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North Olympic Discovery Marathon
June 12, 2005
Race Report by Bob Dolphin
On Friday, June 10, 2005, Lenore and I began our marathon weekend early by leaving Renton in the afternoon. We by-passed the traffic congestion on I-5 by driving south on Pacific Highway, Route 99, to Fife. It was nice to "keep moving" and to travel a different route.
As we arrived at the Narrows Bridge, we saw the massive, new supports for the parallel bridge span that is under construction. From Gig Harbor to Port Angeles, the headquarters of the marathon, the traffic flowed smoothly on a scenic route through a forest and then periodically along Puget Sound. A treat for us was to see some native, blooming Pacific Rhododendrons, our Washington State flower.
It was raining and windy as we reached the Super 8 Motel in Port Angeles. We ate at an adjacent restaurant and turned in early to be ready for next two days that promised to be eventful ones.
The Packet Pickup/Expo was held the next day at the Red Lion Hotel at the Port Angeles waterfront. We were provided booth space by the race committee, and Lenore decorated the tables and nearby wall with banners, pictures, and memorabilia from the Yakima River Canyon Marathon (www.ontherun.com/yrcm). She also displayed material for the Marathon Maniacs (www.marathonmaniacs.com) and for the 100 Marathon Club North America. We had enjoyable conversations with many runners from noon until the Expo closed at 5:00 p.m.
On race morning of Sunday, June 12, 2005, the runners were transported by bus from Port Angeles to Sequim for assembly at Carrie Blake Park, the start of the point-to-point marathon. This attractive park has a community building that served as a shelter and waiting area prior to the 9:00 a.m. start. It was a good place to visit with friends and to make new acquaintances.
The race started on time on a park-side street. The weather was good, with partly cloudy skies and the temperature in the mid 50's. Thankfully, the rain and strong winds of the previous two days had moved out of the area.
The course was on the path of the paved, recreational Olympic Discovery Trail. It went through downtown Sequim and its suburbs and passed nearby farmlands as it started its way to Port Angeles. In open terrain, the nearby Olympic Mountains could be viewed during the race.
My favorite inland area was in the ninth mile as the Dungeness River was crossed on a historic railroad trestle, a rails-to-trails conversion to a footbridge with a good surface for running. Here the trees are tall, and the underbrush is lush alongside an elevated roadbed. Smaller versions of the river crossing occur at footbridges over three more crossings.
Most of the infrequent, short hills on this flat-to-rolling course border these creeks in wooded settings. In the last four miles boats could be seen nearby, as well as bull kelp beds and the rocky shoreline. It was a nice setting to run/walk the final miles of the marathon.
As I approached the finish line, it was a special treat to have my Marathon Maniac (MM) friends Sue Fauerbach and Tony Phillippi run the final yards with me. Lenore was waiting at the finish line and placed a finishers medal around my neck. I had finished in 5:52:41, 401st of 432 finishers and first in the 75-79M age division. (Thanks to the race director for adding this new division this year!)
The marathon was won by Matthew Simms, 36, of Langley, WA, who finished in a time of 2:47:40. In April he had won the Whidbey Island Marathon that's close to his hometown. Second place was closely contested with James Drew, 44, of Port Orchard prevailing with a 2:54:43 and Jim Bromley, 41, of Seattle on his heels at 2:54:45 for third place.
Lori Buratto, 34, of Spokane defended her last year's win with a four minute improvement to finish in 3:12:06. MM Jennifer Yogi, 30, was second with a 3:14:51. Her recent marathon wins, all in the state of Washington, were at the TriCities Marathon (October 2004), Christmas Marathon (December 2004) and the Wenatchee Marathon (April 2005). In third place was Jennifer Bolibol, 34, of Woodinville with a time of 3:27:19.
Congratulations to first time finishers Jenna Bell-Wilson, 32 of Columbus, Ohio, and Jennie McCrary, 28, of Albuquerque, New Mexico, for finishing together in 5:34:13 and to Brenda McCracken, 34, of Fall City. When I noticed that Brenda was taking frequent walk breaks, I asked her if she had a strategy. She replied that she was a student of Jeff Galloway and was running her first marathon using a one-minute walk followed by four minutes of running. It worked for her, and she finished in 5:43:02.
Congratulations, also, to Judy Fisher, 61, of Auburn for running her 50th marathon! Her time was 3:50:05, and it placed her 2nd in the 60-64F division. For many years she has run one or two races every weekend, often winning her age group competition. She is definitely a candidate for the Marathon Maniacs!
Speaking of the Maniacs, there were 19 of them in the race, and most of them sported their distinctive, yellow club singlets. Craig Holcomb of Garrettsville, Ohio, wins the honor for the Maniac who traveled the furthest distance.
While sharing a bus ride with MM Diana "Slug" Robinson, 38, of Bellingham on the trip to the starting area at Sequim, I asked her about her nickname. She said that a relatively slow runner whose nickname is "Turtle" teased her about her slow running speed. Because the name "Turtle" was already taken, he suggested that she adopt the moniker "Slug"……and she did! Actually she isn't slow. She ran a 4:29:11 race, her 15th marathon in 13 weeks, a maniacal accomplishment! (It makes my fifth marathon in five weeks look pretty wimpy!)
MM Robert Hester, 31, of Bonney Lake ran the difficult Capital Forest 50 Miler near Olympia the day before in a time of 11:22:19. Then he raced the North Olympic Discovery Marathon to finish that event in a commendable 3:37:07, truly another maniacal weekend!
MM Sue Fauerbach, 58, of Renton ran a 4:36:49 for second place in the 55-59F age division, and MM founder Steve Yee, 45, also of Renton, came to the finish with a 3:45:22. This dynamic duo has run over 20 marathons so far this year, and they have a goal of 52 for 2005!!
Another MM founder, Tony Phillippi, was at the marathon as a photographer and a support person. In preparation for his participation in the upcoming Ironman Triathlon at Coeur d' Alene, Idaho, he rode his bike to Hurricane Ridge and back while the runners were on the course. Then he took pictures and was there to cheer his friends as they crossed the finish line.
MM Gunhild Swanson, 60, of Spokane continued her winning ways by finish first in the 60-64F division with a 3:37:04, Her husband, MM Jack Swanson, 71, ran a 4:59:23 for first 70-74M. Way to go, Swansons!
The first person to finish in the 55-59F group was Unha Lee, 55, of Olympia with a 4:18:24. She was also first in her age division at the Yakima River Canyon Marathon on April 2, 2005.
Congratulations to Carl Trabant, 43, of Lake Oswego, Oregon, who finished 5th overall in a great time of 2:56:55, the last of the sub-three hour runners. By being 5th overall, you'd think that he would have placed in his 40-44M age division, but he didn't. The 2nd, 3rd and 4th overall finishers were in the same division. What a bummer!
Prior to race in the lobby of our motel, we met Ivan Grutter and Chris Jackson, both 35, from Sitka, Alaska. We visited with them again at our booth at the Expo. Ivan finished his 2nd marathon ever in a time of 3:04:36, and Chris crossed the finish line for his first marathon in 3:17:45. Congratulations for the outstanding races! I was pleased that they returned to the finish area to greet me after I completed the race.
John Everett, 45, of Stafford, Missouri, told us that he was going to attend Dick Beardsley's Running Camp in Minnesota this summer. He's a lucky guy! He had a good race, running a 3:25:21 for 1st 45-59M.
Nadine Dexter, 46, (5:49:49) of Tallahassee, Florida, and I ran together for a few miles late in the race and talked about running. Of the runners I met over the weekend, she had traveled the furthest distance to run the Sequim to Port Angeles marathon.
Thanks go to Gene Morris, a physical therapist from Seattle and a long-time friend, for his help with my spinal tilt problem of the past seven months. He explained the anatomy and physiology aberrations of the syndrome and demonstrated two bending exercises that I could use at mile intervals that might help.
When I saw MM Jim Boyd at the pre-race waiting area, I asked him to demonstrate his on-the-course exercise. He showed me his windmill arm-swing which helps him stay loose.
The Morris and Boyd exercises worked fine, and I crossed the finish line with a straight spine for the first time since last November. The only problem I had was having to give some explanations to a woman medic as I exercised. I was not in physical distress, and I did not need medical assistance! (Now, if I can figure out how to make my 75 year old legs go faster, I'll be back in great form!)
Lenore had been a volunteer for almost six hours at the finish area. I felt so good after the race that she and I joined the dancers on the floor at the post-marathon dinner/dance for the volunteers at the Elks Club in Port Angeles.
Thanks go to race director Larry Little, the race committee and the volunteers for a well-organized and runner-friendly event.
Written by Bob Dolphin
Partial Results - North Olympic Discovery Marathon, 6/12/05
2:47:40 Matthew Simms, 36, Langley, 1st in Age Division
2:54:43 James Drew, 44, Port Orchard, 1st
2:54:45 Jim Bromley, 41, Seattle, 2nd
2:54:54 Don Young, 41, Port Townsend, 3rd
2:56:55 Carl Trabant, 43, Lake Oswego, OR,
3:04:36 Ivan Grutter, 35, Sitka, AK
3:11:01 Ruben Contreras, 50, Stanwood, WA, MM, 2nd
3:12:06 Lori Buratto, 34, Spokane Valley, WA, 1st
3:14:44 Terry Sentinella, 41, Anacortes, MM
3:14:51 Jennifer Yogi, 30, Seattle, MM, 2nd
3:17:45 Chris Jackson, 35, Sitka, AK,
3:25:21 John Everett, 45, Strafford, MO, 1st
3:27:19 Jennifer Bolibol, 34, Woodinville, 3rd
3:31:32 Dale Shoup, 57, Edmonds, MM, 1st
3:37:04 Gunhild Swanson, 60, Spokane, MM, 1st
3:37:07 Robert Hester, 31, Bonney Lake, MM
3:39:08 Steve Supkoff, 39, North Bend, MM
3:41:09 David Jones, 59, Seattle, MM
3:45:22 Steve Yee, 45, Renton, MM
3:48:41 Ron Fowler, 57, Seattle
3:50:05 Judy Fisher, 61, Auburn, 2nd
3:50:28 Jim Morton, 47, Duncan, BC, MM
3:52:25 Guy Yogi, 51, Seattle, MM
3:54:34 Lesa Overfield, 46, Tacoma, MM, 1st
3:56:50 Paul Emmett, 59, Redmond
3:57:28 Craig Holcomb, 38, Garrettsville, OH, MM
3:58:51 Gene Morris, 59, Seattle
4:12:18 Jim Kunz, 56, Seattle
4:13:58 Michael Shiach, 54, Bainbridge Island, MM
4:18:24 Unha Lee, 55, Olympia, 1st
4:24:05 Jim Boyd, 63, Seattle, MM
4:29:11 Diana "Slug" Robinson, 38, Bellingham, MM
4:36:49 Sue Fauerbach, 58, Renton, MM, 2nd
4:42:50 Hanan Berman, 58, Seattle
4:45:58 Donald Milliken, 61, Victoria, BC
4:59:23 Jack Swanson, 71, Spokane, MM, 1st
5:34:13 Jenna Bell-Wilson, 32, Columbus, OH
5:34:13 Jennie McCary, 28, Albuquerque, NM
5:37:05 Ultra Al Miller, Jr., 51, Deeer Island, OR
5:43:02 Brenda McCracken, 34, Fall City
5:49:49 Nadine Dexter, 46, Tallahassee, FL
5:52:41 Bob Dolphin, 75, Renton, MM, 1st
5:55:16 Ron Cox, 46, Carnation
5:55:16 KC Cox, 43, Carnation
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