Meissner, Shelton win Crater Lake marathons

Herald and News

Klamath Falls, Oregon

August 10, 2008

No one was more surprised to finish first in the longest race of the 33rd annual Crater Lake Rim Runs and Marathon Saturday than Sean Meissner.

“I knew (Chuck Engle) was in first at the turn (on Grayback hill),” Meissner said.

Engle, from New York City, failed to see the cones or respond to volunteers and kept on running instead of turning back to the finish line of the 26-mile, 385-yard marathon.

By the time Engle crossed the line in fifth place, Meissner, of Sisters, had won the men’s marathon in two hours, 55 minutes, 47 seconds, just over a minute better than Todd Ragsdale of Talent.

He also bettered the winning marathon effort of Jeff Coba of Bend, who won last year in 2:59.40.

While not breaking three hours, Jenn Shelton of Ashland did set a course record Saturday as she won the women’s marathon in 3:15.01. That took more than three minutes off the old record of Hillary Simmons of Roseburg set in 1991.

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