SEATTLE MARATHON

November 25, 2007

 

On Sunday morning, November 25, 2007, there was excitement in the air as 11,000 runners and walkers gathered in the starting area for the Seattle Marathon and associated events.  This was at the Seattle Center by the Experience Music Museum and close to the landmark Space Needle.

 

At 7:15 a.m. the Marathon Walk began which included the 121 finishers of that race.  Of these I knew Fenny Roberts, 55, of Salem, Oregon, a marathon/ultra runner who followed the Olympic rules for the sport and race-walked the event in 5:52:10.  Other acquaintances I knew who participated in this event were Richard Hudson, 68, of Kennewick, father of marathoner Kirk Hudson, and Diana Anderson 70, of Enumclaw.  Richard’s time was 6:36:04, and Diana finished in 6:36:15.

 

The biggest race field was for the half marathon that left the starting area at 7:30 a.m.  There were 6,145 finishers who ran the first five miles and the last eight miles of the marathon course.

 

The half marathon was won by Kota Reichert, 24, of Tacoma in 1:09:10, a good time on a hilly course.  The women’s winner was Caryn Hefferman, 34, of Bothell with a time of 1:21:54.  Our good friend Jimmy Smith of Bremerton is running well these days and finished the half marathon in 2:13:40, a good comeback time.

 

Congratulations to Dr. Mitch Hungate, 56, our Renton dentist, for finishing this race in 1:43:39……and for completing the 2007 Ford Ironman World Championship at Kailua-Kona, Hawaii on October 13, 2007.  He’s a veteran of many triathlons and finished this arduous event in a time of 11:32:22.

 

At 7:45 a.m. 1,313 finishers and others in the half marathon walk event took off from their 5th Avenue start and went to downtown Seattle by walking under the monorail until its terminus.  After a mile near the Westin Hotel Race Headquarters, they followed the same course as the half marathon runners used.

 

Finally, at 8:15 a.m. it was time for the 1,879 marathon finishers and others to begin their 26.2 mile run on one of the most scenic marathon courses in the Pacific Northwest.  Going from flatlands to major hills, the setting is urban, suburban, villages, on a lake bridge, by the lakeside and near the forest.  The race course is always attractive and interesting.  It’s also a challenging course!  In the last 10K there is quite a climb from near lake level to the finish area in Memorial Stadium of the Seattle Center, close to the starting line. 

 

Unlike some past Seattle Marathons, this year the weather was ideal.  At the start the temperature was 40 degrees and didn’t exceed 45 degrees for the day.  Under partly cloudy skies, the air was calm with 5 mph winds on the I-90 bridge on Lake Washington to Mercer Island and back.  This out-and-back section and another one along the lake to Seward Park and back were great for greeting running friends and acquaintances who were going in the opposite direction.

 

I enjoyed my run, but I wish that I had been stronger in the last 10K.  I walked/ran these six miles as best that I could and finished with a 5:44:20, 1,807 of 1,879 finishers, and third of three in the 75-79 Male Division.

 

It was strange to finish in the stadium knowing that Lenore wouldn’t be there waiting for me.  We agreed beforehand that it was too cold for her to be volunteering at the finish area for six hours on her feet while she is still recuperating from her open heart surgery.  However, Lenore had her first post-surgery race volunteering two days earlier.  As in past years, we spent Friday afternoon working in the marathon packet pickup area in the Westin Hotel.  This outing went well, and many of her many friends were pleased to see her volunteering again.

 

After seven consecutive wins, Uli Steidl who is training for an upcoming 50 mile race in California decided not to participate in the year’s Seattle Marathon.  When the escort motorcycle passed me in my 9th mile, two lead runners in their 18th mile went by in the opposite lane.  They were Andy Martin, 32, of Los Osos, California, and Brett Winegar, 28 of Shoreline.  They ran together until the Madison Street hill in the 21st mile when Andy pulled ahead.  He retained his lead and finished with a 2:27:12.  Brett was close behind with a 2:29:12.  We had met Brett at the October Royal Victoria Marathon pasta meal when he sat at the table with us for one of the best-ever marathon dinners.  In third place was Jesse Williams, 30, of Seattle in 2:29:12.

 

In the women’s race, Trisha Steidl, 30, of Shoreline (Uli’s wife) won her second consecutive Seattle Marathon.  She finished with a time of 2:59:21.  Marathon Maniac Annie Thiessen, 37, from Tacoma finished two minutes later in second place with a 3:01:22.  Third place honors went to Sarah Louise Cumber, 36, of Sowerby Bridge, United Kingdom, with a 3:04:31.

 

CONGRATULATIONS………to the following finishers:

 

(1)   Jack Swanson, 72, of Spokane Valley who completed his 200th marathon in 6:21:06.  He is being treated for cancer, but he’s still running/walking and finishing marathons!!!

(2)   Mel Preedy, 74, of Ravensdale for ignoring injury and finishing marathons on a regular basis.  His time was 6:29:51.

(3)   Frank Purdy, 54, of Toppenish for running a weekend marathon double!  Frank is the Course Marshal for the Yakima River Canyon Marathon and editor of the Yakima Hard Core Runners Club monthly newsletter.  On Saturday Frank ran the Seattle Ghost Marathon (Seward Park/Lake Washington) and on Sunday he ran the Seattle Marathon in 5:03:13.  He wants to join the Marathon Maniacs, and this weekend double is a qualifier for sure.

(4)   Kirk Hudson, 40, our nephew from Wenatchee, who set a new personal record (PR) of 3:45:40.

 

Those of us who knew Bruce Katter, 73, of Edmonds, runner, marathoner and ultrarunner will miss him.  Our good friend Bruce died on November 11th after a short battle with cancer.  His last race was the Yakima River Canyon Marathon on March 31, 2007.  To read about how his friends felt about Bruce, go to the Marathon Maniac website, www.marathonmaniacs.com and click onto “RIP Bruce Katter, #77,” on the home page.

 

My 23rd Seattle Marathon is history, and I want to thank John Kokes, Todd Byers, Louise Long and other directors for putting on a quality marathon and associated events.

 

……………………………………….Written by Bob Dolphin

                                                              Edited, Typed and Distributed by Lenore Dolphin

 

          SEATTLE MARATHON Partial Results – November 25, 2007

 

2:27:12  Andy Martin, 32, Los Osas, CA, First Overall, First 30-34M Division

2:29:12  Brett Winegar, 28, Shoreline, Second Overall, 1st

2:33:12  Jesse Williams, 30, Seattle, Third Overall, 2nd

2:51:22  Cliff Richards, 46, Maple Valley, Marathon Maniac (MM), 2nd

2:59:21  Trisa Steidl, 30, Shoreline, First Woman Overall, 1st

2:59:38  Jonathan Bernard, 37, Seattle, MM

3:01:22  Annie Thiessen, 37, Tacoma, Second Woman Overall, MM, 1st

3:01:27  Tony Phillippi, 46, Tacoma, MM, 8th

3:02:59  Gregg Walchli, 46, Seattle, MM, 9th

3:04:31  Sarah Louise Cumber, 36, Sowerby Bridge, UK, Third Woman Overall, 2nd

3:08:53  Cliff Banister, 46, Pendleton, OR, 10th

3:12:35  Doug Beyerlein, 57, Mill Creek, 2nd

3:13:15  Ruben Contreras, 53, Stanwood, MM, 3rd

3:15:35  Eric Jensen, 43, Athena, OR, MM

3:19:36  Steve Duncan, 39, Mt. Vernon, MM

3:20:04  Ginger Gruber, 37, Port Orchard, MM, 4th

3:20:51  James Drew, 46, Port Orchard

3:21:00  Karin Kupp, 38, Yakima, 5th

3:25:09  Steve Supkoff, 42, North Bend, MM

3:25:26  David Spooner, 39, Buckley, MM

3:25:34  Jill Banister, 48, Pendleton, OR, 3rd

3:27:29  Dean Kayler, 44, Renton, MM

3:29:44  Chris Warren, 40, Renton, MM

3:30:22  Bob Martin, 43, Bellevue, MM

3:33:45  Kurt Lauer, 46, Seattle, MM

3:35:22  Gary Lobold, 53, East Wenatchee, MM

3:36:27  Robert Lopez, 41, Seattle, MM

3:40:20  Janet Green, 54, Courtenay, BC, 2nd

3:40:31  Mark Dix, 47, Bellevue, MM

3:40:58  Sherry Mahoney, 43, Vernon, BC, MM, 9th

3:40:59  Jon Mahoney, 55, Vernon, BC, MM

3:41:33  Stephanie Day, 43, Tracyton, MM, 10th

3:41:34  Ethan Bergman, 55, Ellensburg

3:42:23  Lorelei Sadowski, 44, Port Coquitlam, BC, MM

3:43:18  Barb Blumenthal, 51, Sammamish, MM, 3rd

3;44:41  Robert Bishton, 57, Ft. Myers Beach, FL, MM

3:44:56 Guy Yogi, 53, Seattle, MM

3:45:40  Kirk Hudson, 40, Wenatchee

3:46:15  David Jones, 61, Seattle, MM, 3rd

3:46:56  Andrew Freeman, 79, Vallejo, CA, Oldest Male, 1st

3:47:43  Faye Britt, 32, Everett, MM

3:48:09  Keven Babbitt, 32, Lynnwood, MM

3:49:28  Mark Cook, 34, Clinton, MM

3:49:43  Erika Van Flein, 48, Fairbanks, AK, MM, 7th

3:49:48  Michael Rasmussen, 50, Bremerton, MM

3:50:06  Jimmy Buchanan, 43, Yakima

3:53:11  David Olsho, 56, Seattle

3:53:40  Steve Walters, 27, Tigard, OR, MM

3:54:11  Gretchen Bodeen, 26, Yakima

3:54:11  Charlie Bodeen, 56, Yakima

3:56:35  Catherine Wyman, 45, Phoenix, AX, MM

3:56:39  Steve White, 54, Seattle, MM

3:56:41  Paul Emmett, 61, Redmond, 5th

3:57:43  Jessica Mullen, 32, Seattle, MM

3:58:05  David Hamilton, 53, Seattle, MM

3:58:34  Ken Bonner, 65, Victoria, BC, 2nd

3:58:38  Giles Barbeau, 52. Vancouver, BC, MM

3:58:53  Jerry Duncan, 63, Aloha, OR

3:59:32  Marilou Russell, 46, Olympia, MM

3:59:43  Jon Burg, 29, San Francisco, CA, MM

3:59:53  Michael Shiach, 57, Bainbridge Island, MM

4:01:55  Steven Yee, 48, Renton, MM

4:03:27  Bill Torsen, 58, Bellevue

4:04:41  Gunhild Swanson, 63, Splkane Valley, MM, 3rd

4:05:29  Bill Voilland, 59, Richland

4:07:04  Richard Sadowski, 47, Port Coquilam, BC, mm

4:07:12  Jim Kunz, 58, Seattle

4:10:17  Raymond Grueneweld, 47, Seattle

4:10:28  Ken Briggs, 56, Spokane, MM

4:11:14  David Stout, 53, Renton, MM

4:12:25  Jim Scheer, 65, Vancouver, WA, MM, 3rd

4:13:04  Andrew Dunn, 39, Kirkland

4:13:06  Tom Saunders, 62, Tumwater, MM

4:13:21  Brian Jackson, 46, Sugar Land, TX, MM

4:15:30  Robert Jacobsen, 49, Mt. Vernon, MM

4:15:43  Tom Rogers, 62, Bellevue, MM

4:15:45  Cheri Pompeo, 55, Woodinville, MM, 5th

4:17:15  Ron Fowler, 60, Seattle

4:17:56  John Little, 65, Vancouver, BC, 5th

4:23:39  Scott Tomchick, 42, Lynnwood, MM

4:24:59  Jon Yoon, 29, Algona, MM
4:25:16  Unha Lee, 58, Olympia, 7th

4:25:28  Leslie Miller, 27, Bellevue, MM

4:25:48  Keith Wood, 78, Sultan, 2nd

4:26:09  Thomas Stoltz, 33, Kent, MM

4:27:15  Tim Pate, 43, Spokane, MM

4:28:18  Michael Lacombe, 52, Puyallup

4:37:43  Paul Gentry, 49, Befair, MM

4:39:13  Jeanette Quintana, 30, Edmonds, MM

4:39:58  Herb Allen, 65, Bainbridge Island, 9th

4:40:19  Bill Powers, 65, Bremerton, MM, 10th

4:43:07  Marie Zomes, 44, Gig Harbor, MM

4:43:51  Diane Wilcox, 55, Yarrow Point

4:48:27  Lynn Yarnall, 57, Edmonds

4:48:31  Paul Fouch, 73, Klamath Falls, WA 4th

4:56:41  Janet Burgess, 46, Renton, MM

4:57:00  Brian Starkey, 42, Edgewood, MM

5:03:13  Frank Purdy, 54, Toppenish

5:04:22  Gwen Payne, 53, Mandeville, LA, MM

5:06:11  Ultra Al Miller, Jr, 53, Deer Island, OR

5:06:56  Catherine Schwartz, 47, Puyallup, MM

5:07:35  Monte Pascual, 47, Federal Way, MM

5:16:13  Bernadette Langdon, 54, Portland, OR
5:20:11  Ed Hansen, 61, Stayton, OR
5:22:15  Richard Stewart, 53, Prince George, BC, MM

5:40:38  Todd Byers, 43, Long Beach, CA

5:44:20  Bob Dolphin, 78, Renton/Yakima, MM, 3rd

5:53:24  Timothy Bruce, 54, Sequim, MM

6:21:06  Jack Swanson, 73, Spokane Valley, MM, 6th

6:29:51  Mel Preedy, 74, Ravensdale, MM, 7th

6:31:24  Jan Herzog, 44, Tacoma, MM

6:31:25  Raymond Shaw, 49, Tacoma, MM

 

 

Marathon Walk

 

5:52:10  Fenny Roberts, 55, Salem, OR, MM

6:05:42  Yolanda Holder, 49, Corona, CA, MM

6:36:04  Richard Hudson, 68, Kennewick

6:36:15  Diana Anderson, 70, Enumclaw

 

 

Half Marathon

 

1:09:10  Kota Riechert, 24, Tacoma, First Overall

1:21:54  Caryn Hefferman, 34, Bothell, First Woman Overall

1:43:39  Mitch Hungate, 56, Renton

2:13:40  Jimmy Smith, 67, Bremerton