May 12, 2010 in City

Blast halted marathon

 
Courtesy Terry Kjolseth photo

The 1980 CdA Marathon T-shirt.
(Full-size photo)

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I was on a 20-mile training run with my friend, the late Rick Stewart. We were training for the Coeur d’Alene Marathon, which was to be held the following week.

The sky to the west began getting dark as though a major thunderstorm was headed our way. Of course the “thunderstorm” was ash from Mount St. Helens and it wasn’t long until we were being pelted with ash.

The Coeur d’Alene Marathon was canceled. We received T-shirts by mail with the lettering covered by the words: “Canceled due to volcanic ash from Mount St. Helens.”

Terry Kjolseth, Colbert

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Three comments on this story so far. Add yours!

  • MrNatural on May 12 at 9:41 a.m.

    I remember my ex-wife was five months pregnant with our first child…I went up to Rosauers to get some Sunday brunchies and for some odd reason the store was busy…someone said a volcano erupted and I thought what harm could it do…then as I left the store I saw an ominous black line of a cloud that stretched the horizon coming over the Latah valley cliff…so I went back into the store and bought water, cereal, some candles and beer. Went home and told my wife…saw the news in Yakima and put the storm windows on the house…drank a few beers and watched it all unfold…what a day!

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