Yakima River Canyon Marathon

If you run for the joy of the sport, this is the race for you. If you think 'boooring' when other races boast of a 'flat, fast course', this is the one you want. Spectacular scenery and a well organized no-frills crew. I ran by a coyote skeleton and the remains of an elk that had tumbled down the cliffs. Wow! Howling wind in your face through the gaps, and a long hill near the finish. 'Nothing left to do but smile, smile, smile.'

I am pursuing the 50 states and chose this marathon for my WA race because of the wonderful things I'd heard about Bob and Lenore Dolphin. I was very happy with my choice. As recommended, I went to the Yakima area for the entire weekend so that I could experience everything: the pasta dinner Friday night, the post-race potato feed, and the breakfast Sunday morning. I recommend staying in or near Selah or Yakima so you are close to all of these activities. The race starts in Ellensburg and there is a hotel there, but everything else other than the race start is in the Yakima area. And the shuttle bus to the start from Selah works great. I opted to take the early start (with permission) because I am slow and while it made for a very early morning, it was a wonderful choice to start with other slow but fun people. Pros: -Organization is top-notch. Every little detail was taken care of (for example, they even put a label on your gear bag) -Course is gorgeous. -Good value (race fee includes pasta dinner and post-race potato feed) -They post articles and pictures from previous years on the wall at the pasta dinner which is really special -You can buy a photo of yourself at the finish area for $20.00. Pack a 20 dollar bill in your shorts! -Weather was great in 2014 (cool with little wind) -Dolphins treat everyone like family, and there are such friendly and seasoned participants -I like the baseball-style cotton shirt; different than the typical tech shirt we get -They put out clothes that were dumped at the previous year's race for us to use (and they were washed!) -Women got a rose at the finish line Cons: -Camber in the road was relentless. Towards the end of the marathon I was so sick of the slanted road. -First water stop was not until after mile 6 for the early start folks (I heard it was after mile 3 for the regular start folks) -More water stops needed -Pasta dinner went on way too long. I had to miss the speaker (Kathrine Switzer) because I needed to get to bed and she didn't start until 7:45. With a 4am wake-up call, I couldn't wait. Please note that all of the wonderful meals do go on for a long time because there are so many awards, prizes, speeches, etc. You might want to build this into your schedule. I had to leave the breakfast mid-way through because I didn't realize everyone would introduce themselves and stories would be told. I am so glad I did this marathon while the Dolphins were the race directors. This is the ideal race for slower participants who want to be treated fairly and honored. I stayed in Seattle for a couple of nights before and after the race as I had never been to the area, and I absolutely LOVED my visit there.

This was my 36th different marathon. Pros: Beautiful courseworth the challenging hills and camber in road. No issues with buses at start or finish. We had an indoor facility to wait in at the start. Cons: The medal is beyond cheap. The worst medal I have ever receivedso disappointing! The woman sped up the singing of the National Anthem at the start to a point where people were laughing like it was a joke. If you don't have time to sing it then don't sing it. The first water stop wasn't until after 3 miles, and they were few and far between after that. They need more than 11 stops. The pasta dinner ran on too long with awards and memorials. At 7:45 Katherine Switzer had yet to take the stage, so we left and missed what we really came to hear. Their medical at the finish was a joke. They didn't even have Ibuprofin. My friend needed an IV, so they actually called an ambulance (even though there were 3 ambulances parked at the finish), and took her to the ER at a local hospital! Other things worth mentioning: Cotton finisher's shirt instead of tech top. No real food at the finishjust snacks. It's a no-frills finish. I bought a race photo at the finish ($20). There is not a lot to do in Selah or Yakima. I'd suggest staying in Seattle the night before, as you can pick up your packet race morning. Overall, it was one of the prettiest marathons I have ever run, but I think this race needs some updating!