SEAFAIR MARATHON
June 29, 2008
Although the Seafair Marathon moved its date from July 8th in 2007 to June 29th in 2008, many of us who would run this marathon and concurrent half marathon had qualms about the weather. The prediction was for clear and sunny skies with temperatures in the 90’s, atypical for late June.
The weatherman was right on, and race temperatures were between 65 degrees at the 7:15 a.m. start and 92 degrees at the afternoon maximum. This was only one degree shy of the Seattle record for the date that was set in 1987. The skies were calm most of the race with a light breeze off of Lake Washington as we ran near it for a few miles.
Most relief on the course came from water at the aid stations, the shade of trees and the hoses and sprinklers of friendly homeowners in Kirkland and Bellevue. Thankfully, the relative humidity was low.
Lenore and I went to the Bellevue Hilton Hotel for Packet Pickup and to check out the Expo booths on Saturday. We had an appointment with Linda Belton, 53, a runner from the Sacramento, California, area. We became acquainted with her at the Walk with Me Marathon in Eugene, Oregon, three years ago. She’s working on a scrapbook about the Yakima River Canyon Marathon (YRCM) and wanted to show us her progress.
We met at Les Wright’s booth which promoted his Lake Tahoe and Maui Marathons. We appreciated his hospitality at our get-together.
Marty Wanless, sportsmarketer and sponsor of the YRCM, was at the Expo distributing advertising and entry forms for many marathons and Northwest Runner magazines. It was good to see him again.
On race morning, I arose early, said goodbye to Lenore who stayed home to avoid the heat, and drove about eight miles to Bellevue’s Downtown Park, the finish area and bus boarding place. This year, for the first time, the loop course had been reconfigured to become a point-to-point course that required busing from Bellevue across Lake Washington to Seattle to the starting area by the Husky Stadium of the University of Washington.
I met Jim Boyd in a parking garage, and we boarded the first bus at 5:00 a.m. By 5:15 a.m., the bus was almost full and we on our way to the scheduled 7:00 a.m. start. We crossed Lake Washington on the floating bridge (State Highway 520). The fifteen minute ride went by quickly, and we reached our destination by 5:30 a.m. with a 90 minute waiting period. This was a good time to socialize with other runners, mostly Marathon Maniacs.
By 7:15 a.m. when the race started there were more than 4,000 runners and walkers on hand, with the majority of 2,500 in the half marathon. The fields of both races were comingled for the first 10 miles. After the gun sounded, we ran across Montlake Drawbridge and then down an on-ramp to Highway 520 onto the two right lanes of the Evergreen Point Floating Bridge.
Because this bridge has no pedestrian or bicycle lane, this was a momentous occasion. The last time a race had been held on the bridge was in 1984. There was a lot to see during the two mile crossing……Bill Gates’ estate, boats, white water lilies near the shore and runners to greet as they passed.
As we ran along blissfully enjoying the lake, the bridge and the view, we didn’t know how lucky we were. When the race started, 400 runners, almost 10% of the field, were still in Bellevue. They had become stranded there when more people showed up for the last bus at 6:45 a.m. than could be boarded.
The race was delayed from a 7:00 a.m. start to a 7:15 a.m. for the arrival of the last bus, but it couldn’t be delayed any longer because of the necessity of clearing the bridge lanes of participants according to schedule. The runners who missed the regular start were permitted to run the second half of the marathon course……if they wished!
Meanwhile, the regular starters were running through Bellevue’s Beaux Arts Village, a suburban area which had steep hills, but a lot of shade and downhills. Eventually, we ran on flatter Bellevue Way to the city downtown where the fields divided at Mile 10. When the runners near me took the turn to the half marathon course, it became evident that I was bringing up the rear in the marathon, a familiar role!
The road to Kirkland passed by Bridle Trails State Park and nearby horse farms. For the second half of the marathon I walked most of the time and passed a few walkers, who would re-pass me later on. We went along Lake Washington in Kirkland by a long, narrow beach park. The lake scenery was pleasant, but there wasn’t much breeze or any shade.
As we re-entered Bellevue, there were a few steep hills in the last four miles which weren’t welcome. In the final 5K Mark Moody, a course medic, walked with me, and I appreciated his company. Mark has run all 8 YRCM’s and is an Ironman Triathlete.
A morale boost occurred when a group of Marathon Maniacs cheered me as I passed in the last quarter mile. Then I reached a lane and ran to the finish line. My official chip time was 6:17:36, 560th of 565 finishers and second of two in the 75-59M Division. Mel Preedy, 75, of Ravensdale was first in this division with a chip time of 5:43:09, a good time for a hot day on a hilly course.
Bernadette Langdon, 54, of Portland, Oregon, was a volunteer at Packet Pickup. On race day she power walked to a 5:30:16 and finished before 60 runners/walkers. Her time was two minutes faster than her Newport Marathon time of 5:32:46 in temperatures that didn’t exceed 58 degrees. A remarkable performance!
The marathon was won by Edward Kiptum, 29, of Kenya who lives in Las Cruces, New Mexico. He was the 2007 winner of the San Antonio Marathon and won this race with a time of 2:20:28. A teammate, Bethuel Cheruiyot, 25, stayed with him for 24 miles and then he picked up the pace. Bethuel finished second with a 2:21:01 and Andrew Musura, 35, came in third with a 2:21:46.
In the women’s race, Wendy Terris, 39, a Marathon Maniac from Milwaukie, Oregon, was the winner with a 2:50:55. Second place went to Claudia Colita, 30, of Vancouver, WA, as she ran a 2:51:52. Marlene Farrell, 32, of Leavenworth was the winner of the 2002 Yakima River Canyon Marathon and placed third with a 2:58:57.
During the race only three participants were reported to have medical problems with dehydration. There were 15 aid stations, and all had water when I passed them. Some had run out of cups, but I had a water bottle and could get refills.
It was good to see Todd Byers, our friend from Long Beach, California, on the course tending to a timing mat close to the 20 Mile mark. He’s a member of the 100 Marathon Club North America with over 200 completed marathons.
It had been a challenging day. I’m glad that I didn’t have any problems along the way. Dehydration, leg cramps and heat exhaustion held off!!
Thanks go to race director Jared Loranger, his staff and the many friendly volunteers and policemen on the course for their support and assistance during an unusually hot marathon.
Recently, I recognized ten runners who had run a weekend double at the Green River Marathon on Saturday, June 7, 2008, and the North Olympic discovery Marathon the next day on June 8th. I tried not to omit anyone, but I did. Eleven runners ran the double. Due to a chip timing glitch Bob Hearn, 42, a Marathon Maniac from Vancouver, BC, did not have his finishing time listed in the North Olympic Discovery Marathon results. He was, inadvertently, missed as I matched names and times from the two sets of race results that I used. Congratulations to Bob for running a 3:17:09 (a Boston qualifier) at Green River and a 3:25:19 at Port Angeles. It was his first double, and he had an excellent performance of two sub-three and a half hour times on consecutive days.
………………………….Written by Bob Dolphin
Edited, Typed and Distributed by Lenore Dolphin
2:20:28 Edward Kipttum, 29, Las Cruces, NM, FIRST OVERALL WINNER,
First in Age Division
2:21:01 Bethuel Cheruiyo, 25, SECOND OVERALL, 2nd
2:21:46 Andrew Musura, 35, THIRD OVERALL, 1st
2:50:55 Wendy Terris, 39, Milwaukie, OR, FIRST WOMAN OVERALL,
Marathon Maniac (MM), 1st
2:51:52 Claudia Colita, 30 Vancouver, WA, SECOND WOMAN, 1st
2:38:37 Marlene Farrell, 32, Leavenworth, THIRD WOMAN, 2nd
3:1158 Jonathan Bernard, 37, Seattle, MM
3:16:16 Douglas Shanks, 41, Portland, OR, MM
3:21:53 Bryan Baroffio, 50, Grand Junction, CO, MM, 2nd
3:22:45 Chris Warren, 40, Renton, MM
3:27:44 Arthur Martineau, 40, MM
3:28:13 Eva Lust-Wright, 36, Yakima,3rd
3:29:33 Gregg Walchli, 46, Woodinville, MM
3:31:36 Gary Kobold, 53, E. Wenatchee, MM
3:34:33 Bob Martin, 51, Hoquiam, 52, MM
3:35:02 Ginger Gruber, 38, Port Orchard, MM
3:36:05 David Spooner, 39, Buckley, MM
3:38:27 Sam Scoby, 27, Kent, MM
3:38:28 Ruben Contreras, 53, Stanwood, MM
3:42:41 Marc Frommer, 55, Portland, OR, MM, 2nd
3:42:41 Steve Supkoff, 42, North Bend, MM
3:45:54 Robert Bishton, 58, Ft. Myers Beach, FL, MM, 3rd
3:46:21 Sherry Mahoney, 44, Palm Desert, CA, MM, 3rd
3:46:22 Jon Mahoney, 56, Palm Desert, CA, MM
3:46:50 James Klarich, 45, Wapato, MM
3:49:13 David Jones, 62, Seattle, MM, 2nd
3:49:48 Guy Yogi, 54, Seattle, MM
3:51:13 Larry Carroll, 68, Spokane, 1st
3:53:40 Van Phan, 37, Maple Valley, MM
3:54:45 Lorelei Sadowski, 45, Port Coquitlam, BC, MM
3:56:17 Randen Richards, 29, Moses Lake, MM
3:57:30 Herb Allen, 65, Bainbridge Island, MM, 2nd
4:04:51 Jon Burg, 30, San Francisco, CA, MM
4:05:10 May Cheng, 43, Mercer Island, MM
4:06:14 Sarah Lynch, 30, Seattle, MM
4:09:11 Michael Shiach, 57, Bainbridge Island, MM
4:09:53 Steve Ellis, 41, Kent, MM
4:10:03 David Stout, 53, Bainbridge Island, MM
4:12:22 Francesca Carmichael, 48, Woodinville, MM
4:14:05 Michael Wakabayashi, 60, Spokane, MM
4:14:18 Tom Rogers, 63, Bellevue, MM
4:15:11 Gene Morris, 62, Seattle
4:16:12 Ken Briggs, 57, Spokane, MM
4:16:51 Linda Rowe-Oneal, 53, Des Moines, MM, 1st
4:20:16 Richard Sadowski, 47, Port Coquitlam, BC, MM
4:20:54 Piper Peterson, 61, Spokane, MM, 2nd
4:20:59 Gary Marr, 56, Snohomish, MM
4:21:18 Brian Pendleton, 53, Auburn, MM
4:24:30 Mike Warren, 38, Tacoma
4:27:52 Jessica Bienvenue, 30, Lake Forest Park, MM
4:29:20 Amanda Cohn, 40, Seattle, MM
4:31:48 Bill Torsen, 58, Bellevue
4:35:22 Vivian Doom, 41, Seattle, MM
4:36:25 Dale Shoup, 60, Edmonds, MM
4:37:11 Tom Saunders, 63, Tumwater, MM
4:39:23 Jess Mullen, 33, Seattle, MM
4:43:15 Leslie Miller, 28, Bellevue, MM
4:44:17 Richard Betancourt, 50, Yakima
4:45:01 Mark King, 52, MM
4:46:39 Jim Kunz, 59, Seattle
4:47:43 Cheri Pompeo, 56, Woodinville, MM, 2nd
4:50:47 Diane Wilcox, 56, Yarrow Point
4:53:12 David Olsho, 57, Seattle
4:54:31 Peter Bennink, 53, Vancouver, MM
4:55:12 Barbara Wnek, 58, Brentwood, MO, MM
4:58:07 Corrine Austerman, 45, Okotoka, AB, MM
4:59:32 Marie Zornes, 44, Gig Harbor, MM
5:01:07 Jim Boyd, 66, Seattle, MM
5:01:18 Monte Pascual, 48, Federal Way, MM
5:03:57 Paul Fouch, 74, Klamath Falls, OR, 1st
5:08:27 Kathy Kass, 51, New York, NY, MM
5:08:53 Brian Starkey, 42, Edgewood, MM
5:14:16 Jim Simpson, 66, Huntington Beach, CA
5:24:34 Jill Hudson, 46, Seattle, MM
5:25:56 Janet Burgess, 47, Renton, MM
5:30:15 Bernadette Langdon, 54, Portland
5:37:19 Adam Shank, 26, Minneapolis, MN, MM
5:43:09 Mel Preedy, 75, Ravensdale, MM, 1st
5:42:57 Ultra Al Miller, Deer Island, OR
5:52:48 Rick Haase, 62, Shoreline, MM
5:53:51 Jeanette Quintana, 30, Edmonds, MM
5:55:58 Larry Macon, 63, San Antonio, TX, MM
6:17:36 Bob Dolphin, 78, Renton/Yakima, MM, 2nd
6:37:59 Yolanda Holder, 50, Corona, CA, MM
6:39:21 Eugene DeFronzo, 72, Cheshire, CT, 2nd
PARTIAL RESULTS, HALF MARATHON (2,463 Finishers)
1:48:42 Earl Fenstermacher, 55, Seattle, MM
1:55:58 Judy Fisher, 64, Auburn, MM
1:58:28 Linda Belton, 53, Sacramento, CA
1:58:40 Edward Indvik, Newport Beach, CA, MM
2:02:06 Janet Green, 54, Courtenay, BC
2:28:00 Steve Frederickson, 61, M