It was the 25th anniversary of the Capital City Marathon at Olympia, Washington, on Sunday, May 21, 2006, and the event was given special treatment. A beautiful design was crafted and used on the posters, large pins, finishers medals, age class awards and finishers T-shirts. The biggest treat given to the runners was a new course that replaced the old one, for the most part.

The starting line at Sylvester Park, the first few blocks, and the last mile and a half to the finish were retained. The old course went south to Tumwater and Lacey, while the new course goes to the northeast. It went through downtown Olympia passing by the marina and its boats on the shore of Budd Inlet of Puget Sound. The magnificent Olympic Mountains were in view in the distance.

Continuing along East Bay Drive, the course bisected Priest Point Park in a forest corridor. For miles we ran on the rolling terrain of rural Olympia with its forests, fields, farms and scattered housing. As a result of the recent rains and increasing temperatures, plants were thriving everywhere, and many were in flower. Striking displays of many colors of rhododendrons in peak bloom were in view in most yards.

In the last few miles we returned to the city, ran through suburban housing, and climbed and descended a few hills until we came to the downgrade that passed the Capitol Building on the way to the finish line.

The weather for the running of this anniversary race was nearly ideal. At the 7:00 a.m. start it was cool with the temperature in the mid 50’s. We ran under partly cloudy skies with no wind, a lot of tree shade and a temperature that rose to a maximum of 66 degrees.

The marathon was won by former Olympia native Jesse Stevik, 24, of Spokane who finished in a time of 2:34:59. Paul Smith, 41, of Olympia was second with a time of 2:40:48, and Paul Abdalla, 45, of Duvall ran a 2:45:59 for third place.

Vanessa Hunter traveled across the country from Arlington, Virginia, to visit family and to become the winner of the women’s division. Her finishing time of 2:49:07 put her in fourth place overall! Ann Armstrong, 44, of Poulsbo finished second for the women in our recent Yakima River Canyon Marathon on April 1st (3:10:47) and came in second again at Capital City with a 3:05:57. In third place was Christy Runde of Brush Prairie who ran a 3:07:55.

My run/walk went fairly well. I enjoyed the scenic, diverse route, the novelty of the new terrain, and cool air of the first half. Identifying birds and plants on the run is my idea of fun. White wild lilac, orange honeysuckle, and blue American vetch were common alongside the yellow-blossomed Scotch broom.

The second half was more of an effort as the temperature rose, and I was happy to be able to run/walk part of the last four miles with Bernadette Langdon, a fast walker from Portland, and then with Barefoot Jon Gissberg, of Seattle. I finished with a 5:28:07, a disappointing time, but one of my better marathons for this year.

Congratulations to Marathon Maniac Mel Preedy of Ravensdale for completing his 300th Marathon on May 21st. Wearing bib #300 he crossed the finish line in 4:19:58 for first place in the 70+M division. Ron Fowler presented him with a trophy from the five Evil Triplets, and his Maple Valley running buddies were there to greet him. They were wearing commemorative T-shirts and black socks, Mel’s trademark when he races! Some of these friends ran with Mel three years ago on his 70th birthday as he ran 70 miles on a track.

One of these friends completed the Capital City Half Marathon in a time of 1:24:50. Congratulations to Mary Hanna, 44, from Maple Valley who was the first masters finisher for the women. She was the third woman to finish and came in 18th overall. Mary was the women’s winner for the Yakima River Canyon Marathon in 2005 and 2006. This year her time of 2:58:06 set a new course record for women.

Unha “Patty” Lee, a 56 year old grandmother of four, celebrated her new status as a 50 States Finisher by running her 74th marathon in six years at Olympia, her adopted hometown. She was a child during the Korean War when her family fled to South Korea. She was raised there by her grandmother and then came to the United States as a young adult. Her husband Patrick Lee, children and grandchildren were at the finish line for the celebration of this great accomplishment. She’s already contacted us about the 100 Marathon Club North America, so we feel she has another goal in mind already!

It was the 25th running of the Capital City Marathon and some of us have been participants at most of them. Jim Thatcher of Olympia added to his continuous string by completing his 22nd, one more than my 21st! Our “adopted” grandson Michael Dutton always commemorates the running of his first marathon at this race. That event was 12 years ago, so Michael now has a total of 13 consecutive Capital City Marathons.

Thanks go to race director Lesley Roberts, the marathon committee, volunteers and policemen who made this anniversary race a great success. If my marathoning goes as planned, I’ll be celebrating my 25th Capital City Marathon in 2010!!

Written by Bob Dolphin
Edited, typed and distributed by Lenore Dolphin

Partial Results – Capital City Marathon, May 21, 2006

2:34:59  Jesse Stevick, 24, Spokane, 1st Overall, 1st in Age Division
2:40:48  Paul Smith, 41, Olympia, 2nd Overall, 1st
2:45:59  Paul Abdalla, 45, Duvall, 3rd Overall, 1st
2:49:07  Vanessa Hunter, 30, Arlington, VA, 1st Female Overall, 1st
2:51:05  Pete Hansen, 49, Ferndale, 2nd
3:00:52  Gregg Walchli, 44, Seattle, Marathon Maniac (MM), 4th
3:05:57  Ann Armstrong, 44, Poulsbo, 2nd Female Overall, 1st
3:05:58  Tony Phillippi, 44, Tacoma, MM, 5th
3:07:27  Mark Wolfe, 43, Medford, OR
3:07:55  Christy Runde, 37, Brush Prairie, 3rd Female Overall, 1st
3:12:37  Chris Warren, 38, Renton, MM
3:13:09  Terry Sentinella, 42, Anacortes, MM
3:13:26  David Murray, 52, Maple Valley, WA, 2nd
3:13:27  Ruben Contreras, 51, Stanwood, MM, 3rd
3:19:42  Steve Yee, 46, Renton, MM
3:24:50  Julie Groo, 49, Buckley, 1st
3:27:51  Robert Hester, 32, Bonney Lake, MM, 5th
3:32:19  Jim Morton, 48, Duncan, BC, MM
3:33:17  Karl Pryor, 42, Ashland, OR
3:35:41  Don Pattison, 48, Bartlett, IL, MM
3:37:30  Earl Fenstermacher, 56, Seattle, MM, 5th
3:37:39  Rob McWilliam, 57, Gillies Bay, BC
3:38:11  Christel Elliott, 27, Tacoma, MM, 3rd
3:38:37  Bill Barmore, 54, Gig Harbor, MM
3:40:40  Guy Yogi, 52, Seattle, MM
3:41:46  May Cheng, 41, Mercer Island, WA, MM, 5th
3:42:45  Eric Barnes, 49, Puyallup, MM
3:42:51  Eddie Hahn, 40, Fort Lewis, MM
3:43:47  Phillip Kriss, 46, Lake Tapps
3:45:15  Tony Simone, 52, Lacey
3:46:09  David Jones, 60, Seattle, MM, 2nd
3:47:59  Robert Lopez, 39, Seattle, MM
3:50:09  Jeff Moen, 54, Bremerton, MM
3:50:37  Lesa Overfield, 47, Tacoma, MM, 3rd
3:51:50  Julie Kamerrer, 26, Tumwater, 1st Marathon, 4th
3:57:05  Pete Nicholson, 46, Vancouver, MM
4:01:01  Ron Fowler, 58, Seattle
4:03:32  Gary Sparr, 57, Columbia Falls, MT, MM
4:06:15  April Meissner, 35, Olympia
4:06:16  Sean Meissner, 32, Sisters, OR, MM
4:09:58  Gwen McFarlan, 72, Richmond, BC, 1st
4:10:32  Gary Otheim, 63, East Wenatchee, MM, 4th
4:11:19  Michael Dutton, 36, Everett, MM
4:13:08  Monte Fus, 41, Appleton, MM
4:13:55  Marilou Russell, 44, Olympia, MM
4:14:38  Judy Fisher, 62, Auburn, MM, 1st
4:19:28  Richard Dahl, 53, Spanaway, MM
4:19:48  Van Phan, 35, Maple Valley, MM
4:19:58  Mel Preedy, 73, Ravensdale, 300th Marathon, MM, 1st
4:21:00  Evan Fagan, 69, Victoria, BC, 1st
4:21:38  Cheri Gillis, 54, Woodinville, MM, 2nd
4:25:54  Amanda Cohn, 37, Seattle, MM
4:33:48  Jerry Lawrence, 67, New Westminster, BC, 2nd
4:41:19  Unha Lee, 56, Olympia, 4th
4:42:53  Jim Boyd, 63, Seattle, MM
4:43:28  Paul Fouch, 72, Klamath Falls, OR, 2nd
4:43:48  Steve Anderson, 38, Baltimore, MD
4:49:55  Sandra Noel, 56, Vashon, 5th
4:56:08  Janet Burgess, 45, Renton, MM
4:57:26  Curtis Gibbs, 22, Ellensburg
4:57:26  Daniel Chaves, 21, Ellensburg
5:02:00  Alec Burkey, 18, Salem, OR
5:04:50  Grant Yule, 78, Prince George, BC, 3rd
5:09:47  Ed Hansen, 59, Stayton, OR
5:20:08  Jon Gissberg, 63, Seattle, MM
5:20:38  Bernadette Langdon, 52, Portland, Walked
5:25:25  Yau-Ming Chien, 63, Bellevue
5:28:07  Bob Dolphin, 76, Renton/Yakima, MM, 4th
5:56:19  James Thatcher, 57, Olympia
5:57:42  Phyllis Sund, 47, Tumwater
5:57:42  Catherine Grunenfelder, 51
6:12:00  Carol Dellinger, 43, Spokane
7:14:11  Irma Kuehnert, 39, Yakima
7:14:11  Clarence Kuehnert, 35, Yakima

© Bob Dolphin

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