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Erik Skaden defends Tahoe Rim Trail 100-mile title

Sun Staff reports
Courtesy of Howard NippertFolsom ultrarunner Erik Skaden nears the finish line of the Tahoe Rim Trail 100-Mile Endurance Run early Sunday morning. Skaden, who shared the 100-mile title a year ago, completed the run in 20 hours, 27 minutes, 32 seconds.
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Erik Skaden of Folsom defended his title in the Tahoe Rim Trail 100-Mile Endurance Run, crossing the Spooner Lake finish line in the wee hours of Sunday morning with a time of 20 hours, 27 minutes, 32 seconds.Skaden shared the 2008 title with Mike Wolfe of Missoula, Mont., after the two agreed to finish at the same time in just over 18 hours, 59 minutes. The 100-miler also serves as the USA Track and Field 100-Mile Trail National Championship, as well as the Road Runners Club of America 100-Mile National Ultra Championship.Results for the Tahoe Rim Trail 50-kilometer and 50-mile races should be posted on the event website (tahoemtnmilers.org) by Tuesday night, said Race Director David Cotter.In the women’s 100-mile field, Bree Lambert of San Jose captured the top spot for her first-ever title in the race. She led all female runners, including those in the 50K and 50-mile races, from the starting gun and finished in 23 hours, 42 minutes, 32 seconds.The following is a recap of the 100-mile race written by USA Track andamp; Field official Howard Nippert:

andamp;#8230; Moments after the race, Erik (Skaden) appeared in a trance while sitting in the first aid tent sipping coffee and fending off cramps. His happiness was apparent, however, in conversation describing his race. He said he’d come into the race not expecting to win after running Western States 100 Mile less than a month ago and he didn’t feel as if he’d completely recovered. While never feeling smooth or comfortable during the race, his race plan was andamp;#8220;just don’t drop out,andamp;#8221; figuring his fitness was still adequate but also that the tough course and conditions might hurt the other competitors and raise the attrition rate (which turned out to be near 50 percent) and work to his advantage. After finding himself in sixth place at 20 miles, Erik moved to third by 25 miles and finally into the lead at 43 miles. He cruised into and out of the Spooner Lake aid station (the halfway point) looking smooth and relaxed. However, he apparently hid the distress he was really feeling as he threw up repeatedly between 50 miles and Hobart aid station (56 miles). But after reaching the 75-mile aid station at Mt. Rose, he settled down and his system stabilized and he finally andamp;#8220;got the hang of it,andamp;#8221; allowing him to run hard to the finish. Erik was a bit surprised because he doesn’t consider himself a andamp;#8220;heat runner,andamp;#8221; (the temperature may have reached 100 degrees in places) but he handled the conditions well enough to triumph.First-time 100-miler Bree Lambert seems to have picked up on the trade quickly, as she bested the next closest woman by just over 30 minutes. Bree is no stranger to top quality competition, having won the 2007 Quicksilver 50-Mile and finishing second in 2008, finishing second in the 2008 Tahoe Rim Trail 50 Mile, and winning the 2008 Road Runners Club of America 50K Trail Championships, where she was both overall and master’s champion. She was also fifth at the 2008 TNF 50 Mile Championship. After Race Director Dave Cotter spoke at the pre-race briefing on Friday afternoon about the forecast for extreme heat on Saturday, Bree took Dave’s advice and slightly altered her race strategy, adjusting her goal pace slightly and being sure to emphasize hydration and fuel and electrolytes andamp;#8212; knowing that being a bit more conservative on her intended pace, and pumping food and her favorite race beverage, Amino Vital, in larger than usual quantities would allow her to take care of her body early in the race and have energy in reserve for when she’d need it late in the race. While eating and drinking in the extreme heat was rough on her stomach, causing some nausea during the hottest portion of the day, she slowed her eating schedule slightly from 50 to 61 miles, and as the temperature began to drop, she was able to restart her regular food and fuel intake and andamp;#8220;get back in the game.andamp;#8221;Cotter was enthusiastic with the race results, stating, andamp;#8220;It was impressive that so many first timers finished so well.andamp;#8221; His lament was that there was a near 50-percent drop-out rate, as the unusually high temperatures and deceptively hard course took its toll on a huge chunk of the field. Sharing Cotter’s enthusiasm for the event was Assistant Race Director George Ruiz, who said, andamp;#8220;this race is challenging across the board for both veterans and beginners alike, and all competitors should be proud to have given it their best competing in such a great challenging event.andamp;#8221;Rounding out the USATF National Championship competition on the men’s side were Robert Evans (Pollock Pines, Calif.), second in 20:45:54, and Brett Rivers (San Francisco), third in 20:50:40. Following Bree’s lead in the women’s competition were closely spaced Michele Jensen (Littleton, Calif.), second in 24:14:34, and Roxanne Woodhouse (Weaverville, Calif.), third in 24:14:39. Winning the men’s and women’s master’s divisions were Robert Evans and Bree Lambert.


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