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SKAGIT FLATS MARATHON
Sept. 10, 2006
Race Report by Bob Dolphin
SKAGIT FLATS MARATHON - Sept. 10, 2006
It was a good day for the running of the 29th annual Skagit Flats Marathon and Half Marathon. At 8:00 a.m. on Sunday, September 10, 2006, 147 marathon and 325 half-marathon finishers left the starting line at Burlington-Edison High School under clear skies with the temperature in the 60's. Later it became quite warm when the temperature rose to the mid-70's.
The course was flat and fast, and the only minor hill was an I-5 overpass that was negotiated by the combined race field in the first mile. The setting was pleasant and pastoral as we ran in varied farmland areas of pastures with cattle and horses, blueberry plantings, cornfields, truck crops and fallow fields. Rural housing and farmsteads were present with views of distant hills and the Cascade Mountains, including snow-capped Mt Baker. Roadside flowers were common and attractive, and bald eagles and ravens were seen over the fields.
Traffic was sparse. It was controlled whenever county roads had to be crossed by runners. Well-stocked aid stations manned by friendly volunteers occurred every few miles. Gel packets were distributed at many of the stations along with some solid food. Roving medical vehicles provided aid to needy runners and a ride to the finish area for the few who dropped out of the race.
A special feature of the Skagit Flats Marathon is its out-and-back configuration which permits marathoners to see many half marathoners and all marathon runners going in the opposite direction. In addition to greeting friends and others as they ran by, I could see the race leaders.
Manuh Santos, 26, of Yakima (originally from Mexico) won his first marathon at the Yakima River Canyon Marathon this year in 2:46:48. When I saw him on the out-and-back section, he was about five miles ahead of me, running alone as the leader. As other frontrunners followed Manuh, I saw my friends Pete Hansen, 50, of Ferndale and Cliff Richards, 45, of Maple Valley. Pete defended his 2005 title by passing Manuh and won the marathon with a time of 2:51:23. Manuh was second with a 2:56:04, and Cliff ran a 2:57:41 for third place.
In the starting area I had a pleasant visit with Annie Thiessen, 36, a Marathon Maniac from Tacoma. She's recovering from serious running-related injuries, so I was pleased to see her as the first woman on the course. She won the women's division with a 3:08:48, a great comeback race! Annie was the women's winner in nine marathons in 2005, a phenomenal feat! In second place was Tina Pettit, 34, of Stanwood with a 3:20:27, and Jodi Brautaset, 31, of Mt. Vernon placed third with a 3:24.30.
My first 10K went well, but then I slowed progressively until I reached an all too familiar point where I could walk faster than I could run, and feel better doing it. I finished 146th of 147 and second 70+M with a 5:37:47. Thanks to Amanda Cohn, 38, Marathon Maniac of Seattle, for running and talking to me in the eighth mile. Because she finished with a 4:21:26, I wish that I could have run with her longer.
Congratulations to Marathon Maniac Mel Preedy, 73, of Ravensdale for running a 4:21:00 and winning the 70+M division. He ran his 300th milestone race at the Capital City Marathon at Olympia on May 21, 2006, a great accomplishment!
In the last mile Bill Rex, 66, of Geneva, Illinois, passed me, and I learned that he was running his 259th marathon. He finished with a 5:37:22.
Kudos to Kimberly Martini, 50, of Shoreline for completing her first marathon in 5:30:39. As she passed me in the 24th mile, she appeared to be enthusiastic about the marathoning experience that she had undertaken.
Un Ha Lee, 56, of Olympia ran a 4:11:32. She's a 50 Stater who finished her states goal in her hometown in May 2006. A native of Korea, she met her husband Patrick Lee when he was stationed there. Patrick, a retired U.S. Army sergeant, ran a 2:20:50 in the half marathon.
Dan Adley, 51, of the Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, area is a 50 Stater who added Washington to his states list by running a 4:36:34.
I'm glad to learn that Jerry Lawrence, 67, of New Westminster, BC, ran a 4:44:39. I remember when he and Spokane's Michael Wakabayashi passed me on a loop course at the 1990 Skagit Flats Marathon when, at age 60, I ran a 3:05:16, my best time on that course.
Rob Durrant, 41, of Langley, BC, was the winner of the Skagit Flats Half Marathon in 2005. This year he beat the clock to salvage a sub-three hour marathon by one second. His 2:59:59 finish gave him 5th place overall.
Congratulations to our friend Janet Green, 52, of Courtenay, BC, who finished with a 3:42:01, in 47th position overall and first in the 50-59F division.
The Marathon Maniacs were well represented with 32 members in the marathon and three in the half. There were 14 members of the 100 Marathon Club North America in the race and many 50 Staters on hand, too. The total number of these three clubs in the race is an endorsement of the quality of the event.
The highlight of the race for Lenore and me was to celebrate a major milestone of our "adopted grandson" Michael Dutton as he ran his 100th MARATHON!! I've had the pleasure of running in most of Michael's marathons. We ran together, side by side for 26.2 miles, in the 1997 London Marathon and spent a memorable week together in London, St. Albans and environs.
As a director of the 100 Marathon Club North America, Lenore greeted Michael at the finish line and welcomed him into the club with the presentation of a membership certificate, notebook of newsletters, a club T-shirt, and a 100 Marathon pin. When I finally finished, I congratulated him and presented him with a special club medallion. He, in turn, gave me a T-shirt that he had printed for his special accomplishment.
Lenore worked as a volunteer at the day-of-race registration table and at the finish line where she presented a medal to the finishers of both races. At the finish line she recruited the help of Marysville resident Turtle (Peter Van Dalen). Then his friend Tim Lofton (also of Marysville) helped after he completed the half marathon (in 1:38:25).
Thanks to these two recruits….and to Terry Sentinella (race director, marathoner and Marathon Maniac), his staff and the volunteers for continually improving the quality and organization of the Skagit Flats Marathon/Half Marathon. Their success is reflected in the increasing participation in this event as a favorable reputation is developed.
Lenore and I appreciated the booth that Terry permitted us to have at the Packet Pickup/Expo in the Best Western Hotel in Mt. Vernon on the day before the race. We enjoyed talking to runners and telling them about our Yakima River Canyon Marathon, the Marathon Maniacs, 50 States clubs and the 100 Marathon Club North America.
Written by Bob Dolphin
Edited, Typed and Distributed by Lenore Dolphin
PARTIAL RESULTS - Skagit Flats Marathon, September 10, 2006
2:51:13 Pete Hansen, 50, Ferndale, First Overall, First in Age Division
2:56:04 Manuh Santos, 26, Yakima, Second Overall, 1st
2:57:41 Cliff Richards, 45, Maple Valley, Third Overall, 1st
2:57:54 Sean Meissner, 33, Sisters, OR, Marathon Maniac (MM), 1st
2:59:59 Robert Durrant, 41, Langley, BC, 2nd
3:03:42 Gregg Walchli, 44, Seattle, MM, 100 MC
3:08:48 Annie Thiessen, 36, Tacoma, First Woman Overall, 1st
3:12:19 David Murray, 52, Maple Valley, MM, 2nd
3:15:59 Robin Wilson, 50, Langley, BC, 3rd
3:20:27 Tina Pettit, 34, Stanwood, Second Woman Overall, 1st
3:24:09 Tony Phillippi, 45, Tacoma, MM, 100 Marathon Club (100 MC)
3:24:30 Jodi Brautaset, 31, Mt. Vernon, Third Woman Overall, 2nd
3:28:47 Suzy Seeley, 47, Houston, TX, 100 MC, 1st
3:31:48 Robert Jacobsen, 48, Mt. Vernon, MM
3:32:45 Kimberly Whitman, 35, Cullman, AL
3:33:24 Mark Looi, 46, Seattle, MM
3:37:02 Hippo Nicholson, 46, Vancouver, WA, MM
3:39:19 Christel Elliott, 28, Tacoma, MM, 2nd
3:39:45 Jeff Loen, 50, Kenmore, MM
3:41:50 Kurt Lauer, 44, Seattle, MM
3:42:01 Janet Green, 52, Courtenay, BC, 100 MC
3:42:08 Al Harman, 45, West Vancouver, BC, MM
3:42:40 C.S. Swan, 44, Yakima
3:51:27 Marc Frommer, 54, Portland, OR, MM
3:54:21 Brian Pendleton, 52, Auburn, MM
3:54:41 Doug MacLean, 54, Mercer Island, MM
3:54:51 May Cheng, 41, Mercer Island, MM
3:54:51 David Jones, 60, Seattle, MM, 100 MC, 1st
3:55:47 Jon Mahoney, 54, Vernon, BC, MM, 100 MC
3:55:49 Sherry Wille, 42, Vernon, BC
3:55:52 Jim Boyd, 64, Seattle, MM, 100 MC, 2nd
3:56:16 Ron Fowler, 59, Seattle, 100 MC
3:56:53 Shawn Lawson, 29, Renton, MM
4:01:10 Michael Dutton, 36, Everett, MM, 100 MC, 100th MARATHON!!!
4:04:13 Stan Nakashima, 54, Mt. Vernon, MM, 100 MC
4:07:37 Marilou Russell, 45, Olympia, MM
4:11:32 Un Ha Lee, 56, Olympia, 3rd
4:11:55 Karen Wiggins, 47, Bremerton, MM
4:21:00 Mel Preedy, 73, Ravensdale, MM, 100 MC, 1st
4:21:26 Amanda Cohn, 38, Seattle, MM
4:23:21 Ed Kopiak, 64, Fort Worth, TX, 3rd
4:24:31 Cheri Pompeo, 54, Woodinville, MM, 100 MC
4:25:58 Leslie Miller, 26, Bellevue, MM
4:28:07 Kevin Brosi, 51, Flower Mound, TX, MM
4:35:57 Bill Herzog, 40, Tumwater
4:36:34 Dan Adley, 51, Washington, PA
4:39:56 Richard (Patch) Dahl, 53, Spanaway, MM
4:41:35 Evan Fagan, 69, Victoria, BC, 100 MC
4:43:14 Mark Ornstein, 47, Las Vegas, NV
4:44:39 Jerry Lawrence, 67, New Westminster, BC
4:45:10 Janice Moyer, 50, Wellpinit, MM
4:47:37 Casey Rice, 44, Yakima
4:51:10 Janet Burgess, 45, Renton, MM
5:05:40 Ted Clelland, 62, Seattle
5:15:12 Craig Culver, 41, Everett
5:30:25 Ash Hans, 33, Sammamish
5:30:39 Kimberly Martini, 50, Sammamish, First Marathon
5:37:22 Bill Rex, 66, Geneva, IL
5:37:47 Bob Dolphin, 76, Renton, MM, 100 MC, 2nd
6:23:00 Maureen Lapierre, 45, Langley, BC
Partial Results - Half Marathon
1:17:58 Mark Billett, 53, Shoreline, First Overall, 1st in Age Division
1:26:48 Steve Israel, 54, Black Diamond, 2nd
1:28:49 Mary Hanna, 45, Maple Valley, First Woman Overall, 1st, MM
1:38:08 Eric Gierke, 43, MM
1:38:25 Tim Lofton, 39, Marysville
1:42:00 Diana (Slug) Robinson, 39, Bellingham, MM
1:43:16 Barbara Blumenthal, 50, MM, 2nd
1:48:34 Rosanne Bacon, 46, Yakima
2:07:37 Sandra Noel, 56, Vashon
2:09:48 Jim Burgess, 44, Renton
2:20:50 Patrick Lee, 56, Olympia
2:28:08 Lisa Rice, 44, Yakima
2:32:38 David Seeley, 47, Houston, TX
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