100 MARATHON CLUB NORTH AMERICA The second reunion of the 100 Marathon Club North America will be held at the March 27, 2010, Yakima River Canyon (YRCM) that’s co-directed by Bob and Lenore Dolphin. It will be the 10th anniversary of this race, and a lot of special things are planned for the weekend. Packet pickup starts at 3:00 p.m. on Friday, March 26, 2010, and the meeting for all 100 Marathon Club members is scheduled for 4:00 p.m., followed by a group picture at 5:00 p.m. For the first time, there will be two guest speakers at the Friday evening pasta feed. The 2009 YRCM guest speaker, Marathon Maniac (MM) Don “The Rev” Kienz, will return to give another inspiring and humorous presentation on Friday evening. Noted author Joe Henderson spoke at YRCM #1 and #2 and was the announcer for marathons 1-5. In 2006 he returned as a competitor to run his “come-back marathon” after many years of non-participation in these races. For the past three years his marathon training classes for aspiring runners in Eugene, Oregon, have not allowed him to come to Yakima, so we’re happy to announce that he’ll be doing his usual “everything” in 2010. Put March 27, 2010, on your calendar now and plan to join us for a weekend of activities and socializing that will end with a no-host breakfast at 9:00 a.m. on Sunday, March 28th, at the Howard Johnson Hotel in downtown Yakima, Washington. Another date to put on your calendar is October 4, 2009, when we hope you’ll join us in Oregon for the Portland Marathon on Bob Dolphin’s 80th Birthday. If you plan to be there, let us know what size T-shirt you wear. We’ll let you know the birthday celebration plans later. Those of you who have visited our Yakima home know that it looks like a “museum/library.” Bob has not only run a lot of races in his running career, he’s run them well. It’s been a challenge for me to display his many trophies, plaques, medals and awards throughout the house. He’s also a book collector and an avid reader who would rather purchase books than borrow them from a library. Recently, Malcolm Anderson from the faculty of Queen’s University in Kingston, Ontario, in Canada sent us an autographed copy of his latest book, A Marathon Odyssey, when I was having a health-related “down time.” I’m a “non-avid” reader, but I had available time to start reading this exciting book on a Saturday afternoon and finished reading all 394 pages by the next evening!!! His book is about his training, travel and marathon experiences as he runs the Athens, Cayman Islands and Disney Goofy Challenge. Interwoven throughout are short pieces that trace the evolution of marathon running since the 1896 Olympics and many aspects of the marathon experience runners encounter these days. Rich Benyo, Editor of Marathon & Beyond, had this to say about the book, “It comes alive…..due to Malcolm’s constant sense of humor and his clean, clear writing style.” Here’s what club member Jack Brooks from St. Albans, UK, had to say about Malcolm’s book, “A Marathon Odyssey is a thoroughly good read and should appeal to runners and non-runners alike. It is a book that testifies that everything is possible if one has the ambition and resolution to pursue a dream.” As a non-runner who has attended more than 300 marathons to be a volunteer or support person, I want to add that Malcolm gave us a book that I “couldn’t put down” until I had read every page!! If you’re interested in ordering a copy or reading more about it, you can go to the publisher’s website, http://www.experiencebooks.ca/. At the Inaugural Seattle Rock ‘n Roll Marathon on June 27, 2009, Bob met Kevin Spera of the Mississippi Blues Marathon and Half-Marathon in Jackson, Mississippi. As a result of this meeting, he has offered a $10.00 discount for our club members who register for their 3rd annual race on January 9, 2010. To make this happen, go to www.marathonguide.com and enter 100MarathonClub as the discount code. For more information, visit www.msbluesmarathon.com. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Robert Bishton of Fort Myers Beach, Florida, is know as “Cowboy” Jeff. The Baltimore Marathon in October of 2004 was his first, and the Snickers Marathon in Albany, Georgia, on March 7, 2009, was #100. Adding to this total is one ultra in June 2008 when he ran 85 miles in the Around the Lake 24 Hour Run in Massachusetts. He completed 50 States & DC on December 8, 2007, with an average time of 3:48 for these 51 marathons. His Personal Record (PR) is 3:25. Jeff is a Marathon Maniac (MM434), a member of the 100 Marathon Club UK and a “Double 50 Stater” (belongs to the Club and the Group). We first met Kevin Brosi of Flower Mound, Texas, in Oregon at the awards ceremony for the Newport Marathon on May 30, 2009. He was one of three who were honored for completing Marathon #100 that day. This MM is a member of the 50 States Marathon Club who ran his first marathon on December 14, 1986, the Dallas White Rock Marathon. It was great to see him the next weekend at Sequim, Washington, before the start of the North Olympic Discovery Marathon that ends in Port Angeles. Kevin is on the “One marathon or more per month plan” and has a PR of 3:29. His 100 marathons and two ultras have taken him to Europe, Antarctica and many places in North America. Some runners have interesting goals, and it’s amazing how many marathoners attain them. I’ve noticed that many runners in the club choose to return to the race where they ran their first for #100. That takes good planning! Beth Davenport of Albuquerque, New Mexico, had a different goal, but she proved herself to be a great planner. She ran her first marathon on October 18, 1992, the Tour of Albuquerque Marathon, but she had a different marathon in mind for #100. She hadn’t met the Dolphin Marathon Team (Bob and Lenore), but she sent the following e-mail to us on March 28, 2008: “I figured out that, if I run all of the marathons I have planned between now and next spring, Yakima should be #98. I do have two gaps where I could fit in two more, making it within the possibility that I could potentially become a full member of the 100 Marathon Club North America in Yakima in 2009. Seems like a nifty idea to me. Would it be possible to reserve #100 for me for the YRCM on April 4, 2009?” Throughout the year she let me know that she was “on schedule.” Her good planning paid off. She wore bib #100 at the 2009 YRCM and completed the race with three others who met this milestone that day. We met Lauri Fauerbach Adams from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, at a marathon in New England, and we have a picture she took of Bob on the course of the November 2008 Seattle Marathon. Our paths have crossed more than once. The Philadelphia Marathon on November 23, 2003, was her first marathon, and five years later the Las Vegas Marathon on December 7, 2008, was #100!! This includes 30 ultras. MM Lauri is a “Double 50 Stater.” Cheri Gross from San Antonio, Texas, is a “Double 50 Stater” who ran her first marathon on June 4, 2000, at the San Diego Rock ‘n Roll Marathon and her 100th at the Sun Trust Richmond Marathon in Virginia on November 15, 2008. From her very first marathon to the completion of 50 States and DC it was a possible record setting time of two years and 253 days!!! Another Canadian to join the 100 Marathon Club is Craig Johnson from Regina, Saskatchewan, a member of the Regina Road Runners Club. His first marathon was the Saskatchewan Marathon in September of 1990, and his 100th was the Trestle Valley Marathon in Minot, North Dakota, on April 25, 2009. Of this total, 27 are ultras. He has a PR of 3:27:18 and lists the following as special races: 1992 New York Marathon, 2000 Amsterdam Marathon, 2007 Lost Soul 100K in Lethridge, Alberta, 2005 Durango Double in Colorado (Saturday 50K & Sunday Marathon) and the 2006 Death Valley Marathon. MM Cathie Johnson and her husband MM Troy Johnson from Red Boiling Springs, Tennessee, bring another FIRST to the 100 Marathon Club. They’re one of many couples in the club, but they are the only ones whose list of marathons is identical. In Memphis, Tennessee on December 1, 1996, they ran their first marathon, the Tennessee First. Their only ultra was the Nashville Ultra on October 18, 2008, and their 100th marathon was the Country Music Marathon in Nashville on April 25, 2009. They belong to the 50 States & DC Group and have run five marathons in Europe. At the awards ceremony of the Newport Marathon MM #135 Ron Knecht from Newport and Sunriver, Oregon, received a plaque for completing his 100th 26.2 mile marathon that day, May 30, 2009. On October 8-9, 2005, he ran the Durango Double in Colorado to add a 50K Trail Run to his list of races. He’s a good planner who ran his first marathon at the Newport Marathon on May 31, 2003, and six years later (lacking one day) ran the same race for #100. He’s a “Double 50 Stater” who qualified for Boston at his very first marathon a week after his 60th birthday! He finished 50 states at Honolulu on December 14, 2008, and has a PR of 3:50 that he set on January 30, 2005, in Las Vegas. “fastwalkeroncourse” is the first part of the e-mail address for Bernadette Langdon, the other 100 Marathon finisher at Newport on May 30, 2009. In memory of her Dad she decided to walk one marathon (only ONE). She chose to do this in Portland, Oregon, on September 28, 1997. She is a fast and determined “power walker” with a PR of 5:03:19 at the 1999 Trails End Marathon and a 5:19:12 at Boston in 2004. Because of her participation in our YRCM, we’ve gotten to know her well and were happy to be in Newport to help her celebrate her new milestone. In a thank you note she sent to us the next day she had some sentiments we want to share. “I was really ‘blown away’ by the effort and time put into making my 100th marathon in Newport so memorable. The excitement of yesterday will long remain with me. I just felt so loved and belonged by so many in an activity that we take so seriously.” Because I introduce new members in alphabetical order, MM Cyndie Merten of Corvallis, Oregon, is the second one at the April 4, 2009, YRCM to cross the finish line and receive a special, personalized poster and bouquet of flowers for completing her 100th marathon. She wore Bib #99 (Beth had reserved #100 a year in advance!) After she received a hug from the race director (me), she unzipped a pocket of her fanny pack and gave me her filled-out 100 Marathon Club North America registration form!!! Cyndie’s first marathon was in Tucson on December 7, 1997, and her first ultra of eleven was the 50K Niagara on the Lake on July 3, 1999. We have lots of good memories of our times together at many marathons, especially for many years in Oregon at the August Crater Lake Marathon. David Olsho of Seattle, Washington, celebrated the running of his 100th 26.2 marathon on April 4, 2009, at the YRCM and went home with a personalized poster and a bouquet of flowers. His wife, Lynn Werner, runs many ultra marathons. David often accompanies her and has a total of eight ultras himself. Russell Petelle from Derby Line, Vermont, is a member of the 50 States & DC Group whose first marathon was the Paul Bunyan Marathon on August of 1977 at Bangor, Maine. His 100th marathon was the Vermont City Marathon on May 24, 2009. He’s run one ultra and has a PR of 3:08. Here’s a quote from his registration form, “Out of the 100 marathons, my two most pleasurable were yours at Yakima and the Eisenhower Marathon. I am not particularly outgoing and everyone was more than engaging at these two marathons.” Another couple to recently join are MM Kendel Prescott and MM Walt Prescott from Decatur, GA. We met Walt years ago at one of our first YRCM’s when he came from New Hampshire to run our race. After that, we saw him at races in various parts of the country. Part of his e-mail address is “runningNH”……but he no longer lives in New Hampshire. He met Kendel at a marathon somewhere, and after they were married he moved to Georgia. Both of them are “Double 50 Staters,” and both of them have amazing accomplishments. Kendel’s first marathon was the Marine Corps Marathon on November 3, 1990, and her 100th marathon was the Vulcan Marathon at Birmingham, Alabama, in November of 1999. Her 200th was the Gobbler Grind in November of 2005. She has a PR of 3:56. As of May 2009 her total was 268 (including 55 ultras). She has run a marathon on all continents and has completed 50 States & DC FOUR TIMES. Walt’s first marathon was the Walt Disney World on January 8, 1995. His 100th was on October 11, 2003, at the Lake Tahoe Triple (stage 3) and his 200th marathon was the Ridgerunner on June 2, 2002. He has a PR of 3:41:21, and his total as of May 2009 is 234 (including 58 ultras). He has run a marathon on all continents, has completed 50 States &* DC THREE TIMES and has run TEN 100 Mile Ultras. Kendel and Walt don’t have identical marathon histories, but they do have a lot in common. They even have the same birthdate! You can save a long distance call by wishing them both “Happy Birthday” with one call on November 6th. The first marathon for MM Guillermo Rios of Ventura, California, was the New York Marathon on November 21, 1993, and his 100th was Running with the Devil on June 27, 2009, at Boulder City, Nevada. He ran his PR of 3:43 at Honolulu on December 4, 1997. With a PR of 3:26:12 if doesn’t seem right that MM #30 Diana Robinson is known as “sLuG.” For those of us who live in Western Washington, we’ve seen a lot of slugs, and they’re not “fast movers.” Diana is from Bellingham, near the Canadian Border. The 1996 Honolulu Marathon was her first, and the 2007 Lean Horse 100 Miler was her 100th. At the beginning of 2009 her total was 109, and that included 24 ultras. Under “Special Accomplishments” she wrote, “No special accomplishment. Oh, wait……YRCM six years in a row. Sure wish I hadn’t missed the first two! My favorite marathon of all!” Since she wrote this her total is 7 out of 9 YRCM’s. (There are 25 who have finished all 9 of them!) Diana and Beth Davenport might tie in a race for “best planner” of this group. On August 1, 2009, she officially reserved Bib #508 for our March 27, 2010, YRCM. That race will be her 508th race (if according to plan)…….500 other races PLUS 8 consecutive Yakimas. Also on that date, it will be her 100th 26.2 mile distance. At that time she will have run 30 ultras (her MM number) and 100 half marathons. WOW!! What a record keeper!!! The inaugural North Olympic Discovery Marathon (Sequim to Port Angeles, Washington) on June 16, 2003, was the inaugural marathon for MM Terry Sentinella AND the same race became #100 for him on June 7, 2009. This total includes 14 ultras. With a PR of 2:57:51 at Brookings on May 13, 2006, it’s not a surprise that he’s been the overall winner of the following races: Last Chance Marathon (December 31, 2005), Hogeye Marathon (March 26, 2006), Delaware Triple Crown (April 29, 2006), Central States (May 14, 2006), Rattlesnake Lake (August 19, 2007), Light at the End of the Tunnel (August 26, 2007), Lake Young’s Race for Breast Cancer (July 5, 2008), Blanchard Ultra Marathon (August 16, 2008), Ghost of Seattle (November 24, 2008), Ghost of Birch Bay (December 13, 2008). Terry is a “Double 50 Stater”. He’s also a race director who brought new life to the September Skagit Flats Marathon in Burlington, Washington! By the time MM Michael Shiach let me know that YRCM #9 on April 4, 2009, would be #100 for him bib numbers 99 and 100 were already assigned. He was happy to run with his Maniac #33. Michael is from Bainbridge Island, Washington, and the 1978 Seattle Marathon was his first. His PR is 3:16:05. At the finish line of our recent YRCM, he received a personalized poster and flowers. Later, at the awards ceremony/dinner he, Beth, Cyndie and David all were presented a 100 Marathon Club membership certificate, a personalized medallion and a #100 pin on a gro-grain ribbon. The October 5, 1997, Twin Cities Marathon was the first one for MM Michael Swanson of Plymouth, MM Lou Wilson from The Woodlands, Texas, ran 13 marathons in 13 weekends with the streak ending two weeks before his 70th birthday three years ago. He was 62 when he ran his first marathon on September 27, 1998, at East Lyme, Connecticut, and he celebrated his 73rd birthday on May 16, 2009, by running #100 at Brookings, South Dakota. His 100th Marathon party was on June 7, 2009. Lou wrote an interesting article, “From Basketball to Brookings (How I Got to 100 Marathons),” In it he tells why he started running at age 46…..and that he wore basketball shoes in his first 35 mile race. He liked the feeling of the competition and traded his basketball shoes for running shoes. He related how his wife started running, too, and told about his first marathon. Later he became a “Double 50 Stater” and ran 24 marathons in one year. He needs only six more states to become a FINISHER. For someone who says he hates marathons and doesn’t like to run, he’s doing okay. When he crosses the finish line, “the feeling of great satisfaction/exhaustion tells me all the suffering was worthwhile.” Then in a few days he starts looking at the race calendar for another marathon in a few weeks. That’s what “propels” him. The 100 Marathon Club North America has no dues but meets its expenses from donations and through a small profit made on the sale of club T-shirts, pins (increments of 100) and personalized medallions. Please contact us if you’re interested in making any purchases…….and let us know about your activities and goals as well. Bob and Lenore Dolphin (425) 226-1518, Renton10519 126th Avenue S.E. (509)966-0188, Yakima
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