FIRST CALL SUMMER MARATHON
        August 7, 2010

It was a great day for the running of the First Call Summer Marathon on Saturday, August 7, 2010.  The weather was unseasonably cool and cloudy with the temperature in the high 50’s at the start.  Later, light rain and a five-mile per hour wind kept the temperature to a maximum of 60 degrees.

After I arrived at the parking lot of the Bothell Landing Park, the race start/finish & refreshment area, it soon looked like a reunion of the 100 Marathon Club North America. 
Henry Rueden and Jim Simpson were here from DePere, Wisconsin, and Huntington Beach, California, for a weekend double.  Haulin Aspen Marathon in Bend, Oregon, was on their schedule for the next day.  Cyndie Merten came from Corvallis, Oregon, for the 50 K and brought her daughter Pam Merten, 20-24, from Ashland, OR, who ran her first half marathon….in a time of 2:48.  Steve Barrick, Jim Boyd, Cheri Pompeo, Jon Gissberg, Stan Nakashima, Mel Preedy and I were the “locals,”

There were eight of us who took the 6:30 a.m. start for the marathon and the 50K Ultra.  The other early starters left at 7:00 a.m., and the rest of the participants for the marathon and half marathon started at the “regular” time of 8:00 a.m.

I’m still looking for a “run/walk” pattern to improve my finishing time.  At the First Call Spring Marathon I tried a 50/50 ratio of a 10-minute walk followed by a 10-minute run.  This lasted for a half marathon distance before I shifted to a continuous walk.

For this marathon I tried a 5-minute alternative to see if I could improve my time, but unfortunately, it didn’t work and my time was three minutes slower than it was in the last race here.

My nature observations were minimal.  At about Mile 5, there were more than 100 Canada Geese on the Sammamish River, and later the rain brought out attractive Banded Land Snails.

In the 17th mile I joined Jim Simpson in walking and talking, and the time and miles passed by quickly.  In the last few miles I pushed my pace and finished in 6:36:00 (15:07), 37th of 37 participants in the marathon. 

It was a fun run, and I enjoyed the hot soup that race director Adrian Call provided in the finish area and the companionship of the runners.  Thanks to him and his volunteers for making it happen.

………………………………….Written by Bob Dolphin
                                                      Edited, Typed and Distributed by Lenore Dolphin 
                                                                        
           
                                                * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

            RACE RESULTS – FIRST CALL SUMMER MARATHON, 8/7/2010
            3:11 - Pete Nicholson, 50-54, Vancouver, WA
3:31 - Scott Sebelsky, 45-49, Camano Island
3:42 - Steve Walters, 30-34, Beaverton, OR
3:44 - Shawn Aebi, 45-49, Woodinville
3:59 - David Hagman, 45-49, Renton
3:59 - Becci Walkling, 35-39, Kenmore
4:00 - Steve Barrick, 45-49, Kent
4:02 - Rusty Wilson, 35-39, Port Orchard
4:02 - Patty McKerney, 45-49, Bonney Lake
4:11 - Jeff Loen, 50-54, Kenmore
4:13 - Karlee Furtwangler, 25-29, Seattle
4:23 - Margaret Gorog, 50-54, Auburn
4:31 - Jessica Bienvenue, 30-34, Lake Forest Park
4:35 - Paul Hoffmann, 45-49, Kirkland
4:43 - Gary Otheim, 65-69, East Wenatchee
4:44 - Sarah Lynch, 30-34, Seattle
4:49 - Rob Stretz, 40-44, Issaquah
4:55 - Cheri Pompeo, 55-59, Woodinville
5:03 - Carla Owen, 25-29, Beaverton
5:09 - Ruth Meraz, 30-34, Renton
5:10 - Marilyn Pyke, 45-49, Graham
5:14 - Margaret Barret, 50-54, Seattle
5:19 - Clark Gilbert, 55-59, Friday Harbor
5:22 - Kelley Garcia, 40-44, Albuquerque, NM
5:26 - Monte Pascual, 50-54, Federal Way
5:29 - Steve Sankey, 50-54, Edmonds
5:53 - Stan Nakashima, 55-59, Mt. Vernon
5:53 - Rich Menzel, 65-69, Everett
6:00 - Jim Boyd, 65-69, Seattle
6:12 - Christy Spangler, 30-34, Port Orchard
6:12 - Scott Spangler, 40-44, Port Orchard
6:15 - Jim Simpson, 65-69, Huntington Beach, CA
6:21 - Jon Gissberg, 65-69, Seattle
6:32 - Mel Preedy, 75-79, Ravensdale
6:34 - Henry Rueden, 60-64, DePere, WI
6:34 - Ric Hart, 60-64, Monroe
6:36 - Bob Dolphin, 80, Renton/Yakima

RACE RESULTS – FIRST CALL 50K, August 7, 2010

5:03 – Josh Owen, 30-34, Beaverton, OR
5:34 – Jon Clark, 35-39, Kirkland
5:36 – Kevin Murray, 30-34, Langley, BC
5:41 – Francesca Carmichael, 50-54, Woodinville
6:02 – James Duggan, 50-54, Tacoma