NEWPORT MARATHON Early in the morning of Saturday, May 30, 2009, Jim Scheer, a long time friend from Vancouver, Washington, and I left the Econolodge Motel on Highway 101 and walked approximately ¾ of a mile to the starting area of the Newport Marathon. It was a good day to run this race at Newport, Oregon, on the scenic, southern Oregon Coast. Jim, like many of the megamarathoners whom Lenore and I know, is a Marathon Maniac (MM), 50 Stater and member of the 100 Marathon Club North America that we direct. His total count is nearing #300, and he plans to meet that goal at the Yakima River Canyon Marathon on March 27, 2010. The race was capped at 800 participants, and we all gathered by the Yaquina Head Lighthouse. There were many runners, a sizeable walking contingent and one male wheelchair athlete. This lighthouse on a bluff in the Yaquina Bay State Recreational Area is not in use now, but it serves as a historical landmark. The temperature was about 50 degrees and the sky was overcast with low stratus clouds when the race started at 7:00 a.m. After we ran downhill out of the park to the seaside area of Newport, we passed resort hotels, city buildings, homes, apartments and stores in a three mile out-and-back. We could look at the Pacific Ocean and watch the breakers of Nye Beach and hear the roar of the surf. We passed the historic Sylvia Beach Hotel that was built in 1912 on the edge of a bluff overlooking the ocean. At three miles into the race we ran through the lighthouse park where we had started. Then we crossed busy Highway 101 by running on a road that passed under the Yaquina Bay Bridge that was built for the South Coast Highway in 1936. As we ran down a hill to the bay, we passed the commercial district of Bayfront with its fish and seafood packers, restaurants and stores, a Ripley’s Believe It or Not Museum, an underseas garden and other tourist attractions. We then ran on a boardwalk by a marina and had a great view of the large, circular bay. After we passed the race headquarters and the finish area at the Embarcadero Hotel, we ascended and descended a major hill before we ran for miles on the level Yaquina Bay Road. This was an interesting 10+ mile run to the Yaquina River and the turn-around. On the way, we passed the Oregon Oyster Farm (founded in 1907), an oyster growing business with piles of shells nearby. There was a table near the side of the road that was loaded with paper cups full of raw oysters for the runners. I chose the ones with cocktail sauce rather than just plain oysters. MM Sherrie Austin, 41, of Portland ate 80 raw oysters to break the old record of 57!! As I was running away from Newport, the entire field of runners and walkers passed me as they were running away from the turn-around and heading back. The leader was Tom Clarke, 37, of Anthem, Arizona, who was running alone and finished as the winner in 2:32:11. In second place, was Stephen Clarke, 43, of Cedar Crest, New Mexico, in 2:38:31. Mark Rich, 46, of Beavercreek, Oregon, was third with a 2:40:38. The women’s race was run by our good friend, MM Annie Thiessen, 38, of Tacoma, Washington, who ran a 2:56:39 and was 21st overall. On May 17, 2009, she was the women’s winner at the Capital City Marathon in Olympia, Washington, with a 2:58:21. Lia Siemons, 29, of Seattle, Washington, came in second with a 2:59:30, and Danielle Primbs, 30, of Salem, Oregon, was third with a 3:03:22. The women’s master’s award went to MM Mary Hanna, 47, of Maple Valley, Washington, as she ran a 3:12:35. For the fourth time she was the women’s overall winner at the Yakima River Canyon Marathon on April 4, 2009. MM Cliff Richards, 48, of Maple Valley took 2nd place in the men’s master’s division and was 11th overall with a time of 2:51:00. Cliff has run many of our Yakima River Canyon Marathons and always places among the top finishers overall. I had thought that ALL of the runners and walkers were ahead of me, but I was pleasantly surprised to see that there were some behind me after I reached the turn-around and headed back to the Embarcadero. Although my walk/run back was slow, only two people passed me on the way to the finish line. Lenore was there to give me a hug as I finished in 6:11:41, 675th of 709 finishers and first in the 75+ male division. CONGRATULATIONS…………. To……..Bernadette Langdon, 55, of Portland, Oregon, and to Kevin Brosi, 54, of Flower Mound, Texas, for completing their 100th MARATHON at Newport and becoming the newest members of the 100 Marathon Club that Lenore and I direct. Bernadette, Kevin and Ron Knecht, 66, of Sun River, Oregon, who ran his 100 marathon at Eugene on May 3, 2009, were honored at the awards ceremony. To……..Shelly Brady, 46, and John Brady, 50, of Gresham, Oregon, who ran their FIRST MARATHON together in honor of their 25th wedding anniversary………in a time of 6:19:30. To……..race director Tom Swinford, the marathon committee and the volunteers for putting on another great event! SPECIAL THANKS……………. To…….. Jim Scheer who walked several miles back to the Econolodge to bring Lenore to the finish line to help out with Bernadette Langdon’s “Congratulations” banner AND to be there for my HUG! ……………………………………………….Written by Bob Dolphin
NEWPORT MARATHON PARTIAL RESULTS – May 30, 2009
2:32:11 Tom Clarke, 37, Anthem, AZ, FIRST OVERALL, First in Age Division |