|
Shore to Shore Marathon
September 15, 2001
Race Report by Bob Dolphin
On Saturday, September 15, 2001, the inaugural running of the Shore to Shore Marathon was held in Chelan, Washington. There is something special about running a marathon on its debut with an appreciation that you are part of the first field to run a new course. Another positive aspect of this new marathon is the beauty of the course with Lake Chelan always in view. A marathon and a half marathon ran concurrently on a point-to-point course as part of the Lake Chelan Shore to Shore Run. Both running fields started at the same time (7:00 a.m.), 13.1 miles apart and ran to the same finish line on a common road. There were 26 starting marathoners and 53 half marathoners.
Lake Chelan is 55 miles long but only 1-2 miles wide. It lies in a narrow, mountainous valley of the North Cascades of Central Washington. At the start, the marathoners left the area just east of Twenty-five Mile State Park, the "end of the road," and headed east on the south shore's two-lane, paved road that rolled and curved most of the way. Level road on the course was a rarity. At the start there were Ponderosa pines, Douglas firs, and maples in the roadside forest. They were replaced at mid-race with a few pines, grasslands, and sage. Lakeside housing and resort businesses became commonplace as the course came to the small town of Chelan at the narrowed east end of the lake. The course then reversed direction as it went along the developed north shore to the finish area on the grounds of the Mill Bay Casino near the town of Manson. The course was scenic, and the numerous hills were short and easy.
I enjoyed the run even though the temperature rose from the low 60's at the start to the mid 70's at the finish. The sky was clear, and there was a cooling 5-10 mile per hour wind. My finishing time of 4:08:44 was one minute slower than at the Skagit Flats Marathon the previous week. It placed me 13th of 23 finishers and first in the 70+M division.
The race was won in 3:00:46 by Craig Elsner, 30+, a local runner from Manson, WA. Doug McLain, 45+, of Mercer Island was second with a time of 3:07:49. In third place at 3:32:28, first woman overall and first 35-39F, was Lori Dunley of Wenatchee, WA. She tied with Steven Yee, 40+ of Renton.
Three of our friends who were at the Skagit Flats Marathon the previous week ran well here also. Gunhild Swanson, 56, of Spokane was the 4th woman and first 55-59F with a 3:40:08. Mel Preedy, 68, of Ravensdale ran a 3:55:30 and was first in the 65-69M division. In second in this division was Jack Swanson, 67, of Spokane with a 4:25:23. Other results are listed at the end of this report.
Running in only his second marathon Jack Kerr, 69, of the Twisp-Methow area looked good as he chased Mel in the early miles. When I passed him at 23 miles, he was walking as he experienced a sore hamstring. This was serious enough that he had to drop out at 24 miles.....a big disappointment to him, I'm sure.
Thanks to Greg Moser, head of the Chelan City Parks Department for doing a great job of organizing and directing his first marathon. He had the assistance of his committee and many cheerful volunteers on the course and in the finish area. Thanks also to my wife Lenore and our friends Hal and Patty Porter of Manson who ran the finish line. The Porters, high school friends of Lenore's in their years at Snohomish, were our gracious hosts for the marathon weekend.
Half of the field of the marathon had run the YAKIMA RIVER CANYON MARATHON on March 31, 2001, a revelation that Lenore and I, as co-directors, found to be interesting. The runners who did both are indicated on the accompanying race results with an asterisk at the position number.
Race director Greg provided patriotic ribbons for the runners to wear during and after the race. The tragic stealth attack and murder of innocent civilians by terrorists four days earlier was the subject of our thoughts and conversations during these sad times. We will prevail!
I plan to run this marathon next year and encourage other marathoners to participate in the expected growth of this marvelous race.
Written by Bob Dolphin
SHORE TO SHORE MARATHON
September 15, 2001
RACE RESULTS
l* 3:00:46 Craig Elsner, 30-34M, Manson, WA
2. 3:07:49 Doug McLain, 45-49M, Mercer Island, WA
3. 3:32:28 Lori Dunley, 35-39F, Wenatchee, WA
4* 3:32:28 Steven Yee. 40-44M, Renton, WA
5. 3:36:06 Debbie Danner, 25-29F, McCall, Idaho
6. 3:39:07 Ted Colson, 50-54M, Seattle, WA
7* 3:39:08 Connie Ridenour, 40-44F, Spokane, WA
8* 3:40:08 Gunhild Swanson, 55-59F, Spokane, WA
9* 3:49:55 Bill Voiland, 50-54M, Spokane,WA
10* 3:55:30 Mel Preedy, 65-69M, Ravensdale, WA
11* 4:03:10 Jon Mahoney, 50-54M, Vernon, BC
12 4:03:34 Karen Peterson, 25-29F, Portland, OR
13* 4:08:44 Bob Dolphin, 70+M, Renton, WA
14. 4:11:17 Anthony Davis, 50-54, Spokane, WA
15. 4:14:41 Roxanna Defco, 30-34F, Portland, OR
16. 4:17:17 John Koch, 55-59M, Winthrop, WA
17. 4:18:56 Richard Fox, 30-34M, San Bruno, CA
18. 4:25:08 Terry Watanabe, 45-49M, Spokane, WA
19* 4:25:23 Jack Swanson, 65-69M, Spokane, WA
20* 4:58:44 Bob Beaty, 50-54M, East Wenatchee, WA
21. 5:26:23 Janice Moyer, 45-49F, Wellpinit, WA
22. 5:49:17 Jill Therrault, 45-49F, Wenatchee,WA
23* 6:20:55 Susan Beaty, 50-54F, East Wenatchee, WA
|
