|
Spokane Marathon
October 17, 1999
Race Report by Bob Dolphin
The Bloomsday Road Runners Club did a great job of organizing the
Fourth Annual Spokane Festival of Races on Sunday, October 17,
1999.
This included the marathon, half marathon, and a 5 mile race.
All runs
started and finished at Riverside Park in downtown Spokane. With
the
beautiful scenery of the Spokane River in a deep, wooded valley
for
much of the race, the Spokane Marathon is a delightful experience
for
the senses.
In the fourth running of this event over 300 runners participated
in
the half marathon and 121 started the marathon. There is room
for many
more to get acquainted with this challenging marathon course.
Jerry Martin crossed the finish line in his wheelchair in
2:21:42, and
the first runner was Bryan Schultz, 38, of Spokane in a time of
2:54:44
(6:40). The first woman to finish and win the women 5 race was
Sherry
Diezler, 37, of Valleyford, WA. Her time was 3:36:56 (8:17).
Our friend Mark Hartinger, 42, of Shoreline, WA, was fourth
overall and
second 40-44M with a time of 3:06:50. He has run here before and
likes
the course. Mark was recovering from running the grueling, hot
Angeles
Crest 100 Miles successfully two weeks previously and still ran
well
in this race, his 99th marathon/ultramarathon. Mark is a Marathon
Achiever (MA). Another MA, Steve Frederickson, 53, of Kent ran a
3:36:49 for 2nd 50-54M. He, too, was at the Angeles Crest in the
California mountains. Coincidentally, he was running his 99th
marathon/
ultra at Spokane closing in on his 100th milestone, also.
Steve Pierce, MA, 37, of Coeur d' Alene, ID, ran a 3:35:51. He
runs
25-30 marathons/ultras every year. This is more than anyone else
in
the Northwest---a remarkable achievement.
My running buddy, Mel Preedy, MA, 66, of Ravensdale, WA, has
completed
192 marathons/ultras. He was first for the 65-69M runners with a
time
of 3:48:20. John Parrott, 67, of Spokane, came in second with a
time
of 4:10:30. Longtime friend, Russ Akers, MA, 66, of College
Place, WA,
was third in the division with a 4:23:03. Dave Vent, MA, 63, of
Spokane,
ran a 5:13:37 and was first in the 60-64M division. Dave belongs
to
the 50 States and DC Club and has run marathons in all the states,
Washington, D.C., and all the Canadian provinces. His total
count is
148 (or more) marathons/ultras.
As in so many of my marathons, I had a good first half (2 hours)
and a
struggling second half to finish in 4:17:48 for an age class
first. I
believe that I am the first 70 year old to run this marathon.
This
race was my 200th 26.2 marathon. I have also completed 45 ultras
and
usually add the two figures for my megamarathoning count.
It was nice seeing marathoners Gunhild and Jack Swanson
volunteering
at the marathon. Both are injured and have had to put
marathoning on
hold. In spite of her foot injury, Gunhild ran the 5 mile race
and
placed first in the 55-59F division with a time of 36:40. Seeing
Jack
at the finish line was a welcome sight as I wrapped up my run.
At the end of my Victoria Marathon article I had a "JEERS, CHEERS"
section. Lenore was a volunteer at the finish line in Spokane and
provided comments for these categories.
JEERS: to the many turkeys of the half marathon who crossed the
finish line and came through the finishers' chute
and to the only turkey who crossed the finish line for
the marathon, came through the chute, and then expected
a finisher's medal for cheating!! Turkeys need to realize that they're really thieves who are taking what
the legitimate runners are paying for--aid on the course,
police protection, ambulance availability etc.
CHEERS: to the local high school cross country track teams who
were willing volunteers at the aid stations and to the
ones from Rogers High School who worked at the finish
line with Lenore. She has nothing but positive comments
about this great group of young people.
CHEERS: to the Bloomsday Road Runners Club for donating around
$4,000.00 in 1998 for support of the high school cross
country track teams, for providing perfect weather for
the race, and for making this a "gem of a marathon."
Written by Bob Dolphin
|
