PORTLAND MARATHON Prologue (by Lenore Dolphin) – In the past three years I’ve had health crises that have presented many challenges for me. After my open-heart triple by-pass surgery on July 10, 2007, Carol Westerman, a 100 Marathon Club North America member from Louisville, Kentucky, sent me a special wristwatch with hearts on the dial and wrist band. When I called her on the phone to thank her, she said, “Lenore, God has plans for you.” And I said, “Carol, when you find out what they are, let me know.” For many years we celebrated Bob’s October 4th birthday at the Portland Marathon’s awards ceremony. When I realized that his 80th birthday would actually be on the day of this great race, I began making plans for the celebration. In November of 2008 I e-mailed Race Director Les Smith asking that he save race #80 for Bob. As soon as I could, I registered him for the marathon and then started letting everyone know that there would be a special celebration in Portland, Oregon, for Bob’s 80th birthday. Martin Rudow, editor of Northwest Runner Magazine, offered to have adjoining rooms with us at the Race Headquarters Hilton Hotel and also helped with the design of the special T-shirts that were made for the occasion by Jim Alexander of Selah who makes the shirts for the Yakima River Canyon Marathon. Our daughter Jan Stensland came early from Kensington, California as did Fenny Roberts from Salem, Oregon, and Jim Scheer from Vancouver, Washington. With their help we were ready for the big celebration. How many people are fortunate enough to be able to run a marathon on their 80th birthday? I have no recollection of past birthdays, but I will never forget running my 23rd Portland Marathon on Sunday, October 4, 2009, my 80th Birthday. Many running friends and others with ties to the running community helped to make it a special day for me and my family. Lenore had worked for weeks to set up a birthday party for October 3rd at the Hilton Hotel Race Headquarters. She sent out notices and invitations, designed a T-shirt for the occasion, selected the birthday cakes and advised Race Director Les Smith of our pending celebration She also accepted the offers of our daughter Jan Stensland and friends Fenny Roberts and Jim Scheer to help with party preparations. During the afternoon and evening there was a steady stream of friends and acquaintances visiting in the two adjoining rooms. They came to wish me “Happy Birthday,” eat birthday cake, socialize and get their T-shirt. About 100 visitors joined us for this special occasion. The two who traveled the farthest were Marathon Maniac (MM) Alan Morton from Wales and Raymond Hoyle from England. They’re members of the 100 Marathon Club of North America and of the United Kingdomwho have run the Yakima River Canyon Marathon for five consecutive years. MM Dave Goodrich, his wife Cindy, MM Dave Bates and his wife Lisa came from Houlton, Maine. Others who weren’t “locals” were Malcolm Anderson of Yorkes, Ontario, in Canada, Marty Wanless from Vancouver, BC, Al Harmon of West Vancouver, BC, Susan Daley from Chicago, Illinois, and Beth Davenport of Albuquerque, New Mexico. On hand were many Marathon Maniacs, 50 Staters, 100 Marathon Club members and three Evil Triplets (Paul Emmett of Redmond and Ron Fowler and Jim Kunz of Seattle.) Lenore and I appreciated seeing everyone who shared our special weekend of October 3-4, 2009. On race morning Lenore, Jan and I had breakfast in our room and then left the hotel to walk several blocks to the starting line. It was dark and cool as 9,000 runners and walkers found their corrals. Being optimistic, I lined up in the barricaded area marked “5 ½ Hours.” Soon I was joined by Jim Boyd of Seattle, Mark Hartinger of Shoreline and Scott Krell of Snohomish who indicated that they wanted to run with me. I welcomed this overture, and I enjoyed their company. At 7:00 a.m. the race started, and it only took us ten minutes to greet Lenore near the starting arch and cross the timing mats. The first mile was a pleasant run as we proceeded on an easy downgrade on Broadway, the main street of downtown Portland. Within a few miles the darkness turned to daylight and the temperature warmed gradually from 46 degrees to 64 degrees under overcast skies. The running conditions were good. It was a great day to socialize and exchange greetings and high fives on the out-and-back section between miles 7 to 11. This is where I saw MM Dave Goodrich, MM Mel Preedy of Ravensdale and many more friends and acquaintances. Other runners I saw who were going in the same direction were Mac Bohlman of Walla Walla, MM Carol Dellinger of Spokane, MM Fenny Roberts (race-walking), MM’s Tim Bruce and his daughter Jennifer of Sequim, and Ultra Al Miller of Deer Island, Oregon, who was running his 30th consecutive Portland Marathon AND his 200th marathon. The steepest hill on the course is in the 17th mile. It takes us to the St. Johns Bridge high above the Willamette River with spectacular views of the river stretching toward the distant city of Portland. Mark Hartinger and Scott Krell had run with me for the first three miles, but Jim Boyd stayed with me for the entire race to take pictures along the way. In the last four miles, Jim and I teamed up with MM friends Brent Bellevue of Buckley and Michael Wakabayashi of Spokane. Michael had already finished and had come back on the course to look for a member of his Team in Training group. As the four of us passed the 26-mile marker, a group of Marathon Maniacs who had finished earlier joined us to escort me to the finish line. I appreciated their thoughtfulness. Jim finished ahead of us to take pictures as I crossed the finish line, and Lenore was there to give me a hug and a kiss…..and to put my finisher’s medal around my neck. As the oldest person in the race, I had completed my 452nd marathon in 6:12:12 (chip time) and placed 6,795 of 8,091 finishers and first of one in the 80-84 Male Division. Later, Lenore took me to the nearby VIP tent where I thanked Les Smith for putting on a great race and for providing me with bib #80. Dr. Jack Scaff, cardiologist from Honolulu, HI, and his wife Donna had attended the party on Saturday, and it was good to see them again in the VIP tent. Jack has had a coaching program for many years to prepare runners for the Honolulu Marathon. Donna had just completed the Portland Marathon, but still looked fresh! Riley Jungquist from Mt. Vernon and Ellensburg stopped by to thank us again for the support he received as an April 4, 2009, winner of the Team Dolphin Boston Marathon Award. The marathon was won by Jason Fitch, 32, of River Falls, Wisconsin, with a time of 2:24:13….. after a 2 ½ year layoff from racing. In second place was Greg Mitchell, 30, of McMinnville, Oregon, with a 2:26:02. The third place finisher was Satoshi Emoto, 37, who had a time of 2:26:36. The women’s winner was Yuri Yoshizumi, 23, of Osaka, Japan, who passed Danita Erickson in the last 200 yards to finish with a 2:55:59. Danita was second with a 2:56:08, and Nikki Rafie, 47, of Portland was third with a time of 2:56:47. In the wheelchair division Jerry Martin of Spokane came in second. He is the wheelchair winner of many Yakima River Canyon Marathons. I want to thank everyone who made this weekend celebration the most memorable birthday of all! Epilogue (by Lenore) – Bob’s birthday party was the best ever!! From noon until 7:00 p.m. on October 3, 2009, about 100 people stopped by to wish him “Happy Birthday,” sign the guest book, eat some birthday cake, get the special T-shirt and visit.
The Maine Maniacs and their wives had put this party (and marathon) on their schedules months ago… In the middle of the afternoon when I received a phone call from MM Wayne Wright (Melbourne, Florida), I was excited that we’d see him in a few minutes. WRONG!! He was in a hotel in Portland, Maine!! (I mailed his T-shirt.) Bob’s 80th birthday party was a complete success. His goals are to keep running 20 marathons per year with #500 to be run at the 2012 Yakima River Canyon Marathon…and to be in Portland for the marathon when he turns 90. I haven’t heard from God or from Carol Westerman as to what the plans for me will be…but I hope to be here in 10 years to help with another great celebration. ………………………………………….Written by Bob Dolphin |