Race Report by Bob Dolphin

The Vancouver Marathon is one of the best marathons in the northwest. This year it was a marathon where nearly everything went well. On race day Sunday, May 7, 2000, the temperature went from the low 50’s to the low 60’s. It was a clear day with sea breezes that were cooling a good day to run on the improved flat-to-rolling marathon course in Vancouver, B.C., its suburban areas and its crown jewel, Stanley Park.

Uli Steidel, 25+, of Germany and the University of Washington in Seattle and Elly Rono, 25+, of Evansville, Indiana, ran with two others until the halfway mark in Stanley Park before going ahead. A mile or two further in the park Steidel surged ahead and went on to a 2:18:53 win. Rono came in next with a 2:21:47 time. Miguel Acoltzi, 25+, of Vancouver was third with a 2:23:41 finish.

Krystyna Pieczulis of Poland won her third consecutive women’s race at Vancouver in a time of 2:45:32 in 20th overall position. Leslie Carson, 25+, of Cambridge, ON, was close behind with a 2:46:10. Joan McGrath, 35+, of New Westminster was third in 2:51:20.

My race went well. I enjoyed running in the city with other marathoners even though many of them passed me. At the halfway mark I was just under 2 hours, and it appeared as if I was headed for another 4 hour plus marathon. However, my chip time at the finish was 3:51:00…. better than I expected and good enough for first place in the 70+ division. George Mah of Vancouver, B.C., came in second with a time of 4:08:33. I finished in 834th position of 2,785 runners (3,364 starters), and 664th of 1,590 males.

Lenore and I enjoyed visiting with some of our running friends near the recovery area after the event. It was great to see our adopted grandson, Mike Dutton, who is back to marathoning again… .and to see Todd Byers, formerly of Seattle, who came to the race from Long Beach, CA. We owe a special thanks to Karl Jensen for being our gracious local host at Richmond, B.C. I felt a proud thrill before the race when I heard the race announcer acknowledge that Karl was running his 100th 26.2 mile marathon. In a few weeks he will run his 101st at Copenhagen, Denmark, his country of origin. Lenore ‘5 former neighbor, Lori Kory from Spokane, improved her time in this race, her second marathon, as she works toward her goal of qualifying for Boston.

May is a big marathon month. It starts out in British Columbia with the Vancouver Marathon, continues with the Capital City Marathon in Olympia, Washington, on the 21st, and ends in Idaho on the 28th with the Coeur d’ Alene Marathon. We enjoy them all!!!

Vancouver International Marathon Running Friends’ Results
2:58:46 Bob McNaught, 50-54, 2nd Place, Bellingham, WA
3:13:32 Jeff Giesbrecht, 30-34, Vancouver, B.C.
3:32:21 Mel Preedy, 67, Marathon Achiever, 3rd Place, Ravensdale, WA
3:33:09 Jim Kunz, 50-54, Seattle, WA

Written by Bob Dolphin