Race Information: City of Trees Marathon

On October 31, 2003, Lenore and I drove 400 miles from Yakima, Washington, to Boise, Idaho, for the City of Trees Marathon. This was a pleasant drive on I-82 in Washington and I-84 in Oregon and Idaho. The forested blue Mountain area was of greatest interest to me, but the agricultural fields and the grass and sage covered hills were attractive, also.

There were several reasons why we returned to Boise to run this second annual race. I wanted to test myself to find out if I could still run marathons on five consecutive weekends without a breakdown as had happened the last two years. One of the injuries occurred at the inaugural City of Trees Marathon last year when I pulled a calf muscle in the 7th mile and had to walk/shuffle to the finish in 4:57:27. Now I was injury free, and I hoped to beat that time this year.

The main reason we returned to this marathon was to hear noted author Joe Henderson who was scheduled to be the speaker at the carbo-loading dinner at Boise Centre the night before the race. This would be our sixth marathon with Joe for the year…..and we always enjoy listening to his entertaining and informative presentations.

Before Joe started speaking, he honored the runners who were there to run their first marathon and presented the youngest first-timer with one of his books. He then recognized the “megamarathon” runners. Seated at the table with me were three other 100 Marathon Club North America members, Gunhild and Jack Swanson of Spokane, WA, and John Bozung, of Orem, UT. Our marathons totaled 800!!!

My marathon the next day would be #325, and Joe presented me with a copy of his new video, “Running with Joe Henderson, Introduction and Bonus Section with Olympic Marathoner, Don Kardong.” This 40-minute tape is produced and distributed by Nelsen Petersen of Kibo Productions in Lincoln, Nebraska. It is a summary of Joe’s 40+ years of running and racing lore that he presents in a well-organized format. Of special interest are many clips of runners on the roads or trails and in races.

On race morning, November 2, 2003, on Main Street in front of the race headquarters hotel, we couldn’t wait for the race to start…..so that we could get warm! The temperature had dipped to 26 degrees overnight and peaked at 46 degrees later in the day.

The course was a double loop with minimal overlap, largely flat with shallow grades but with a major hill in the 21st mile. The first loop was new, and the second one was the loop used for the double in last year’s race. Little time was spent in the city center, and we ran most of the time in attractive suburbs where we could view the fall colors of the maple trees, sweetgums and flowering dogwoods. I like to run on cool days, so my race went well. My 4:15:49 finish was ten seconds faster than my Marine Corps Marathon time a week earlier, and it was my fourth best time of 2003. I placed mid-field…128th of 271 finishers and the only 70-74 Male runner. That makes me the oldest one in the race!

It was good seeing other 100 Marathon Club NA members and 50 Staters in Boise. Gene Bruckert came from Arlington Heights, Illinois, and Henry Rueden was there from De Pere, Wisconsin. Bill Whipp came from Cincinnati, Ohio, to walk his 126th marathon with his artificial right knee. His left knee has completed 152 marathons! Congratulations to Rich DeCample of Renton, Washington, who has finished the 50 States & DC for the second time! He plans to run his 150th marathon on November 30th in Seattle.

It was another great marathon weekend…..my fifth in FIVE WEEKS…..all with good times and injury-free!!

Written by Bob Dolphin

City of Trees Marathon........Partial Results

1.   2:42:55  Anthony Rinck, 30, Hillsboro, OR
2.   2:48:52  Richard Christensen, 44, Boise, ID
3.   2:54:24  Steven Robinson, 31, Irvine, CA

1.   3:16:41  Kitty Marcroft, 36, Hailey, ID
2.   3:19:54  Alison Burbee, 25, Boise, ID
3.   3:21:19  Nancy Hatfield, 46, McCall, ID

3:31:03  Richard Ketchum, 49, Kent, WA, 3rd in Age Division
3:37:56  Richard DeCample, 58, Renton, WA, 3rd
3:44:41  Kelley Creamer, 50, Mountain Home, ID, 3rd
3:47:17  Gunhild Swanson, 59, Spokane, WA, 1st
3:52:04  George Sunderland, 48, Wanship, UT
3:52:14  Craig Romano, 42, Seattle, WA
3:58:55  Kardine Davis, 38, Fairbanks, AK
4:00:14  Jeff Ulmer, 39, Kuna, ID
4:05:12  Tracey Martinson, 36, Fairbanks, AK
4:14:00  Julie McCormick, 33, Juneau, AK
4:14:00  Jennifer Heidersdorf, 33, Auke Bay, AK
4:15:49  Bob Dolphin, 74, Renton/Yakima, WA, 1st
4:44:14  John Bozung, 50, Orem, UT
4:48:32  Jack Swanson, 69, Spokane, WA, 1st
5:05:43  Eugene Bruckert, 68, Arlington, Heights, IL
5:32:38  Bill Whipp, 59, Cincinnati, OH
5:47:53  Henry Rueden, 53, De Pere, WI

City of Trees Half Marathon.............
2:04:32  Heather Scott, Seattle, WA