike    Miller  43      WA      5:39:54
12.     Eric    Sach    30      WA      5:43:36
13.     James   Klarich 37      WA      5:44:21
14.     Mark    Barnett 34      WA      5:44:37
15.     Mark    Warner  40      WA      5:44:59
16.     Jeremy  Voorhis 29      WA      5:50:25
17.     Stewart Dutfield        44      WA      5:57:24
18.     Mike    Adams   31      WA      5:59:16
19.     Sally   Marcellus       46      BC      6:02:22
20.     Steve   Ellis   32      WA      6:07:22
21.     Paul    Vecchio 36      WA      6:10:43
22.     Ron     Nicholl 56      WA      6:10:57
23.     Rich    Ruhl    54      WA      6:12:43
24.     Bruce   Niedrauer       40      WA      6:14:49
25.     Doug    Beyerlein       49      WA      6:17:01
26.     Earl    Boyd    51      WA      6:18:02
27.     Nancy   Hamilton        42      BC      6:18:05
28.     Bob     Maxwell 40      WA      6:18:07
29.     Mary    Nakashimo       28      WA      6:19:18
30.     Earl    Preeper 42      BC      6:19:19
31.     Bob     Hayes   73      MT      6:20:32
32.     Brent   Spilsbury       51      WA      6:21:00
33.     Tim     Englund 33      WA      6:21:59
34.     Jody    Scheffelmaier   51      WA      6:25:13
35.     Gail    Bazeley 49      BC      6:28:09
36.     Dave    Dutton  43      WA      6:28:35
37.     Eva     Lust-Wright     29      WA      6:28:50
        Carol   Stuhley 37      WA      6:28:50
39.     Ted     Mueser  42      WA      6:34:36
40.     Chris   Nunn    30      WA      6:35:34
41.     Linda   Strobl  50      BC      6:36:54
42.     Patrick McLaughlin      54      WA      6:37:09
43.     Enzo    Federico        42      BC      6:37:20
44.     Steven  Burt    48      WA      6:37:31
45.     David   Haskins 24      WA      6:38:13
46.     Wendy   Shuttleworth    37      WA      6:44:22
47.     William Leitch  55      BC      6:45:26
48.     Steve   Collins 51      WA      6:48:16
49.     Mel     Preedy  66      WA      6:49:02
50.     Dennis  Ingrum  35      WA      6:51:01
51.     Travis  Millhollin      30      WA      6:51:11
52.     Tony    Covarrubias     38      WA      6:52:21
53.     Janet   Stadshaug       41      WA      6:52:31
54.     Tom     Poole   37      WA      6:52:52
55.     Ron     Warner  55      WA      6:52:57
56.     John    Bales   32      ID      6:53:03
57.     William Henshaw 43      WA      6:54:07
        Tom     Slining 53      WA      6:54:07
59.     Lester  Soule   53      WA      6:55:34
60.     Micah   Smith   43      WA      6:56:32
61.     Rich    Voorhees        63      MT      6:56:44
62.     Miller  Myers   61      WA      6:57:31
63.     Jane    Toyne   53      BC      6:59:05
64.     Michael Lindfield       52      WA      6:59:41
65.     David   Olsho   48      WA      7:11:07
66.     William Holmes  48      WA      7:14:25
67.     Steve   Loitz   43      WA      7:20:24
68.     Stanford        Wick    39      WA      7:23:55
69.     Tom     Reed    56      WA      7:25:20
70.     Cheri   Gillis  47      WA      7:27:32
71.     Patrick Hogan   48      WA      7:36:00
72.     Max     Welker  57      WA      7:36:55
73.     Mark    Konodi  43      WA      7:37:56
74.     Ted     Celland 55      WA      7:39:23
75.     Ike     Hesler  59      WA      7:40:15
76.     Steven  Pierce  37      ID      7:43:36
77.     Laura   Robinson        28      ID      7:44:07
78.     Mark    Clement 59      OR      7:54:33
79.     Sharon  Carlson 50      WA      7:58:30
80.     William Thrush  54      WA      8:05:40
81.     Mickey  Latting 63      WA      8:23:41
82.     Theresa Mare    36      OR      8:27:18
83.     Jim     Cullen  61      WA      8:35:14
84.     Jeff    Dean    43      WA      8:37:32
85.     Eugene  Nunn    65      WA      8:44:04
86.     Linda   Mansker 46      CA      8:55:22
87.     John    Carlson 56      WA      9:02:29
88.     Ken     Cretelli        61      BC      9:19:26
89.     Kyla    Adams   20      BC      9:40:13
        Ron     Adams   50      BC      9:40:13
91.     Janet   Cretelli        59      BC      9:40:50
92.     David   Nunn    36      WA      11:17:54
93.     Gloria  Deem    52      WA      11:17:56
94.     Sue     Burnham 48      WA      11:33:25
95.     Don     Burton  53      WA      11:36:51

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