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Royal Victoria Marathon
October 8, 2006
Race Report by Bob Dolphin
The Royal Victoria Marathon at Victoria, BC, on Vancouver Island is my second most favorite marathon, after the Yakima River Canyon Marathon (YRCM). I can qualify this statement by stating that it is my favorite large marathon since the YRCM would be characterized as a small marathon in the 400-500 participant range.
On Friday, two days before the October 8, 2006, marathon and associated half marathon and 8K Road Race, Lenore and I drove north from our Renton, Washington, home to the Canadian border and to the Tsawwassen, BC, Ferry Terminal. The treat on the ferry was passing some of the Gulf Islands. At close range coniferous forests, bluffs and beaches were viewed.
As in years past, we checked into the Embassy Inn where our room is only a few hundred feet from the starting line for the events. The eventful day before the race started out with the Writers Breakfast at the Fairmont Empress Hotel, a prominent landmark. The meal was excellent, and the authors made interesting presentations. Before Steve King, co-editor with Dan Cumming, described the book Running in the Zone, he asked chapter authors Rob Reid, Evan Fagan, Jack Miller, Maurice Tarrant and me to join him and Dan at the podium table.
After the breakfast we went next door to the Victoria Conference Centre for packet pickup and a tour of the Expo. The long-sleeved, half-zip, technical, black shirt had an attractive logo indicating the 27th Annual Royal Victoria Marathon 2006, and it is free of advertisements!!! It's one of the best running shirts that I've seen.
At the Expo we visited with some race officials, race directors who had booths, some runners whom we know, and Marty Wanless (sports marketer from Vancouver, BC, who is a supporter of the YRCM that we direct). We attended several seminars that were of interest during the afternoon, and later we went to the Carbo Gala Dinner at the hotel. It was another feast with great entertainment and a lot of drawing prizes. At our table we met some runners who had interesting marathon histories and objectives.
On race morning we awakened to the sounds from a P.A. system outside of our hotel unit that was welcoming the early participants to their 6:30 a.m. start in darkness. About 100 runners and walkers took off in a light rain with calm skies and the air temperature in the 40's.
An hour later it was daylight when the runners started their half marathon at 7:30 a.m. When the marathoners began their run at 8:30 a.m., the weather was ideal. There was a light rain that lasted until mid-morning, and the skies were overcast throughout the race. Headwinds along the coast were light, and air temperatures were in the 50's.
In the first 5K I enjoyed brief conversations with Bill Schnitzler of Calgary, AB, Mae Palm of Squammish, BC, and Peter Landolt of Yakima. I like this variable course and looked forward to what was ahead. In the first mile we passed the Parliament Buildings, the Royal British Columbia Museum, the Fairmont Empress Hotel, and the Inner Harbour. We ran through the city center for the second mile before a short run in the Fairfield suburbs took us to scenic Beacon Hill Park. This was followed by running on the sea bluffs and the sea-level coves. There were offshore boats, bull kelp beds, yacht marinas and tidal flats in view. It was an interesting area complemented by inland suburbs of attractive homes.
In the 10th mile we went through the town of Oak Bay that was celebrating its centennial year. Al and Catherine Homenchuk from Burnaby called my name here, so I stopped briefly to say "Hi" as I passed by. We had a chance to visit with them on the ferry the next day. Al and I have been running marathons together for years, the last time was at the YRCM in April. Health problems had turned him into a spectator this day instead of a runner.
It was near Oak Bay where I saw Steve Osaduik, 27, of Nanaimo, BC, the lead runner, (in his 20th mile). He and his motorcycle escort passed by quickly, and Steve ran on to break the course record by two minutes. His time of 2:16:47 broke a record that had stood for 25 years. What an accomplishment!!!
About a mile behind him was Shawn Miller, 25+, of Juneau, AK, who ran a 2:28:47 for second place. Adam Campbell, 25+, of Victoria was third with a 2:29:10. All three times were great.
As the lead pack ran by, I spotted the first woman. It was Suzanne Evans, 30+, of New Westminster, BC. She was defending her 2005 win and finished in 2:47:03. Later I saw Erin Perkin, 30+, of Tigard, OR, and Catherine Irons, 45+, of Qualicum Beach, BC, run by as they were racing one another. Erin prevailed and finished in second place for the women with a 3:06:34 while Catherine paced third with a time of 3:07:22.
Eventually, as the runners passed, a few friends and I exchanged greetings and others called my name. At the 15 mile turn-around, I noted a few runners behind me. I passed a few runners and early starters in the last 10 miles and crossed the finish line in a chip time of 5:16:20, 1,680th of 1,845 finishers (including early starters), and first 75-79M.
Congratulations to Rob Reid, his committee and the volunteers for conducting a successful medley of four running events and related activities for a record number of over 9,000 participants. I'll be at the starting line of my favorite large marathon on Canada's Thanksgiving weekend in October 2007.
Written by Bob Dolphin
Edited, Typed and Distributed by Lenore Dolphin
PARTIAL RESULTS - Royal Victoria Marathon, October 8, 2006
Wheelchair Race
2:18:27 Simon Harrington, 40+, Courtenay, BC
3:37:22 Christopher Samis, 40+, Vancouver, BC
Marathon Runners
2:16:47 Steve Osaduik, 27, Nanaimo, BC, First Overall,
1st in Age Division
2:28:47 Shawn Miller, 25+, Juneau, AK, Second Overall, 2nd
2:29:10 Adam Campbell, 25+, Victoria, BC, Third Overall, 3rd
2:47:03 Suzanne Evans, 30+, New Westminster, BC,
First Woman Overall, 1st
2:50:31 Keith Wakelin, 45+, Courtenay, BC, 1st
3:06:34 Erin Perkin, 30+, Tigard, OR, 2nd
3:07:22 Catherine Irons, 45+, Qualicum Beach, BC, 1st
3:24:30 Jon Mahoney, 50+, Vernon, BC, 100 Marathon Club
North America (100 MC), Marathon Maniacs (MM)
3:37:07 Janet Green, 50+, Courtenay, BC, 100 MC, 5th
3:38:25 Barb Blumenthal, 50+, Sammamish, WA, MM
3:43:40 Eb Engelmann, 60+, Salem, OR, 100 MC, 4th
3:44:01 Eva Lust Wright, 35+, Yakima, WA
3:44:02 Mary Riehl, 35+, Yakima, WA
3:55:07 John Shaw, 50+, Victoria, BC
3:58:35 Bill Schitzler, 55+, Calgary, AB
3:59:18 Gretchen Bodeen, 25+, Yakima, WA
3:59:18 Charles Bodeen, 55+, Yakima, WA
4:05:30 Pete Nicholson, 45+, Vancouver, WA, MM
4:26:28 Evan Fagan, 65+, Victoria, BC, 100 MC
4:31:11 Jerry Lawrence, 65+, New Westminster, BC
4:34:08 Peter Landolt, 50+, Yakima, WA
5:14:43 Mae Palm, 65+, Squammish, BC, 100 MC, 3rd
5:16:20 Bob Dolphin, 77, Renton/Yakima, WA, 100 MC, MM, 1st
5:18:40 Debby Wilson, 45+, Bellevue, WA, MM
6:07:24 Virginia Farneman, 65+, Powell, OH, 100 MC
6:07:32 Ultra Al Miller, Jr., 50+, Deer Island, OR
7:26:59 Cathie Harrison, 60+, Coupeville, WA
7:29:33 Nancy Jablinske, 60+, Coupeville, WA
8:21:25 Alan Richardson, 35+, Lantzville, BC
Half Marathon (4,026 Finishers)
1:08:24 Nik Southwell, 30+, Victoria, BC, First Overall, 1st in Age Division
1:09:37 Jim Finlayson, 30+, Victoria, BC, Second Overall, 2nd
1:10:02 Ian Fraser, 30-34, Port Townsend, WA, Third Overall, 3rd
1:18:01 Cheryl Murphey, 35+, Victoria, BC, First Woman Overall, 1st
1:18:49 Judith Leyroy, 30+, Victoria, BC, Second Woman Overall, 1st
1:19:15 Lindsay McLaren, 30+, Calgary, AB, Third Woman Overall, 2nd
1:42:16 Maurice Tarrant, 75+, Saanichton, BC, 1st
2:00:42 Carl Davison, 40+, Snohomish, WA
2:16:27 Michelle Little, 40+, Port Angeles, WA
2:58:45 Jim Davison, 70+, Lakewood, WA
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