Redwood Highway Marathon
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Redwood Highway Marathon[1][2] was a 480-mile (770 km) foot race created to promote the newly opened U.S. Highway 101 from Sausalito to Grants Pass, Oregon. It was the first official ultramarathon in U.S. history[3] and inspired the 1928 Trans-American Bunion Derby held on Route 66.
The race sparked local interest in running by establishing additional races such as the 1927 five-mile (8.0 km) Fitch Mountain Footrace (now a 10K), and a 1928 variation of the Napa Marathon, run 28 miles (45 km) from Napa, California city hall to Myrtleville.[4]
The Redwood Highway Marathon was promoted as a competition for Indians, known for long-distance running endurance.[5] "Mad Bull" won the race in 1927 after seven days, 12 hours and 34 minutes finishing at 12:18 a.m "Flying Cloud" took second place finishing at 8:40 a.m.[6]
In 1928, Manual Cordova, "Hummingbird" represented Healdsburg, Lake county was represented by "Klamath", Napa County by "Lutci", - "Melika"- Willits, "Jamon"- Marin county, "Bad Land Charlie" for Fortuna and "Flying Arrow" for Eureka, California.[7]
In 1928, "Flying Cloud" won first place and $5000, with Melika, a 62-year-old Zuni runner from New Mexico taking second place close behind and awarded $2500. "Chief Ukiah" took third place and $1000. Flying Cloud's 1928 time for the 482 miles was 168 hours and 22 minutes, bettering the mark set in 1927 by Mad Bull[8] by 13 hours. Mad Bull gave up the race at Crescent City.[9][10] A third race was being planned for 1929, but with the stock market crash and onset of the Great Depression, it was cancelled and never run again.[11][12]
