CHRISTMAS MARATHON
December 16, 2007
After the 65 mile drive from Renton to Olympia, Maytown and Millersylvania State Park for the Christmas Marathon on Sunday, December 16, 2007, I arrived in time to say, “Hi,” to Mel Preedy as he began his early, early start. Later I enjoyed talking with Jim Boyd, Ron Fowler and Jim Kunz as we waited for race director Bob Green to begin the 9:30 a.m. early start. Bob announced to the 20-25 runners that they should carry their own food and drink because the aid stations would probably not be set up.
The first aid station I came to was being assembled at Mile 6.5, the half marathon turn-around. Cara Escul, 36, of Tigard, Oregon, who took an early start and finished in 3:44:37 reported in the Runners Comments at www.MarathonGuide.com that she came to her first aid station at the Mile 13.1 turn-around.
I carried my own provisions to help make this a good day to run. The temperature was in the low 40’s under overcast skies with variable, intermittent winds from calm to 20+ mph. Most of the time I ran alone with few or no runners in sight. This was fine with me because I enjoyed the solitude and the scenery of the wooded, rural course.
Even so, there is a lot of runner contact as I saw all of the runners and aid station volunteers once or twice. In this simple out-and-back course, I was passed often by runners going in the same or opposite direction. Friends, acquaintances and strangers extended greetings and words of encouragement to me.
I enjoyed talking with Leslie Miller, 27, a Marathon Maniac from Bellevue, as she briefly walked with me. She was running her 47th marathon/ultra of the year. Quite a running feat!
My 20th marathon of 2007 went well, and I finished in 5:50:39, 84th of 87 finishers and first 75-79 Male.
I really enjoyed the hot chili that Bob Green provided in the finish shelter. It hit the spot on a cool day!
Thanks to Bob and his friendly volunteers who do a great job of providing a good running event for marathoners and others. I’ll return for his Valentine Marathon on Sunday, February 10, 2008.
…………………………………Written by Bob Dolphin
Edited, Typed and Distributed by Lenore Dolphin
3:02:12 Jack McDermott, 38, Tallahassee, FL
3:06:45 Kasey Lawson, 29 Portland, OR
3:10:30 Ruslan Tkebachara, 27, Vancouver, WA
3:12:33 Gregg Walchli, 45, Seattle, Marathon Maniac (MM)
3:14:03 Joseph Tompkins, 37, Mt. Vernon, MM
3:14:31 Keith Thaxter, 45, Whitehorse, Yukon
3:18:32 Kevin Berg, 42, Vancouver, WA
3:20:43 Shawna Wilskey, 35, Burlington
3:28:54 Scott Turner, 41, West Linn, OR
3:30:06 Brian Pendleton, 53, Suburn, MM
3:33:31 Hannah Palmer, 19, Providence, RI
3:37:31 Andre O’Donnelly, 29, Seattle
3:44:30 Steve Walters, 27, Tigard, OR, MM
3:44:37 Cara Escul, 36, Tigard, OR
3:46:57 Leanne Langer, 39, Ridgefield
3:46:59 David Jones, 61, Seattle, MM
3:46:59 Elizabeth Jones, 46, Bellevue
3:47:52 Anthony Maples, 38, Mrufreesboro, TN
3:48:30 Warren Reeser, 47 Portland, OR
3:50:02 Jeffrey Zobrist, 45, Sprague
3:50:17 Arthur Chan, 33, Redmond
3:50:58 Kevin Babbitt, 32, Lynnwood, MM
3:51:16 Brian Carter, 39, Sammamish
3:51:36 Faye Britt, 32, Everett, MM
3:52:56 Robert Lopez, 41, Seattle, MM
3:53:50 Erika Van Flein, 48, Fairbanks, AK, MM
3:55:27 Tom Stolz, 33, Kent
3:55:27 Michelle Cunningham, 46, Sammammish
3:56:42 Max Bennett, 44 Rogue River, OR
3:57:10 Martha Pfanschmitt, 53, Portland, OR
3:57:12 Chris Warren, 40, Renton, MM
3:57:17 Peter Cordvan, 48, Portland, OR
3:57:58 Phillip Smith, 53, Newberg, OR
3:58:34 Sea Legs Elliott, 21, Bremerton
3:59:33 Ashley Kuhlmann, 21, Lakewood
4:00:24 Dave Conger, 54, Port Orchard
4:00:25 Bruce Quam, 52, Manchester, MM
4:03:41 Barbara Rush, 50, Seattle
4:05:43 Alvis Gustaro, 27, Olympia
4:05:45 Silerio Rivas, 50, Rancho Cucamonga, CA, MM
4:05:47 Andy Fritz, 41, Olympia, MM
4:05:55 Elizabeth Model, 48, New Westminster, BC
4:07:45 Ken VanLieu, 41, Tigard, OR
4:11:46 Steven White, 54, Seattle
4:11:47 Kelby Marks, 38, Bogata, BC
4:12:55 Ron Fowler, 60, Seattle
4:12:55 Jim Kunz, 59, Seattle
4:14:57 Raymond Shaw, 49, Seattle, MM
4:15:21 Susie Ro, 36, Seattle
4:18:01 Andrea Paradish, 39, Tacoma
4:18:01 Julie Cassata, 26, Tacoma
4:18:03 Jim Boyd, 65, Seattle, MM
4:19:51 Sarah Duncan, 43, Portland, OR, MM
4:20:33 Karl Wilfring, 46, Independence, KY
4:24:06 Gilles Barbeau, 52, Vancouver, BC, MM
4:24:29 Sheila Johnson, 40, Tacoma
4:25:30 Liz Margulis, 45, Seattle
4:28:50 Brian Hach, 36, Puyallup
4:29:12 Bret Henry, 48, Seattle, MM
4:32:04 Mark Hirsh, 31, Los Angeles, CA
4:34:57 Bill Herzog, 41, Tumwater
4:36:53 David Hamilton, 53, Seattle, MM
4:37:15 Larry Stice, 55, Kansas City, MO
4:37:32 Leslie Miller, 27, Bellevue, MM
4:38:49 Hiroshi Nishide, 51, Sammamish
4:39:05 Gary Marr, 56, Monroe, MM
4:44:35 Richard Cockrell, 43, Sumner
4:45:16 Monte Pascual, 47, Federal Way, MM
4:55:50 Mike Kuhlmann, 57, Lakewood, MM
4:59:55 Jeanette Quintana, 30, Seattle, MM
5:02:47 Scott Schuetzler, 30, Seattle
5:03:33 Fenny Roberts, 55, Salem, OR, MM
5:03:33 Jim Sheer, 65, Vancouver, WA, MM
5:03:35 Valerie Allison, 56, Centralia
5:03:39 Geralyn Reed, 52, Seattle
5:05:56 Bruce McCollum, 54, Vancouver
5:09:11 Loren Hutsell, 43, Lakewood
5:11:02 Gary Circosta, 60, Rutland, MA
5:11:02 Jason Houser, 32, Ridgefield
5:11:40 Tom Rogers, 62, Bellevue, MM
5:11:40 Tory Klementsen, 42, Marysville
5:19:46 Mel Preedy, 74, Ravensdale, MM
5:21:30 Kent Margulis, 53, Seattle
5:50:39 Bob Dolphin, 78, Renton/Yakima, MM
5:54:20 Angela Ivory, 39, Nashville, TN, MM
5:55:23 Richard Dant, 43, Hood River, OR
6:09:20 Russell Cheney, 66, Torrance, CA