(Olympia, WA - May 18, 2008)  When Lenore and I went to England in the spring of 1997, our good friend Michael Dutton of Marysville wanted to come along with us to run the London Marathon with me on April 13, 1997. Mike and I ran together as I celebrated my 200th marathon, and we had a great week with daughter Jan’s new in-laws at nearby St. Albans.

2008 Capital City Marathon See more race photos here!

During the trip Mike, Lenore and I “adopted” each other and Mike has been our “adopted grandson” ever since. We see each other during the year, and because of our ties to the event we always see each other at the Capital City Marathon,

Michael, 38, ran his first marathon at Olympia, WA, on May 22, 1994, the day we met for the first time. He has run every Capital City Marathon since then for an impressive string of fifteen to date. Mike is an avid marathoner and belongs to the 100 Marathon Club North America with a total of 105 marathons.

When he told me that he would like to run with me from start to finish in the most recent Capital City Marathon on May 18, 2008, I was flattered. He didn’t care that my pace and finishing time would be much slower than his potential. So, we made plans to run and to stay in nearby rooms in the Governor Hotel. This race sponsor is conveniently located across the street from the race headquarters in Sylvester Park that’s adjacent to the starting and finishing lines.

Lenore and I drove the sixty miles from Renton to Olympia the day before the race, checked into the hotel, crossed the street to the park and picked up my runner’s bib and timing chip, runner’s tights and a nylon mesh tote bag.

On the morning of the race we appreciated the early, free continental breakfast provided by the hotel. In the half hour before the 7:00 a.m. start there was a lot of socializing in the starting area as we greeted and visited with many friends. We see many of them here every year.

Ron Fowler, 60, of Seattle has run all of them except one. Jim Thatcher, 59, of Olympia ran his first Capital City Marathon on July 28, 1985, and has run them all since then. My first one was also in 1985, and I have a continuous string since then for a total of 24.

At the start of the race the sky was partly cloudy with the temperature about 60 degrees. After the sun appeared, the temperature rose to 70 degrees later in the run.

Michael and I ran/walked and enjoyed the course with its many grade changes and rural scenery with forest and fields. The blooming rhododendrons, azaleas and lilacs by rural and suburban houses provided an attractive setting to run a marathon. It was nice visiting with him as we ran, and the early miles passed quickly.

We caught up with a few runners and talked to them. Linda Garbo, 59, of Shoreline was looking forward to a June birthday and going into a new age division. The Capital City Marathon was her second marathon in two weeks to qualify her for membership in the Marathon Maniacs (MM). Congratulations to Linda who is now MM #944.

Sarah Presley, 24, of Pasadena, California, was alternating running and walking. She said that she was influenced by Jeff Galloway who encourages walking breaks. She runs a minute and then alternates it with one minute of walking.

In most races I don’t catch up to Mel Preedy, 75, of Ravensdale, but in this race it happened in the 10th mile, and we visited briefly. Carol Dellinger, 45, of Spokane is running faster these days. We didn’t catch up with her until the 15th mile. She attributes her improvement to dieting and weight loss.

Jim Armstrong, 43, of Edmonds visited with us briefly as he passed us walking with poles. His time of 5:26:15 gave him a fast walking pace of 12:27. Bernadette Langdon, 54, of Portland, Oregon, is a power walker who passed me in the 23rd mile at the Tacoma City Marathon the previous week. This time I managed to beat her to the finish line by two minutes.

Michael and I finished in 5:37:15, 301 of 315 finishers. This was one minute faster than my time at Tacoma, and I was second of three in the 70+ male division. (There was no 75-79 group!) It was a good race, somewhat warm in the last 10K….but tolerable.

For the third consecutive year the marathon was won by Jesse Stevick, 26, of Olympia. His lead was uncontested after the first three miles, and his finishing time was 2:35:12. In second place was Alex Bunn, 36, of Olympia (2:45:35). Paul Abdalla, 47, of Duvall and David Tyson, 23, of Tacoma had a close finish with Paul coming in third with a 2:59:02 and David close behind with the same net time.

Annie Thiessen, 37, of Tacoma won the women’s race unchallenged with a 3:05:34. It was Annie’s fourth win in four consecutive marathons. She also came in first at the Yakima River Canyon Marathon, Whidbey Island Marathon and the Tacoma City Marathon.

In second and third places were Pam Smith, 33, of Salem Oregon, (3:27:44) and Erin Ellison, 34, of Olympia (3:24:48).

Congratulations to more runners: Paul Hansen, 40, of Bellevue for running his first marathon (3:49:32)……..to Unha Lee, 58, of Olympia as she ran her 100th marathon wearing bib #100 in her hometown……to Richard Hartley, 35, of Renton who ran a 3:33:02 in his second marathon. Maybe the next one will be a Boston qualifier!

It was great to see Fiona Wright, 45, MM of Palm Bay, Florida, again. Our last meeting was at the Walt Disney World Marathon in 2006. It was nice to meet John Randon of Auburn again. The last time we saw each other was at a restaurant when we ran the Louisville Marathon in 2006.

MM Monte Pascuale, 48, of Federal Way and I talked awhile in Sylvester Park after the race, and I learned of his career milestone that he reached at this Capital City Marathon. He ran his 52nd marathon in 52 weeks. That’s a marathon per week for a year! Quite an accomplishment. Surprisingly, 45 of the marathons and ultras were in the state of Washington. The rest of them were in the western part of the United States, and one was in British Columbia. Congratulations, Monte!!!

After we showered and put on clean clothes, the Duttons and Dolphins checked out of the hotel and then went to a local Red Robin to have lunch before going our separate ways. Michael recently joined the Red Robin chain as a head chef. We wish him well in this career change.

We enjoyed another Capital City Marathon and look forward to returning next year to keep the string going.

Written by Bob Dolphin

Edited, Typed and Distributed by Lenore Dolphin

PARTIAL RESULTS – CAPITAL CITY MARATHON….May 18, 2008

2:35:12 Jesse Stevick, 26, Olympia, FIRST OVERALL, First 25-29 Male
2:45:35 Alex Bunn, 36, Olympia, SECOND OVERALL, 1st
2:59:02 Paul Abdalla, 47, Duvall, THIRD OVERALL, 1st
2:59:02 David Tyson, 23, Tacoma, 1st
3:05:34 Annie Thiessen, 37, Tacoma, FIRST WOMAN OVERALL, Marathon Maniac (MM), 1st
3:14:51 Tony Phillippi, 46, Tacoma, MM
3:26:52 David Spooner, 39, Buckley, MM
3:27:44 Pam Smith, 33, Salem, OR, SECOND WOMAN OVERALL, 1st
3:29:48 Erin Ellison, 34, Tumwater, THIRD WOMAN OVERALL, 2nd
3:33:02 Richard Hartley, 35, Renton
3:40:57 Michael Wakabayashi, 60, Spokane, MM, 2nd
3:44:44 Ruben Contreras, 53, Stanwood, MM
3:49:32 Paul Hansen, 40, Bellevue
3:50:26 Jon Mahoney, 56, Palm Desert, CA, MM
3:51:09 Sherry Mahoney, 43, Palm Desert, CA, MM
3:52:00 Janet Green, 54, Courtenay, BC, 2nd
3:52:56 Ashley Kuhlmann, 22, Lakewood, MM, 1st
3:53:56 David Jones, 62, Seattle, MM, 3rd
3:55:55 Judy Fisher, 64, Auburn, MM, 1st
4:02:55 Brian Kessler, 63, Olympia
4:04:21 Herb Allen, 65, Bainbridge Island, MM, 1st
4:06:59 Ron Fowler, 60, Seattle
4:14:21 Yanghae Yoon, 45, Puyallup
4:16:53 Michael Kuhlmann, 58, Lakewood, MM
4:17:50 Van Phan, 37, Maple Valley, MM
4:21:16 Jim Scheer, 66, Vancouver, WA, MM, 3rd
4:21:31 Marilou Russell, 46, Olympia, MM
4:35:22 Brian Starkey, 42, Edgewood, MM
4:38:22 Jim Kunz, 59, Seattle
4:38:51 Unha Lee, 58, Olympia, 2nd
4:44:37 Paul Gentry, 49, Belfair, MM
4:46:22 Marie Zornes, 44, Gig Harbor, MM
4:51:25 Fiona Wright, 45, Palm Bay, FL, MM
4:53:00 Max Welker, 65, Tacoma
4:57:30 Ed Hansen, 61, Stayton, OR
5:08:21 Paul Fouch, 73, Klamath Falls, OR, MM,
5:09:03 Yau-Ming Chien, 65, Bellevue
5:09:57 Monte Pascual, 48, Federal Way, MM
5:10:52 Jim Boyd, 65, Seattle, MM
5:26:15 Jim Armstrong, 43, Edmonds
5:34:19 Linda Garbo, 59, Shoreline, MM
5:37:15 Bob Dolphin, 78, Renton/Yakima, MM, 2nd
5:37:15 Michael Dutton, 38, Marysville, MM
5:39:07 Bernadette Langdon, 54, Portland, OR
5:42:17 Sarah Presley, 24, Pasadena, CA
6:03:31 Gordon Duvaul, 64, Roseburg, OR
6:09:59 Donald Pemberton, 44, Mesa, AZ, MM
6:11:23 Jeanette Quintana, 30, Edmonds, MM
6:17:22 Carol Dellinger, 45, Spokane, MM
6:22:21 Mel Preedy, 75, Ravensdale, MM, 3rd
6:28:09 Jim Thatcher, 59, Olympia

# # #