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Vandervlugt Wins Haulin Aspen Trail Marathon
EOU Alum Tim Vandervlugt won the Haulin Aspen Trail Marathon, his recap follows.
I won the Haulin' Aspen trail marathon on Sunday. It was my best race in over two years. The course is challenging with 2600 feet elevation gain in the first 15 miles. The surface is pretty good with most of it being old logging roads or single track mountain bike trails. From 12-15 miles there is a brutal climb with 7 false summits. I took the lead on the final hill. From 15 miles to the finish it is down hill on technical mountain bike trails. If you miss a corner you hit a tree or bush. It really didn't open up to go fast until about 18 miles. The half marathon race started an hour and a half behind us and filtered onto the course around mile 21 or 22. At that point of the race three 1/2 marathoners went flying by me, I felt very slow but I knew I was moving well and was on pace to break the course record. At mile twenty three I knew I would get the record but I saw someone out of the corner of my eye gaining on me. I didn't want to loss a marathon in the last three miles and so I gave every last bit to keep this guy from catching me. I could see by the time I had gotten to one mile to go that I was pulling away from him. It was not until I finished that I found out he was only a half marathoner. I won by over 7 minutes in 3:03:17. My last two miles were right a 6:00 flat.
Vandervlugt Leads Oregon Team To Victory At National Guard Marathon
Release from Nebraska National Guard, written by Maj. Kevin Hynes
LINCOLN, Neb. -- After a three-year hiatus, the Oregon National Guard is once again sitting at the top of the National Guard running world. Competing in the annual Lincoln/National Guard Marathon held May 4 in Lincoln, Neb., the Oregonians cruised through the 26.2 mile course under picture-perfect clear skies to win this year’s team chase over the Utah National Guard Marathon Team by a slim seven-minute and 11 second margin. According to Oregon team captain, Sgt. 1st Class Timothy Vandervlugt, it feels good to win the team title after finishing second in 2006 and fifth last year. “We’re happy because it’s a big deal for us to win,” said Vandervlugt, who also won the Guard’s Master’s title with a time of 2:50.06. “It’s something that I can take back to my state and say, ‘Hey sir, look at what we did. We got you another trophy.” “We couldn’t do this without the support of our commands in Oregon,” he added. “They’re the greatest.” This year’s National Guard Marathon team competition attracted 18 team entries from across the United States. The team match results are determined by combining the overall running times of the top three declared members of the team. The Oregonian team – which consisted of Vandervlugt, Edward King (2:52.06) and Sean Nixon (2:58.09), defeated the Utah National Guard Marathon Team – made up by Eric Peterson (2:59.46), Glen Tucker (2:47.08) and Raymond Workman (3:00.16) – by the score of 8:40.21 to 8:47.32. The Wisconsin National Guard finished third with an overall time of 8:50.13. The Wisconsin team consisted of Jason Kirch (3:02.53), Michael Western (2:47.04) and Mike Zeigle (3:00.16). The Oregon National Guard team also won the Military Team Division title at the Lincoln/National Guard Marathon. Vandervlugt, who has been part of several Oregon National Guard national championships over the years, said it’s always been difficult to maintain the level of talent and consistency needed to maintain a championship-caliber team. That’s even more the case now, especially considering the nature of overseas conflict the National Guard is currently engaged in. “Two of the guys who were on the team this year were deployed last year… and one of they guys who was on the team last year is deployed now. Two of the guys who are here now, they’re going to be deployed next year. And I’m going to be deployed the following year,” said Vandervlugt, adding that the runners know where their priorities have to lie. “It’s part of our job. We’re Soldiers first, runners second. That’s always a given.” The key, said Vandervlugt, is planning for those deployments and developing a group of runners to fill in when vacancies occur. “I’ve got a good pool,” he said. “Next year is going to be even harder… there might be three of us who are solid runners here next year, but with the deployments, you really just don’t know. If I get my unit alert notice before, you don’t know… I might not be here.” That’s why the Oregonians have developed a motto that they take with them to each race they compete in. “Run each race like it’s your last until deployment,” he said. “And then come back and try again.”
The Werst Race Raises Over $2,000
La Grande Oregon, May 19— Thirty five competitors turned out for The Werst Race, to support EOU alumni Jason Werst and his battle with leukemia. Jason was able to at the race and act as the honorary starter. Thanks to donations and entry fees, the race was able to provide over $2,000 for Jason and his wife Jessica. The men’s race was won by David Monnig, a cyclist in 20:55. Pat McCurry was the first runner to finish in 22:27, and Lindsey Ulrich was first female finisher in 28:40.
Vandervlugt Leads Team Oregon At National Guard Marathon
Lincoln Nebraska, May 5— EOU alum Tim Vandervlugt (1993) was part of a 6 member team representing Oregon at the annual National Guard Marathon, which is open to military and civilians. Vandervlugt was the first member of Team Oregon across the line finishing 25th out of 1,074 runners in 2:55:03, despite terrible weather conditions. Five members of Team Oregon earned All-Guard honors as the team finished 5th overall. Vandervlugt is also the team captain and has earned a spot every year except 2003, when he was deployed. He has won the National Guard marathon 4 times; 1998, 1999, 2001,and 2004. In 2005 he was the masters champion.
Eisele Named WVRR Female Runner Of The Year
Salem Oregon, January 21 2007— Kelsi Eisele (Pelzer) a 2003 EOU grad and 4 year member of the cross country and track teams was named the 2006 Willamette Valley Road Runners Female Runner Of The Year. During 2006 Kelsi competed in 24 WVRR events finishing in the top 3 of her age group in each race; additionally in the few instances when she wasn’t racing she helped out by volunteering to work at two other races. Kelsi trains and races with Team GFR out of Salem and is the pace setter for group workouts. Kelsi was also on Team GFR’s Hood to Coast relay team that finished 4th in their division earning an entry for the 2007 event.
McCurry, Jones Represent Team USA In Toronto
Toronto Canada, September 24— EOU alumni Pat McCurry and Kelsey Jones represented the United States as members of Team America Elite for the Scotiabank International team challenge that was Part of the Toronto Waterfront Marathon. For the challenge two athletes for each gender were chosen from the US, Mexico, Canada, and Great Britain. Conditions were brutal for the race with humidity of 94% and winds of 40 k/hr at the start. Conditions got worse as the wind had picked up by the end of the race. The conditions triggered a chronic side injury by 10k for McCurry. He battled through it and cramps that locked his calve at 22 miles to finish 41st overall in 2:52:19. Kelsey Jones made her marathon debut finishing 92nd overall and was the 12th female with a time of 3:09:18. This was an impressive run for Kelsey to run her first marathon in these conditions. Team America consisting of McCurry, Jones, Art Siemers and Paula Morrison finished 3rd in the International Challenge behind behind Mexico and Great Britain. |