PIGTAILS FLAT ASS MARATHON
December 18, 2010
Friday, December 17, 2010, was a stormy day in the Pacific Northwest, and the weather forecast for the next day wasn’t good. The gist of the e-mail questionnaire sent to all of the registered participants for the next day’s Flat Ass Marathon from race director Van Phan was: (1) Should the race be canceled? (2) If it’s canceled, what’s a good replacement date? (3) Should we brave the elements and run?
The consensus was to go ahead with the race as scheduled. I listened to the strong winds all night and wasn’t surprised to see a green carpet of Douglas Fir boughs on the street when I left our home in the Renton Highlands the next morning. As I drove on back roads to Maple Valley, I had to reverse course when I saw a police car ahead with lights flashing to warn of a fallen tree. I dodged hanging branches as I drove through Maple Valley and Ravensdale, but I made it to Landsbury Park in time to pick up my bib and greet friends.
By this time it was daylight and the sky was overcast, with a moderate, easterly wind and the temperature in the low 30’s. I dressed in layers to keep warm enough, and I was glad that Van had given each of us a warm, black beanie to wear. It was embroidered with “Pigtails Run 2010” and her trademark, pink pig.
The race started with a short out-and-back on a powerline trail near the parking lot and then went to the 25 mile out-and-back on the Cedar River Trail. We ran on a gravel trail adjacent to the river as it went downstream through scenic countryside and rural housing areas.
Approximately seven miles into the race we were faced with the challenge of climbing over a downed tree before we continued on the elevated “rails to trails” route that paralleled the Maple Valley Highway. After that the running was good on the paved, scenic and mostly flat course that took us to the turn-around near the Renton City limits.
It is always a pleasure to reverse course and head for the finish line. A slight downside was the onset of rain that was accompanied by a head wind. Time and distance passed, and I left the adjacent highway and went back onto the gravel trail in the wooded area.
The manned aid station I passed at about 6 miles into the race was a welcome sight at Mile 21.5 as I returned. On a day like this the hot soup, hot chocolate, cookies, chips and fruit were most welcome. By that time I had reverted to “walking,” but eventually I crossed the finish line in a time of 7:27:29 and received my pink pig finishers medal.
All of the runners who started the races were FINISHERS. There were 57 marathoners and 39 50K racers, all hardy souls who braved the weather on a stormy weekend to complete another great Pigtails Flat Ass Marathon on December 18, 2010.
………………………………….Written by Bob Dolphin
Edited, Typed and Distributed by Lenore Dolphin
Marathon
3:14:17 Eric Sach, 42 5:06:00 Susan Sansing, 44
3:20:10 Paul Huynh, 19 5:06:00 Debbie Wilson, 49
3:23:24 Pedro Infante, 49 5:09:57 Barry Hopkins, 57
3:33:26 Rich Hieb, 37 5:15:12 Patti Krebsbach, 48
3:34:30 Ray Ensign, 30 5:15:12 Takao Suzuki, 45
3:47:21 Steve Walters, 30 5:15:24 Monte Pascual, 50
3:49:10 Christel Elliott, 32 5:15:24 Robert Stretz, 42
3:59:13 Brian Pendelton, 56 5:44:53 Ron Beyersdorf, 40
3:59:37 Sara Malcom, 27 6:00:40 Mike Kuhlmann, 60
4:04:10 Mark Stadum, 50 6:12:39 Rick Haase, 55
4:05:20 Heidi Perry, 39 6:12:39 Stan Nakashima, 59
4:05:40 Nicole Niemann-Carr, 35 6:16:49 Jane Herzog, 47
4:07:20 Julie Conway, 25 6:16:49 Rich Menzel, 67
4:10:26 Ben Semer, 37 6:43:20 Jim Boyd, 68
4:10:54 Ronald Frederick, 43 7:37:29 Bob Dolphin, 81
4:12:36 Erin Stone, 27
4:12:40 Steven Yee, 51
4:16:37 Dan Whitaker, 49 50K Finishers
4:22:45 Mark Looi, 49
4:25:00 Jill Langis, 45 Kevin Douglas, Hunter MacLean, Terry Sentinella,
4:27:06 BJ Farish, 37 Bruce Hoff, Mike Schlecht, Genia Kacey, Steve
4:27:34 Stephannie Astell, 47 Duncan, Jeff Rankin, Pete Nicholson, Candice Burt,
4:27:34 Teresa Hanson-Redrup, 48 Matt Glew, Jae-Byung Jung, Robert Bondurant,
4:28:59 Lisa Wood, 37 Ron Horton, Ted Eckert, Cliff Richards, Ashley
4:29:50 Robert Lopez, 44 Kuhlmann, Tony Covarrubias, Mary Hanna, Dean
4:30:52 Denise Lynn Turk, 42 Kayler, Andy Lin, Trev Dakan, Mike Mahanay,
4:31:38 Bill Barmore, 50 Guy Yogi, Anders Martinson, Lorie Alexander,
4:31:38 Rikki Bogue, 47 Kimberly Kuhlmann, Everett Billingslea, Andy
4:35:14 Deb O’Connell, 47 Fritz, Daniel Kuhlmann, Betsy Rogers, Mona Lisa
4:43:50 Linda Walter, 59 Huerta, Vivian Doorn, Susie Ro, Lenny Strobl,
4:48:13 Matt Hagen, 40 James Orbistondo, Jill Hudson, Joseph Kennedy,
4:48:13 Marilou Russell, 49 Steve Janny, Ashley Wiren
4:48:13 Terri Thomas, 49
4:48:35 Emily Weiler, 37
4:49:52 Sandra Sendelbach-Hasse, 43
4:54:06 Josh Owen, 32
4:54:06 Carla Owen, 28
4:55:40 Jerry Thayer, 56
4:59:08 Karen Wiggins, 51
5:01:35 Nichole Hill, 39
5:05:10 Gary Otheim, 68
5:05:10 Steve White, 57