YAKIMA RIVER CANYON MARATHON
April 1, 2006
As I was standing in the wind and rain with a cool 39 degree air temperature at the start of the sixth annual Yakima River Canyon Marathon on April 1, 2006, I reflected on how lucky I was to be there. The Yakima River Canyon Marathon (YRCM) is my favorite event of the year, and I can run it because Lenore Dolphin, my wife, is the sole race director during the event and this permits me to be a participant. The rest of the year we co-direct as a team.
We were honored that Dick Beardsley, U.S. fourth fastest marathoner, returned to be our guest speaker again this year. On the morning before the race, he spoke to the students and faculty at Davis High School in Yakima. A presentation to a full house in the school auditorium was followed by a session with track coach Jose Garcia, his students and running team members in Jose’s classroom. (Jose still holds the course record at our YRCM for running a 2:29:43 in his first marathon in 2002.) Dick held the students’ attention as he recounted his running career and life’s fortunes and misfortunes.
In the afternoon, he was at the Selah Civic Center, our race headquarters, and visited with participants as he signed posters and copies of his books. The highlight of the weekend came as Dick spoke at the pasta meal on Friday evening. His stimulating presentation was concluded by an emotional portrayal of the life of a young man with Asperger’s Syndrome, an affliction that had caused many developmental and behavioral problems. The young man recently joined the U.S. Army and, surprisingly, excelled as a recruit.
Dick choked up as he related the end of the story. The young man was his son Andy who had just graduated with honors from Basic Training the previous weekend at Fort Leonard Wood in Missouri. There wasn’t a dry eye in the audience as everyone was moved by Dick’s pride in this great accomplishment.
Last year Dick ran only the first half of our marathon because of plantar fasciitus problems. The picture that Hard Core Runners Club member Kenn Zahn took of him on the course was used on our 2006 poster. This year he was recovering from hernia surgery, but he still ran to the halfway mark to the delight of those who ran with him.
Before the start, Tony Sagare, long time member of the Hard Core Runners sponsoring club and finisher of 70+ marathons himself, made the pre-race announcements and introductions. The Boy Scouts from Ellensburg’s Troop #475 were the color guard for the nine different countries that have had participants in our race. After the singing of the national anthem and an invocation, the usual sound of the train whistle started the race.
There was a train whistle without the usual sight of the familiar Burlington Northern Railroad engine on the adjacent tracks. So…..it was April Fool’s Day!!!
It wasn’t a joke, however, that a first time marathoner ended up winning the sixth annual YRCM. Manuh Santos, 26, of Yakima with a time of 2:46:48 was the first runner to cross the finish line. His story is an amazing one. He is a Mexican Indian who grew up in a mountain top village in the Mexican state of Oaxaca where he spoke only the Mixteco dialect. He left home at the age of 16 to find work elsewhere for helping his family. His first challenge was to learn Spanish and English. The next one was his goal to become a high school graduate, a feat that he accomplished at the age of 24 when he received his diploma from Davis High School. His mentor and coach, Jose Garcia, introduced him to running. We’re all proud of Manuh’s victory on April 1st!
In second place, Kent Sizer, 51, of Renton ran a 2:48:42. Remarkably, this established a new Personal Record (PR) for him by seven minutes. He broke his previous one set 15 years and eight marathons ago! In third place was Ruslan Tkebuchava, 25, of Vancouver, WA, with a 2:51:14.
Last year Mary Hanna, 44, of Maple Valley won the women’s race with a 3:05:50. Her goal for this year was to break the course record of 3:03:46 and possibly run a sub three hour marathon. Congratulations to Mary for doing just that!!! As the seventh overall finisher, she won her second consecutive YRCM for the women’s division in a record setting time of 2:58:06…..a new course record and a PR for her!!
In second and third places for the women were Ann Armstrong, 44, of Poulsbo with a 3:10:47 and Jennifer Yogi, 30, a Marathon Maniac from Seattle, with a 3:13:31.
In the wheelchair division, perennial winner Jerry Martin, 58, of Spokane Valley hand-cranked to a 1:52:20 as he broke his own course record of 1:54:20 that he set last year. For the second time he was joined by Scott Bailey, 36, of Spokane. Scott’s finishing time was 2:40:00.
Joe Henderson of Eugene, Oregon, renowned running author, columnist, speaker and coach has played a valuable role in all of the previous YRCM events. He had been the announcer at the start and finish lines, the guest speaker the first two years, and always assisted wherever needed.
This time he chose to run a marathon after a hiatus of six years. We were delighted that he chose the Yakima River Canyon Marathon. What a treat for me to run and visit with him in the early miles! I can’t think of anything better than to be running in the same race as Dick Beardsley and Joe.
Joe wore bib #48 to celebrate the 48th anniversary of his first competitive race when he was a teenager. He has run a marathon in every decade of his life since he was in his 20’s. Congratulations on reaching a new level of achievement, a marathon in the 60’s! We look forward to Joe’s return to the YRCM in 2007 in whichever role he prefers, runner or announcer.
My race went well, and I ran comfortably because of the good running weather. It’s my favorite marathon, and I never tire of admiring the scenery. I enjoyed visiting with runners whom I know (Joe, Todd Byers, Tom Ripley, Chris Ralph, Phil Little etc.) along the way and meeting others. My finishing time of 6:06:42 put me in 358th place of 384 finishers and first of two in the 75-79M group.
For six times Jose Nebrida has traveled from Chicago to run our YRCM. Since 9/11 he has carried the American flag and worn red/white/& blue running clothes as he spreads his patriotic message. He left his native Philippines at the age of 19 with a dream of coming to the United States. After spending three years in Germany and seven years in Canada, he finally arrived. He feels that only in America could he have worked hard to receive the blessings he has…..two graduate degrees, a career of guiding gifted students in the Chicago School District and citizenship. He can relate to the winner of this race!
Congratulations to 14 year old Christina Bruce of Sequim for becoming the youngest female to complete the YRCM. She finished her first marathon in a time of 4:17:53. It was a father/daughter event as her dad, Timothy Bruce, 58, crossed the finish line at 4:45:25.
Reaching the finish shortly before Christina in a time of 4:12:48 was 17 year old Justin Moyer of Wellpinit. Justin holds the record for being the “youngest-ever” finisher. Four years ago at the age of 13, he ran his first marathon here. Again he was followed by his mother Janice who finished in 4:24:28 to make it a mother/son accomplishment.
The number 198 was a special one for three competitors. Congratulations to 100 Marathon Club North American members Todd Byers, Carol Dellinger and Mel Preedy for completing their 198th marathon on April 1st.
It wasn’t an April Fool’s Day joke that two runners started the race “sans shoes.” Jon Gissberg ran part of the race barefooted, and Todd Byers completed the entire course without shoes!
Nor was it a joke that someone on the course was dragging a tire as he ran 26.2 miles. Tom Ripley of Sammamish did just that as he is training for the Ididasport Race in northern Alaska. He and his running partner Chris Ralph of Kirkland are each required to drag a sled with 50 to 60 pounds of supplies needed for the 100 mile race, so they often train in shorter races by wearing a special harness attached to a tire.
Runners came from 27 states, three Canadian provinces, Germany and United Kingdom. Monika and Ed Roth from Koeln, Germany, joined us for the first time while Alan Morton and Raymond Hoyle of the UK ran their third consecutive YRCM. Peter Graham, also from the UK, came for the fourth time.
We welcomed more that fifty 50 Staters and are pleased that the 50 States Marathon Club chose ours as their second quarter reunion race. Steve and Paula Boone from Humble, TX, represented the board of directors by conducting the meeting and selling club merchandise. All members left with a souvenir mug with our YRCM logo on it.
There were over fifty Marathon Maniacs in attendance. We appreciate their support and are pleased that our March 31, 2007, Yakima River Canyon Marathon will be a reunion race for this popular club.
I stood at the rainy, windy starting line wondering what the race would be like. As it turned out, most runners agreed at the end of the marathon that it had been a great day for a race. The rain was only intermittent, the wind became a welcome tailwind, and the temperature ranged from 45-55 degrees. It was perfect weather that led to course records and many Boston qualifying times. Of the 391 participants who started there were 386 finishers. Another record!!
Thanks go to all who helped make the 6th annual Yakima River Canyon Marathon a success. Whether you were a participant, guest speaker, part of the marathon committee, volunteer, sponsor or supporter, it was a team effort that Lenore and I appreciate.
……………………Written by Bob Dolphin
Edited, typed and distributed by Lenore Dolphin
PARTIAL RESULTS – YAKIMA RIVER CANYON
MARATHON.....April 1, 2006
Abbreviations used: CR = Course Record (Age Group); MM = Marathon Maniacs; 50S = 50 Stater; 100M = 100 Marathon Club North America; HCR = Hard Core Runners Club