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North Olympic Discovery Marathon
June 11, 2006
Race Report by Bob Dolphin
It's always a treat to run the North Olympic Discovery Marathon. Since the inaugural race in 2003, this was my fourth consecutive running of the event, and I'll try to keep the string going in the future.
On Saturday, June 10, 2006, race director Larry Little and his wife Michelle did a great job of organizing the Packet Pickup and Race Expo at the Red Lion Hotel on the waterfront of Port Angeles, Washington. Lenore and I were provided a booth at the Expo for promoting our Yakima River Canyon Marathon #7 (March 31, 2007), the Marathon Maniacs, and the 100 Marathon Club North America. We also exhibited two books in which I had authored a chapter...From Fairbanks to Boston, 50 Great U.S. Marathons and Running in the Zone, a Handbook for Seasoned Athletes.
The next day a good-sized running field was on hand for both races, 403 for the marathon and 860 for the half marathon. For this point-to-point race, Gene Morris, a running friend from Seattle, and I took the 6:30 a.m. shuttle bus to the staging area in Sequim. We off-loaded at Carrie Blake Park and went to the meeting room there for resting and socializing.
Herb Allen from Bainbridge Island was entered in the half marathon, but he stopped by to say, "Hi," on the way to the starting line of his race. Chris Warren was there to take pictures of the Marathon Maniacs, especially of the four Maniacs who had run the Lake Young's 50K Ultra the previous day. The ultra's race director, Arthur Martineau, was joined by Van Phan, Stacey Otter and Karen Wiggins for a "weekend double!"
At the 9:00 a.m.start adjacent to the park, the high fog lifted and was replaced by partly cloudy skies, some sunshine and light headwinds. The temperature was in the 60's and contributed to conditions conducive to good running.
The flat-to-rolling course was scenic as we ran through downtown Sequim, in rural settings, through forests, and along the Strait of Juan de Fuca. We followed the Olympic Discovery Trail on paved trails and country roads and enjoyed the views of the snow-capped peaks of the nearby Olympic Mountains.
As usual, I observed the natural history as I ran. There were many birds and flowers to see along the way…….and one big surprise. The Western Kingbird, a yellow-breasted flycatcher, that I saw is found in Eastern Washington, but it's rare west of the Cascade Mountains.
Eventually, time and distance passed and I could see the finish line by the city pier where Lenore was waiting for me. She and Marathon Maniac Bill Barmore had been volunteers all day working as "buddies" who assisted runners from both races after they finished. My time was 5:37:59. I was the oldest runner in the race and placed 358th of 391 finishers and first in the 75+ male division.
The marathon was won by Preston Brashers, 23, of Renton. Running in his first marathon he pulled away from other front-runners in the third mile and extended his lead to finish unchallenged in 2:35:47. He attributed his success to high training mileage and cross-training of mountain biking.
Bryan Smith, 43, of Thibadaux, Louisiana, came in second with a time of 2:43:00. He's a long-time runner who has completed 46 marathons and has finished among the top four places in 12 marathons in the past six months. He's a 50 Stater who has completed 18 states.
In third place with a 2:44:48 was Jany Deng, 27, of Phoenix, Arizona. He's a native of Sudan in Africa who survived the war there as an orphaned youth by hiking between refugee camps in Ethiopia, Sudan and Kenya. After his ordeal, he was sent to the United States from Kenya when he was 16 years of age. He became a U.S.citizen in May and is nearing graduation from Arizona State University with a bachelors degree in International Social Work. He works full time as an Outreach Coordinator for the Lost Boys Center at Phoenix.
The women's race was won by Yukiko Nishide, 44, of Rye, New York, in a time of 3:19:29. She is also a 50 Stater and has run a marathon in 26 states. Her husband Hiroyuki Nishida also ran in the race. Placing second and third for the women were Sheila Perletti, 40+, of Battle Ground (3:32:40) and Amy Myers, 35+, of Bellingham (3:32:54).
I'm always impressed by someone who can walk a marathon faster than I can run one. Charles Cutting, 65+, of Hayden, Idaho, did just that. At the Expo he told me that he was a walker, and when he passed me in the 13th mile, I realized that he was a fast walker! He finished his 118th marathon with a time of 5:24:06 for first place in the 65-69M division.
Congratulations to Jennifer Bruce, 17, of Sequim, for running her first marathon in 5:54:26. She was accompanied by her father, Marathon Maniac Tim Bruce. Congratulations, also, to Katheryn Gambetta, 35+, of Scherville, Indiana, for finishing her first marathon (4:57:08). It was a pleasure to meet her at the Expo and to talk with her on the course. Other first-timers were John Stearn, 45+, of Issaquah (4:29:10) and Tiare Bailey, 45+, of Port Ludlow (5:30:59).
Thanks go to Larry and Michelle Little, the committee and all of the volunteers for putting on another quality marathon. We hope to return on June 10, 2007, for the 5th annual North Olympic Discovery Marathon.
Written by Bob Dolphin
Edited, typed and distributed by Lenore Dolphin
PARTIAL RESULTS - North Olympic Discovery Marathon, June 11, 2006
2:35:46 Preston Brashers, 23, Renton, First Overall
2:42:59 Bryan Smith, 43, Thibodaux, LA, Second Overall
2:44:48 Jany Deng, 27, Phoenix, AZ, Third Overall
3:19:27 Yukiko Nishide, 44, Rye, NY, First Woman Overall
3:32:40 Sheila Perletti, 40-44, Battle Ground, Second Woman Overall
3:32:54 Amy Myers, 35-39, Bellingham, Third Woman Overall
3:10:39 Chris Warren, 38, Renton, Marathon Maniac (MM)
3:10:40 Steve Yee, 46, Renton, MM
3:12:53 Doug MacLean, 50-54, Mercer Island, MM
3:16:27 Eric Gierke, 40-44, Shoreline, MM
3:28:28 James Drew, 45-59, Port Orchard
3:30:16 Steve Supkoff, 40, North Bend, MM
3:31:23 Hiroyuki Nishide, 40-44, Rye, NY
3:34:14 Tim Pate, 41, Spokane, MM
3:39:53 Al Harmon, 40-44, West Vancouver, BC, MM
3:40:19 Rob Jacobsen, 45-49, Mt. Vernon, MM
3;41:57 Jeff Loen, 45-49, Kenmore, MM
3:44:21 Ted Coulson, 55-59, Seattle, MM
3:45:04 Kurt Lauer, 44, Seattle, MM
3:44:58 David Jones, 60, Seattle, MM
3:45:09 Van Phan, 35, Maple Valley, MM
3:47:04 Earl Fenstermacher, 56, Seattle, MM
3:48:22 May Cheng, 41, Mercer Island, MM
3:52:02 Melanie Martinez, 25-29, Port Angeles
3:53:50 Stephanie Day, 40-44, Bremerton, MM
3:59:43 Gene Morris, 60, Seattle
4:07:15 Ron Fowler, 55-59, Seattle
4:13:57 Fred Willet, 50-54, Kelso
4:18:53 Michael Shiach, 55, Bainbridge Island, MM
4:19:42 Amanda Cohn, 37, Seattle, MM
4:22:06 Unha Lee, 56, Olympia
4:22:32 Cyrus Rhode, 62, Spencer, TN
4:23:32 Michael Wakabahashi, 58, Spokane, MM
4:25:14 Monte Fus, 41, Appleton, MM
4:28:03 Keith Whited, 50-54, Alexandria, VA, MM
4:29:10 John Stearns, 45-49, Issaquah
4:30:52 Jaimie Kaiser, 30-34, North Bend
4:35:41 Leslie Miller, 25-29, Bellevue, MM
4:42:29 Brian Pendleton, 50-54, Auburn
4:44:47 Brian Gawley, 40-44, Port Angeles
4:47:00 Andrea Parnett, 55-59, New Meadows, ID
4:48:53 Arthur Martineau, 30, Renton, MM
4:48:53 Karen Wiggins, 45-49, Bremerton, MM
4:48:53 Stacey Otter, 29, Bellingham, MM
4:48:53 Diana Robinson, 35-39, Bellingham, MM
4:51:32 Sue Fauerbach, 58, Renton, MM
4:57:08 Katheryn Gambetta, 35-39, Scherville, IN
5:24:06 Charles Cutting, 65-69, Hayden, ID, 1st in Age Group (WALKED)
5:30:59 Tiare Bailey, 45-49, Port Ludlow
5:34:52 Miriam Rasco, 40-44, Sequim
5:37:59 Bob Dolphin, 76, Renton/Yakima, MM, 1st
5:38:42 Linda Roose, 50-54, Boise, ID
5:45:16 Ultra Al Miller, 50-54, Deer Island, OR
5:48:59 Robert Moore, 70-74, Alexandria, VA, 1st
5:54:26 Jennifer Bruce, 17, Sequim,1st
5:54:27 Tim Bruce, 53, Sequim, MM
6:20:28 Jacqueline Bardol, 65-69, Alexandria, VA, MM, 1st
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