The Monster Runner Award

The Monster Runner Award is designed to celebrate the runners in our community who excel in race finishes, overcome personal challenges, run personal bests, contribute to a better life for those around them, and go far beyond their comfort zone to find something special within.

If you've competed in running events in the Eugene area over the past several years, chances are, you know Trisha Kluge.  You can't help but notice Trisha's energy and her unbelievable race finishes.  In the past few weeks in fact, Trisha turned in some mighty impressive performances.  On Memorial Day, Trisha captured the Master Women's title at the Ridgeline Ramble 12 mile trail race in a time of 1:37:38 while finishing as the 5th female overall.  Less than a week later, she captured the Overall Female award at the Run For The Mountain 5K at Mt. Pisgah on a challenging course in 22 minutes and 6 seconds and then followed that up with two Master's Women's titles on June 9 (The Steep Hill Chase 5K in 20:26 and the Eugene Challenge Mile in 5:45.9).  By the way, Trisha's posting these times and finishes at age 47, while working as a massage therapist and raising her two children, Janna, 8, and Jesse, 14. 

Following a back injury, the treatments she received led Trisha into massage therapy herself and has been practicing for the past three years, wanting to facilitate the same type of healing she was introduced to.  Being well-traveled, Trisha was born in Pennsylvania, with stops in California and Tennessee with her husband John before settling in Eugene.  When asked about her performances, Trisha's quick to point out her improvements coming through a balance in workouts that focus on consistency, having fun, and training for what fits within the parameters of everything else going on in her hectic schedule.  Specifically, Trisha credits her workouts being structured more around effort, and less about time.  Her short-term goals are focused on building strength and endurance for the upcoming fall cross country season, while long-term, Trisha's eyeing the world of the longer competitions.  Regardless of what she attempts next, it's assured that you'll always see Trisha with a welcoming smile, the "Eye Of The Tiger" and ready hands to work out the post-race kinks.