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more photosKathleen
De Alicante, left, of team Sole Sisters, and Jen Sass, of team Ensworth No. 3,
run on
Century
Drive on Saturday afternoon during the High Desert Dash.
Anthony Dimaano / The Bulletin
In High Desert Dash, driven by team spirit
High Desert Dash participants run wild C.O. relay race features a fun atmosphere
By Katie Brauns / The Bulletin
Published: June 22. 2008 4:00AM PSTSUNRIVER — It looked more like a high school homecoming celebration than a running relay on Saturday morning, with cars decorated like spirit floats.
Along Century Drive, 25 teams of five participants each (125 individuals) — some dressed in matching costumes such as hot-pink wigs, skirts, suits and ties — ran or walked a 33-mile course from Bend to Sunriver in the inaugural High Desert Dash.
Teammates and support groups cheered on race participants from elaborately decorated vehicles. One silver Toyota Prius was decked out with feathers and streamers waving from the roof and paint smeared across almost every inch of the side windows. From the ski rack of a dark sports utility vehicle dangled numerous pairs of sneakers. Each relay appeared to be trying as hard to demonstrate the most team spirit as to win the race.
Though each of the teams had to complete the 33 miles as a group, they could accomplish the task a number of different ways.
The distance was divided into 10 legs, all of varying mileage — the first leg was 2.5 miles, the second 3.7 miles, the third 2.8, and so on. Most participants ran or walked two separate legs. But like the winning relay, FootZone Backroad Babes, some ran two legs back to back, creating one longer trek for each runner.
“The relay is really accommodating to whatever skill level,” said Greta Salvo, race director along with Sarah Dennis. The two mothers were inspired to hold a Central Oregon running relay race by their past involvement in the Hood To Coast Relay — both women have participated in the popular annual relay race of nearly 200 miles from Mount Hood to the Oregon Coast.
“Our target market is moms like us that want to just get outside and have fun,” said Salvo. “However, we want everyone to be a part. We want young runners, walkers, we want people who just like to enjoy the scenery. … So our target market are people that would be fun and creative and have that atmosphere of high energy versus competitiveness — not that we don’t want that.”
Salvo and Dennis said they plan to host the event for years to come.
Starting at the Athletic Club of Bend in southwest Bend, Saturday’s first runners and walkers began the ascent up Century Drive at 7 a.m. The route stretched west toward Mount Bachelor for approximately 15 miles until the course turned south down Forest Road 45 to the finish line at Sunriver Village. Participants passed off colored pinnies or cloths to transition from one leg to the next.
“It was incredibly challenging and very scenic at the same time, so it was just lovely,” said Kristen Riley of Bend, who ran for the Wigged Out Women team that placed second overall. Riley, 34, has won as an individual among women in local races, including the Horse Butte 10 Mile Trail Run, held each April in Bend.
But Saturday’s relay race was less about winning and more about meeting the challenge as a team and supporting the Family Access Network, or FAN. A local nonprofit organization, FAN supports families and children in Deschutes County who are in need, through advocates who are located in all public schools. Based in Bend, FAN provides food, shelter, health care, clothing, job opportunities and child care support to those who need it.
“I’m running for the cause of FAN,” said Jill Gozdowski, 31, a member of the winning relay team, FootZone Backroad Babes, which included fellow Bend thirtysomethings Mandy Johnson, Amanda Havens, Jenny Hendrickson and C.J. Ferrari. “It’s an amazing program for the community and the school district. It benefits all students.”
Between entry fees ($150 per team) and local business sponsorships, the race raised approximately $2,000 for FAN.
Gozdowski is a first- and second-grade teacher at Juniper Elementary in Bend.
The female members of the winning team met through FootZone’s women’s running group, organized by Hendrickson (Ferrari, the token male teammate, is engaged to Havens). Most of the team members work for Bend-La Pine Schools in some capacity: Johnson is a speech therapist for Bend’s High Desert Middle School and Buckingham Elementary, and Havens is a physical therapist who is contracted to work in area schools.
“It’s mentally challenging,” said Ferrari of the race at the finish line, “when you are out there on the stretches and all you see is road.”
“I don’t know if it was hard for everyone, but it was hard for me,” said Hendrickson, who is an avid runner. The FootZone Backroad Babes finished in 4 hours, 13 minutes.
Finishing second, in 4:58:00, was Wigged Out Women, which along with Riley included Amber Hansen, Kirsten Heron, Molly Brundage and Denise Ullman. The team, made up entirely of moms in their 30s, wore hot-pink wigs and light-blue T-shirts with the word “Peace” printed on the front.
Bankers Out to Cruise, representing the Bank of the Cascades, took third, finishing in 5:03:00. The five team members, all in their 20s, ran the race wearing dress shirts and ties, with either a skirt or slacks.
“We wanted to make sure we looked professional,” joked Molly Patrick at the finish with team members Mindy Cleveland, Ashley McMullen, Darcy Levage, and Aaron Simpson gathered around laughing. Simpson was the lone male on the team with four women.
Some teams taking part more for the cause and scenery and less for the competition, took their time along the course and finished up to three hours after the winners.
The Most Spirited and the Most Congenial Awards were valued as top prizes in the High Desert Dash. Dr. G’s Makeover Mamas, representing Bend-based Northwest Cosmetic Surgery, won the spirit award for their high energy throughout the entire race. COPA Cabana, representing Central Oregon Pediatrics Association, won the award for congeniality as the first team to sign up for the relay race.
“It just brings the community together,” said Gozdowski, “in any event like this.”
“There’s so many relays that are such an ordeal to get to,” noted Havens, “but this one, you can just do on a Saturday morning for a great cause.”
Katie Brauns can be reached at 541-383-0393 or at kbrauns@bendbulletin.com.
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