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Crater Lake Marathon
August 14, 2004
Race Report by Bob Dolphin
With area temperatures in the high 90's and low 100's, I was concerned
that the 29th annual Crater Lake Marathon in south central Oregon on
Saturday, August 14, 2004, was going to be a disaster for me. As it
turned out, the conditions were better than anticipated and only the last
few miles were a bit warm for comfortable running.
It was my 13th running of the Crater Lake Marathon, and I never tire of
the beauty of the course. It is a spectacular sight to look down at the
circular lake located in a volcanic crater, surrounded by steep bluffs,
and reflecting a deep blue color. The forests and mountains in the
distance and a variety of wildflowers along the way add to the scenic
splendor. The best wildflower of the day was Lewis Monkeyflower which had
striking rose-colored flowers massed in a seepage area on the Pinnacles
Road.
It's a hill-runner's course with grades that ascend or descend up to five
miles in length. The "killer hill" of two miles of steep grades occurs in
the last four miles of the course. This almost did me in again this year.
Leg cramps made reaching the 24.5 mile turn-around a struggle as they had
in the past few years. I finished with a 5:52:41, the first time that I
had taken more than five hours to run this course. It was a "personal
worst" of all of my marathons, but I finished 80th of 95, 3rd 70+Male, and
was the oldest runner in the race.
The Marathon Maniacs (MM) were well represented. Most of the maniacs
running their first Crater Lake Marathon ran well on a sunny day in which
the air temperatures rose to the low 80's, and the winds were light. The
weather may be variable year to year, but the elevation of the course at
6,000-8,000 feet is constant. This, coupled with long, steep hills, adds
to the difficulty and challenge.
Tony Phillippi, 42, an MM founder from Tacoma, WA, running his 24th
marathon of 2004, finished THIRD overall. His time was 3:28:00, a good
time for a thin air, mountain marathon. Not far behind were the other two
MM founders, Chris Warren, 37, and Steve Yee, 45, both of Renton, WA.
They ran with Laura Bleakley, 34 year old mother of three sons, of
Vacaville, CA. Laura finished 6th overall to win the women's race with a
3:40:36. Chris and Steve finished a few seconds later.
In spite of a foot injury, Sue Fauerbach, a 50+ MM from Renton, WA,
finished with a 5:54:50....good enough for first place in the 50-59F
division.
Cathy Troisi, 59, of Seneca Falls, NY, finished second in the same age
group. She's an MM who is a 50 States & DC finisher, a member of the 100
Marathon Club North America and also an ultra runner.
Close behind Cathy in this age group was Fenny Roberts, 51, of Salem, OR,
who ran with her friend Jim Scheer of Vancouver, WA. Fenny and Jim are
new MM members. Fenny's major accomplishment in running is to have run
121 MILES in a 24 hour ultramarathon race. Jim is an accomplished
marathon and ultramarathon runner who is a member of the 100 Marathon Club
NA.
David Knapp, 34, an MM from Englewood, CO, is on schedule to run 40
marathons in 2004 to celebrate his upcoming 40th birthday. He ran a
5:16:09 at Crater Lake. A few minutes behind David was Bobbie Howard of
Tacoma,WA. Bobbie is a new MM who finished in 5:20:06.
Brenton Floyd, 19, of Harrison, TN, ran a 6:14:11. He is the youngest MM,
the youngest member of the 100 Marathon Club NA, AND the youngest 50
States & DC Finisher (a feat he accomplished at age 16!!) There aren't
many megamarathoners who ran 52 marathons in 2003, but Brenton did!! He
has been marathoning since he was 10 years old and ran his 219th event at
Crater Lake. His uncle Jim Simpson of Huntington Beach is his mentor and
companion. Jim is also a 100 Marathon Club member and ran a 4:59:55 at
Crater Lake.
Cyndie Merten, 45+ of Corvallis, OR, joined her friend Cathy Troisi to
travel together from the airport at Eugene to the Whispering Pines Motel
on Highway 97. Her race time was 5:37:27. Both Cyndie and Cathy have run
our Yakima River Canyon Marathon.
It was good to see our "adopted" grandson Michael Dutton, 34, of Everett,
WA, and his six year old son Miles. Mike ran a 4:36:36 which placed him
in the top third of the marathon field.
We hadn't seen Tom Adair of Alpharetta (near Atlanta), GA, for several
years. It was good to see him again. He's a 50 States finisher, an
officer in the 50 States Marathon Club, and a 100 Marathon Club NA member.
He finished the race in 5:28:02.
Congratulations to Cecil Goudeau, 51, of Baton Rouge, LA, for finishing
his 50 STATES at Crater Lake with a time of 6:01:52. Cecil, one of the
directors of the Baton Rouge Beach Marathon, is a new member of the 100
Marathon Club NA.
Congratulations to first time marathoners: Ben Cohn of Beaverton, OR,
(4:10:36); Mark Himes, Aloha, OR, (5:11:48); and Angela Tortoire, Dallas,
TX, (6:01:52).
Our neighbor at the Whispering Pines Motel, John Lippard of Brigham City,
UT, ran with an injured knee but persevered to finish with a 6:08:45.
Stephen Eisenbraun of Baton Rouge, LA, also had problems and finished last
with a 7:10:50. He's coming back to run this marathon again!
Our thanks go to Bob and Beverly Freirich of Klamath Falls, OR, for
continuing to direct this event of three Crater Lake Rim Runs (6.7 miles,
13.0 miles and the 26.2 mile marathon). The efforts of the marathon
committee and all of the volunteers who travel a long distance to make
this a great race are appreciated. I look forward to returning to this
beautiful course in 2005 for the 30th annual Crater Lake Marathon.
Written by Bob Dolphin
Crater Lake Marathon Partial Results
(1) 3:04:20 Michael Berquist, 31, Airway Heights, WA
(2) 3:06:59 Michael Lynes, 38, Tacoma, WA
(3) 3:28:00 Tony Phillippi, 42, Tacoma, WA
(1F) 3:40:36 Laura Bleakley, 34, Vacaville, CA
(2F) 3:55:30 Kaitlyn Vansant, 27, Seattle, WA
(3F) 4:05:28 Tracy Dutson, 40, Bend, OR
3:40:38 Chris Warren, 37, Renton, WA
3:40:40 Steve Yee, 45, Renton, WA
3:55:49 Martin Balding, 67, Susanville, CA
4:10:36 Ben Cohn, Beaverton, OR
4:36:35 Michael Dutton, 34, Everett, WA
4:38:37 John Wegar, Baton Rouge, LA
4:48:27 Bill Lowery, Baton Rouge, LA
4:52:51 Ted Braggen, Edina, MN
4:52:55 Allen Holtz, Oakdale, MN
4:54:52 Craig Watson, Baton Rouge, LA
4:56:47 Paul Fouch, 70+, Klamath Falls, OR
4:59:55 James Simpson, Huntington Beach, CA
5:00:57 Ed Hansen, Stayton, OR
5:11:48 Mark Himes, Aloha, OR
5:16:33 David Knapp, 39, Englewood, CO
5:20:06 Bobbie Howard, Tacoma, WA
5:28:02 Tom Adair, Alpharetta, GA
5:28:51 Steve Shapiro, Portland, OR
5:28:53 Arlen Isham, Houston, TX
5:29:29 Kevin Hatfield, Hardwick, GA
5:37:27 Cyndie Merten, 45+, Corvallis, OR
5:52:41 Bob Dolphin, 74, Renton/Yakima, WA
5:54:50 Sue Fauerbach, 50+, Renton, WA
5:57:40 Cathy Troisi, 59, Seneca Falls, NY
6:00:52 Fenny Roberts, 51, Salem, OR
6:00:53 Jim Scheer, 60+, Vancouver, WA
6:01:52 Cecil Goudeau, 51, Baton Rouge, LA
6:01:52 Angela Tortoire, Dallas, TX
6:08:45 John Lippard, Brigham City, UT
6:08:45 Stuart Buck, Baton Rouge, LA
6:14:11 Brenton Floyd, 19, Harrison, TN
7:10:50 Stephen Eisenbraun, Baton Rouge, LA
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