Comments2005

Participant Comments

The following comments are a small sample of the feedback received post-race from previous races.

Just wondering if you still have race shirts left over. Mike had to have his cut off at the E.R. the other night. He ate it on the mountain bike, tearing his AC ligament in his shoulder. He was mostly bummed about the shirt. So if you have any larges left, I'd love to stop by and buy one from ya! Hope you are enjoying your summer!

Thanks a bunch, Rachael

Good afternoon Larry.

Just wanted to pass on to you and all the other people involved in yesterday's races how much I enjoyed running the half-marathon. That was some event all of you organized - and especially so considering that Port Angeles is a small town - by which I mean the turnout/number of volunteers was impressive.

Let me try to reword that sentiment - your event was great by any standard and the community support was huge. I'm a long way from a race expert (yesterday marked my 4th race), but I found the whole thing a wonderful experience.

I may or may not be able to make it back next year, but I will be coming back.

Warren Eggleston, Victoria, British Columbia

Larry,

Thanks for a great race!! It was my first marathon in 4 years (ran 3 the summer my daughter turned 1, then have been doing mom stuff since then), and I did a PR by 5 minutes. If I could change anything it would be the rain and wind, but hey, this is Washington and besides, running in stuff like that makes for great stories after the fact.

NODM was my first small race (having done Napa, Big Sur, San Francisco, and Chicago) and it was truly a PLEASURE!!!! I loved the set-up prior to the race. It was so relaxing and inspiring and just comfortable. The aid stations were fabulous, and the 21-ish mile station with the lemon drops was a god-send. It's amazing what sucking on a piece of candy can do for a brain in need of inspiration to keep the legs moving fast. I spoke with wonderful people throughout the race, and quickly recognized the spectators there supporting runners going my speed. It was great to see them along the way and develop a small camaraderie with them as well.

The food was fabulous! My stomach was not able to eat for a couple of hours, but I took along goodies for the drive home and was in heaven when I was able to digest again.

The entire atmosphere of the race was just wonderful. I hope I will be back again and again. I know a tremendous amount of work goes into putting on an A-One event like yours. Kudos to all involved. Oh, and the shirts rock!!

THANK YOU for an awesome experience!!!

Kyla Carlson. Bellevue, WA

Please let all your volunteers know they did a fabulous job. This was the most fun-spirited half-marathon I have ever run in. From the parking attendants, to the volunteers who handed out water, to the kind man who assisted me at the finish line, to the masseuse who rubbed my calves, to the rock band, to the guy handing out peanut butter -- everyone was sooo friendly. The course was beautiful, everything was run efficiently and everyone who participated made everything a complete ease. (Well, the running, as always, was hard.) Good job.

Rob Crichton

Larry,

Hats off to you and all the volunteers for a job well done! The volunteers at the stations, crosswalks and the finish line were fun, helpful and encouraging. It was really neat to see the local folks come out in the rain to welcome and encourage us along the way.

The walk was challenging, fun and an exciting accomplishment.

As someone who had never done something like this, the training information was a very valuable tool.

We are already talking about next year!

Thanks again, Jo Ann Neel

Larry:

Thank you for another NODM. Please thank all of your volunteers for giving up part of their weekend to help with the events. They were enthusiastic and helpful. Special kudos should go out to the volunteers who were out on the course since they got as wet as we did. Every one of them was upbeat and encouraging. I applaud your idea of shirts for the volunteers. It makes it easy to spot them and rewards them for volunteering. The health food at the finish was fabulous. It was very tasty and there was plenty of it. As usual, all details were taken care of. Transportation was flawless, information at the expo and packet pickup was accurate and the pass to use the showers at the YMCA was nice for those who had to check out of their motels. Your event is one of the best in the northwest. I'll see you next year.

Michael Wakabayashi

Thanks for running a great race. Great attention to detail on the part of your organizing group and all the volunteers. That sort of thing is sorely lacking in many races these days -- you guys do it right and that’s greatly appreciated. My wife Erin appreciated your willingness to help her with a problem with her number at the half start – you made a potentially stressful situation easy for her and she was all smiles talking about it afterwards.

And sorry I couldn’t hang around for the awards. I tried, but finally at about 1:45 I had to get rolling because our babysitter was going off the clock at 4:15 and we had to get the ferry back to Whidbey to make it.

Thanks again for putting on such a fine event.

Matt Simms

Hey, I just wanted to offer my thanks for putting on a such a wonderful Marathon. This was my first full Marathon and what a great experience it was. The organization and support were fantastic. I will definitely be here next year.

Thanks again, Mark Burton

Larry,

Congratulations on doing such a great job organizing the marathon and thank you for making it such a great experience. I can't think of one thing that you could do to improve it. You took care of every detail and the volunteers did a great job. Please thank them for me.

David Larsen
Soos Creek Wine Cellars

Larry -

I have been involved in a number of events over the years, but your event was by far the most organized and best supported event I have ever attended. The trail for the half marathon run was wonderful. I especially appreciated the effort of all of your volunteers. Please express my sincere appreciation to everyone involved. Our group of 7 runners all left with thoughts that we have to return again next year. We know it will only get bigger and better!

Chuck Althauser

OLSON ALTHAUSER LAWLER & SAMUELSON

Attorneys at Law

Dear Larry,

What a beautiful course and race the volunteers were *fabulous* this race will grow and grow! Thank you it was a great day!

I was wondering how far down did folks place win awards?

I was 4th in my age and 5th Masters overall F

bib # 136 Age 42 F

My carpooling buddies were in a hurry to get home so we left right after the race.

Ellen

Larry-

I just wanted to say THANK YOU for the great race this weekend [I ran the half; my sister and husband ran the full marathon]. It was nice to have all the welcome signs along town as we arrived in Port Angeles :) Seeing the signs as we drove into town started getting us excited about the race.

The race was very well organized! Everyone at aids stations were very supportive... the course was beautiful.... the weather cooperated... and it was a nice touch to have "personal escorts" at the finish line with cold drinks and to show us where to go next!!! We also loved the race shirts--- a nice change from the traditional cotton-ts we've collected over the years!

We had a great time and it made it worthwhile traveling up from California to run your race.

Great Work!

-Christine Hodson

Thank you for a wonderful event. It was my second ever marathon. I was injured during my training, but I still wanted to do this one and it was well worth it. It was the best run race I have been at, not just marathon, but race. I've run quite a few races. The course was well makred and the volunteers were wonderful. So many great aid stations. It went off without a hitch. Great job. If I am running marathons next year, I'll be back.

-Marlon

Hi Larry:

Just a quick note to thank you for your incredible event. It is so well organized! Last year I participated, along with my stepdaughter and two friends from Montana. This year, we had three friends from Montana, along with me, my husband, two stepdaughters, a son-in-law and another friend. It's a real tribute to the beauty of the course and the great things that everyone hears about the race. Everyone in our group has committed to next year and wants to bring more people! Thanks a million and congratulations.

Sarah Baxter Cronauer

Hey Larry,

I want to take this opportunity to tell you that I've never run a race that was more masterfully organized. From start to finish it was wonderful, from the volunteers who assisted to the general population coming out to rally, it was a great event. Thank you for organizing!

Vicke

Hi Larry

Thanks for organizing such an awesome marathon. The organization, the volunteers , and the scenic trail were as good as it gets. What a way to finish with someone personally helping each finisher along and offering such a cold and refreshing vitamin drink at the end of the marathon. This was my sixth marathon in the last 10 months and the people aspect of this race was by far the best! No PR but still a happy runner. Did we ever luck out with the weather which was perfect.

Big thank you to all the great volunteers who really made this race!

Jim Morton 12/41 45-49 men 3:50:28 Great trail run with 439 finishers.

Larry,
_______________________________________________________________________

GREAT THINGS ABOUT YOUR RACE:
1.) YOUR COMMUNICATION
2.) GREAT SHIRTS
3.) GREAT AFTER RACE EVERTHING INCLUDING HELP, REFRESHMENTS, AWARDS, AND LOCATION.
4.) EXPO AND PACKAGE PICKUP.

CHRISTOPHER J. LEMKE

We can't congratulate your volunteers enough. They were incredible and make everything go smoothly. Our of four of us, three said we would do this one again. Of course, compared to Phoenix, this WAS NOT flat!! We were given an extra treat of seeing two sea otters and two racoons along the water walk. Thanks for a great 1/2 marathon!!

Hi Larry,

Thanks for a great race. It was great hearing you honk for us, as we were running along the path parallel to Old Oly.

The aide stations were great and the support and organization at the end was wonderful. We ran lots of races in the late 70s and early 80s and things have come along way since then. It is fun to get back into it now that we are old, but have time to train.

Elaine Fredrickson

i just wanted to let you know that my friends and i had the best time last weekend. it was a great course and all the volenteers were wonderful.in fact everwhere we went in town the people were great.thanks

cora

Thank you for a very well organized race and for the amazing volunteers. The food and the music were also great. I especially appreciated the brief awards ceremony.
Good job!

Isabelle Noiret

Thank you! You were all amazing! It was great fun (for spectators too) Robin

I wanted to thank you and all the people who stayed yesterday for the last finishers. I knew my time was going to be past 6 hours so I didn’t expect anyone to be at the finish when I crossed. It was a great feeling to have people cheer for me even though it took me over seven hours!

Thanks again

Ashley Hammarstrom

Great race and perfect weather. You guys do a great job on this Marathon. I will continue to run it every year I don't have to work, see you next year or maybe at another race!

Terry

Larry,

Congratulations and Thank You for a great race! Probably the best-organized I've ever seen. Your water/aid stations were very well done, and I especially liked the individual escorts provided to each runner at the finish -- made us feel like the elite! Plus, it's a prudent move -- probably some really needed it. As for me, fortunately -- I just liked it. I signed up for the massage afterwards, and it was great too (thanks to Claudia, who worked extra time on my cramping calves!).

Also, your folks were very accomodating to my last-minute change: I'd signed up for the Full, but injured my foot & decided to try the Half instead, and they took care of me at the start without any hassle.

Well done! I hope to be back next year.

John Foy

Bainbridge Island

Hi Larry, Charley and I had good runs yesterday. We enjoyed the course and all your support team. Thanks for a job well done! Good to see you and Michelle. I saw Emily running in too, she looked great,

way to go girl ! Have a great summer…we are off to Colorado and there abouts for three weeks of fun as soon as Charley is done with work.

Thanks again for a wonderful event! Hugs to everyone.

Cindy and Charley McCabe

Hi Michelle and Larry,

I just wanted to let you know that at my (Course Marshal) vantage point

at Pinnell and Vautier, the marathoners had nothing but great things to

say. Several of them complimented or thanked me (!) as they whizzed

by. The Shindlers did a great job of overseeing things. Everything

went smoothly, the Star Video station seemed lively, the weather

cooperated, and it was a lot of fun.

Now you can relax, have a beer, and plan next year?

Bonnie Rathod

Thanks for a well-organized, fantastically supported event - it was a blast!

Becky

Larry,

A huge, heart-felt thank you to you and the hundreds of volunteers that made it a great day for us runners. I can't stop thinking about all the folks -- and I know many of them!! -- that gave up their Saturday to support me and the other 1300 runners. Please extend my appreciation. I'll return the favor another year!

Ann Soule

Nice race Larry-you should be quite proud. Tell those high school relay kids to quit playing video games and run more-we geezers shouldn't be close to them..... ;)

Don

Dear Larry:

Just want to take this opportunity to say thanks for a great event. The NODM exceeded my expectations! I heard many many positive comments from participants on the great job you all did in organizing the Marathon. Mother Nature did her part too. The scenery was outstanding and , being a Dallas native, the opportunity to run in 55-65 degree temperatures was wonderful. I will pass the word to my running pals in Dallas that the NODM is a stop they should put on their schedules for the future. We had a wonderful time - thanks for all your hard work.

Bob Blackford

Dear Larry,

I am so glad that I participated in the marathon. I exceeded my expectations. It was a beautiful course, the people were great and I had a wonderful time.
Thanks, Kim Greenwood

What a great race. I had such a great time, the whole event was organized and I can't think of anything I would add. Except to get rid of the head wind. I will be back next year, hopefully with a better time and can't wait to move up there at the end of July. You might see me practicing along the trail!

Thank you again

Michele Hong

Napa, CA

Thank you for your hard work Larry. I had a good time

at the marathon and the course was very beautiful.

Here is my survey response:

How many people are going to be with you (including

yourself) that do not live in Clallam County? 2

How long will your party be staying here? We stayed

one night in our motel. However, we ate 4 meals, plus

ice cream, coffee, snacks, etc. I would hope that the

area restaurants enjoy having marathoners coming to

their city. :)

Take care!

Larry, what an absolutely fabulous event. I had such a wonderful time the entire weekend and truly loved the course, the hunky guys at one of the last Aid Stations and the TuTu Aid Stations were great and the weather was perfect just as you said it would be! I'm bringing a group up next year and we're going to rent the entire Groveland B&B (where I stayed Friday night) and just have a great time.

Congratulations!

Sally Lynch Project Manager, Events

Just wanted to let you know that I was very impressed with the Discovery

Marathon. The course was very nice - particularly the second half with

the forested trails, foot bridges and ocean views. The aid stations

were terrific. I've never had M&Ms offered at a race before.

Volunteers were terrific and I was especially impressed that the finish

line was manned until the last person came in (at about 7:27 I think).

Everyone in town was friendly and helpful the entire weekend.

I am busily encouraging my friends to consider this race.

One small suggestion - maybe have the bus drivers that are heading to

the marathon/half-marathon starts announce their destination before they

leave town. There seemed to be some glitches (I guess some of the

runners aren't paying attention - the buses were signed and volunteers

were directing).

Thanks for a great weekend. Olenka

Many, many thanks to you and all the volunteers who made the run possible. It was a great run in every way: the scenery, the upbeat and enthusiastic support of the volunteers, the route, the weather, the food, massage and setting of the finish. It was my first half-marathon. What a great place to begin. I will be spoiled after this one!

Cheers for all the volunteers. You inspire me to do the same for the B. F. Chang Marathon in my home state of Arizona

All of you on the NODM crew,
Wanted to heap praise on you for a wonderful marathon — I think I am now spoiled against all of the road-based marathons in the Northwest. A beautiful course — while I had knee issues, and had to walk on and off the second half of the course, it has been the first time I was able to hears birds singing, wind rustling in the trees, and the ocean waves while I walked. And the organization was top notch. I will be back next year, but did want to thank all of you for a wonderfully personal marathon experience!
Tim Atwill

I really enjoyed the marathon on Sunday. The course was beautiful (though challenging) and the volunteers provided excellent support. Thanks for organizing this marathon. I will definitely tell friends about it.

When we returned home to Alabama this week, I realized that one of my daughters had misplaced my finisher’s medal after she had been wearing it on Sunday. Is it possible to get a replacement? If so, please let me know the cost of the medal and postage and I will gladly send you a check to cover it.

Thanks and regards,

Edward Blankenship

Madison AL

Hi Larry and Michelle,

Here's a copy of Bob's article on the North Olympic Discovery Marathon. We had a great time, as always, and look forward to coming back next year. Thanks for giving us booth space for our own marathon. We enjoyed visiting with the people who stopped by to chat.

Tomorrow we head to Oregon for a marathon in Eugene on Saturday, Bob's sixth in six weekends. We, inadvertently, forgot to add one of his recent races to the total......so that made your marathon his 360th! Somewhere along the way he'll reach his lifetime goal.

Keep in touch.

Lenore Dolphin.........and "Hi" from Bob

NORTH OLYMPIC DISCOVERY MARATHON

June 12, 2005

On Friday, June 10, 2005, Lenore and I began our marathon weekend early by leaving Renton in the afternoon. We by-passed the traffic congestion on I-5 by driving south on Pacific Highway, Route 99, to Fife. It was nice to “keep moving” and to travel a different route.

As we arrived at the Narrows Bridge, we saw the massive, new supports for the parallel bridge span that is under construction. From Gig Harbor to Port Angeles, the headquarters of the marathon, the traffic flowed smoothly on a scenic route through a forest and then periodically along Puget Sound. A treat for us was to see some native, blooming Pacific Rhododendrons, our Washington State flower.

It was raining and windy as we reached the Super 8 Motel in Port Angeles. We ate at an adjacent restaurant and turned in early to be ready for next two days that promised to be eventful ones.

The Packet Pickup/Expo was held the next day at the Red Lion Hotel at the Port Angeles waterfront. We were provided booth space by the race committee, and Lenore decorated the tables and nearby wall with banners, pictures, and memorabilia from the Yakima River Canyon Marathon (www.ontherun.com/yrcm). She also displayed material for the Marathon Maniacs (www.marathonmaniacs.com) and for the 100 Marathon Club North America. We had enjoyable conversations with many runners from noon until the Expo closed at 5:00 p.m.

On race morning of Sunday, June 12, 2005, the runners were transported by bus from Port Angeles to Sequim for assembly at Carrie Blake Park, the start of the point-to-point marathon. This attractive park has a community building that served as a shelter and waiting area prior to the 9:00 a.m. start. It was a good place to visit with friends and to make new acquaintances.

The race started on time on a park-side street. The weather was good, with partly cloudy skies and the temperature in the mid 50’s. Thankfully, the rain and strong winds of the previous two days had moved out of the area.

The course was on the path of the paved, recreational Olympic Discovery Trail. It went through downtown Sequim and its suburbs and passed nearby farmlands as it started its way to Port Angeles. In open terrain, the nearby Olympic Mountains could be viewed during the race.

My favorite inland area was in the ninth mile as the Dungeness River was crossed on a historic railroad trestle, a rails-to-trails conversion to a footbridge with a good surface for running. Here the trees are tall, and the underbrush is lush alongside an elevated roadbed. Smaller versions of the river crossing occur at footbridges over three more crossings.

Most of the infrequent, short hills on this flat-to-rolling course border these creeks in wooded settings. In the last four miles boats could be seen nearby, as well as bull kelp beds and the rocky shoreline. It was a nice setting to run/walk the final miles of the marathon.

As I approached the finish line, it was a special treat to have my Marathon Maniac (MM) friends Sue Fauerbach and Tony Phillippi run the final yards with me. Lenore was waiting at the finish line and placed a finishers medal around my neck. I had finished in 5:52:41, 401st of 432 finishers and first in the 75-79M age division. (Thanks to the race director for adding this new division this year!)

The marathon was won by Matthew Simms, 36, of Langley, WA, who finished in a time of 2:47:40. In April he had won the Whidbey Island Marathon that’s close to his hometown. Second place was closely contested with James Drew, 44, of Port Orchard prevailing with a 2:54:43 and Jim Bromley, 41, of Seattle on his heels at 2:54:45 for third place.

Lori Buratto, 34, of Spokane defended her last year’s win with a four minute improvement to finish in 3:12:06. MM Jennifer Yogi, 30, was second with a 3:14:51. Her recent marathon wins, all in the state of Washington, were at the TriCities Marathon (October 2004), Christmas Marathon (December 2004) and the Wenatchee Marathon (April 2005). In third place was Jennifer Bolibol, 34, of Woodinville with a time of 3:27:19.

Congratulations to first time finishers Jenna Bell-Wilson, 32 of Columbus, Ohio, and Jennie McCrary, 28, of Albuquerque, New Mexico, for finishing together in 5:34:13 and to Brenda McCracken, 34, of Fall City. When I noticed that Brenda was taking frequent walk breaks, I asked her if she had a strategy. She replied that she was a student of Jeff Galloway and was running her first marathon using a one-minute walk followed by four minutes of running. It worked for her, and she finished in 5:43:02.

Congratulations, also, to Judy Fisher, 61, of Auburn for running her 50^th marathon! Her time was 3:50:05, and it placed her 2^nd in the 60-64F division. For many years she has run one or two races every weekend, often winning her age group competition. She is definitely a candidate for the Marathon Maniacs!

Speaking of the Maniacs, there were 19 of them in the race, and most of them sported their distinctive, yellow club singlets. Craig Holcomb of Garrettsville, Ohio, wins the honor for the Maniac who traveled the furthest distance.

While sharing a bus ride with MM Diana “Slug” Robinson, 38, of Bellingham on the trip to the starting area at Sequim, I asked her about her nickname. She said that a relatively slow runner whose nickname is “Turtle” teased her about her slow running speed. Because the name “Turtle” was already taken, he suggested that she adopt the moniker “Slug”……and she did! Actually she isn’t slow. She ran a 4:29:11 race, her 15^th marathon in 13 weeks, a maniacal accomplishment! (It makes my fifth marathon in five weeks look pretty wimpy!)

MM Robert Hester, 31, of Bonney Lake ran the difficult Capital Forest 50 Miler near Olympia the day before in a time of 11:22:19. Then he raced the North Olympic Discovery Marathon to finish that event in a commendable 3:37:07, truly another maniacal weekend!

MM Sue Fauerbach, 58, of Renton ran a 4:36:49 for second place in the 55-59F age division, and MM founder Steve Yee, 45, also of Renton, came to the finish with a 3:45:22. This dynamic duo has run over 20 marathons so far this year, and they have a goal of 52 for 2005!!

Another MM founder, Tony Phillippi, was at the marathon as a photographer and a support person. In preparation for his participation in the upcoming Ironman Triathlon at Coeur d’ Alene, Idaho, he rode his bike to Hurricane Ridge and back while the runners were on the course. Then he took pictures and was there to cheer his friends as they crossed the finish line.

MM Gunhild Swanson, 60, of Spokane continued her winning ways by finish first in the 60-64F division with a 3:37:04, Her husband, MM Jack Swanson, 71, ran a 4:59:23 for first 70-74M. Way to go, Swansons!

The first person to finish in the 55-59F group was Unha Lee, 55, of Olympia with a 4:18:24. She was also first in her age division at the Yakima River Canyon Marathon on April 2, 2005.

Congratulations to Carl Trabant, 43, of Lake Oswego, Oregon, who finished 5^th overall in a great time of 2:56:55, the last of the sub-three hour runners. By being 5^th overall, you’d think that he would have placed in his 40-44M age division, but he didn’t. The 2^nd, 3^rd and 4^th overall finishers were in the same division. What a bummer!

Prior to race in the lobby of our motel, we met Ivan Grutter and Chris Jackson, both 35, from Sitka, Alaska. We visited with them again at our booth at the Expo. Ivan finished his 2^nd marathon ever in a time of 3:04:36, and Chris crossed the finish line for his first marathon in 3:17:45. Congratulations for the outstanding races! I was pleased that they returned to the finish area to greet me after I completed the race.

John Everett, 45, of Stafford, Missouri, told us that he was going to attend Dick Beardsley’s Running Camp in Minnesota this summer. He’s a lucky guy! He had a good race, running a 3:25:21 for 1^st 45-59M.

Nadine Dexter, 46, (5:49:49) of Tallahassee, Florida, and I ran together for a few miles late in the race and talked about running. Of the runners I met over the weekend, she had traveled the furthest distance to run the Sequim to Port Angeles marathon.

Thanks go to Gene Morris, a physical therapist from Seattle and a long-time friend, for his help with my spinal tilt problem of the past seven months. He explained the anatomy and physiology aberrations of the syndrome and demonstrated two bending exercises that I could use at mile intervals that might help.

When I saw MM Jim Boyd at the pre-race waiting area, I asked him to demonstrate his on-the-course exercise. He showed me his windmill arm-swing which helps him stay loose.

The Morris and Boyd exercises worked fine, and I crossed the finish line with a straight spine for the first time since last November. The only problem I had was having to give some explanations to a woman medic as I exercised. I was not in physical distress, and I did not need medical assistance! (Now, if I can figure out how to make my 75 year old legs go faster, I’ll be back in great form!)

Lenore had been a volunteer for almost six hours at the finish area. I felt so good after the race that she and I joined the dancers on the floor at the post-marathon dinner/dance for the volunteers at the Elks Club in Port Angeles.

Thanks go to race director Larry Little, the race committee and the volunteers for a well-organized and runner-friendly event.

……………………………Written by Bob Dolphin

Hi Larry,

I am one of the participants in your recent half-marathon. I just wanted to take a moment to tell you how much my wife and I enjoyed our weekend in Port Angeles and for myself, the experience of your event. Thank you for a warm welcome from your volunteers and the community in general and for the thorough organization and extensive support you and your volunteers provided during the run. The course, was, in my opinion beautiful and varied. I have told several folks about how much I enjoyed my experience. Maybe next year, we’ll have as many from Sidney as Nanaimo!! (Possibly a little over optimistic)

In any case, please feel free to extend my thanks to all of those supporting your effort.

Sincerely, Ken Marsh Sidney, B.C.

I know this is delayed in getting to you.....I'm busy too. Anyway, I just

wanted to applaud your fine job with the marathon. Even though it was a

first for me, I could see that you had your ducks lined up and it was well

represented and carried out for the participants. I also value so much the

priviledge to have my cookies on the menu and hope that we can do more of the

same in future years. A few minor adjustments (as is always the case with

all things we do, right?), but nothing of any significance. I appreciate

you two and hope that we will get even better acquainted. I love meeting

the public and getting to share the healthy alternatives to so many things.

Keep me on the list for next year and know that I will join in with great

delight. May God give you both some much needed rest as well. Thanks

again, Sherry

Hi Larry:

thank you for putting on a well organized and fun marathon. I am interested in purchasing race photos. Could you let me know how I can do that?

Thank you again and the Port Angeles Marathon was the most beautiful course out of the 16 marathons I have run. I will be telling all my running friends to put this one on their schedules.

Denise Thomas

Marathon No. 202

Hi Larry,
Our family had a super time running the 1/2 Marathon and look forward to =
doing it again next year. I'd like to make next year's race my first =
full marathon so I'm gearing up mentally for that one now. Thank you =
for the wonderful experience! Without dedicated folks like you and your =
team I'm sure it would not be as successful.

Keep up the fabulous work and thank you so much.
Ione Marcy

Thank you for your efforts! My daughter and I had a ball. The weather was

perfect, the volunteers helpful and encouraging. Our marathon pace was

better than our training pace!

(We walked it.)

We trained; we conquered!

DeAnn Leita

Dear Larry,
This is the 3rd year I've done your half-marathon and you and your volunteers continue to out-do yourselves.
In my next life, I would like to be an elite runner :) - bought my first pair of "running" shoes when I was 56 - so until then, I am so appreciative of the tremendous support given to those who are just happy to finish! And we are made to feel as if we've come in first!
I thought the best group at an aid station was the lovely young ladies dressed in "cowboy" outfits near the Ruddell Auto mall. They never stopped cheering.
And the nicest touch of all is the caring person who escorts you at the finish line - I've gotten over feeling like I must look like I'm ambulance-ready, to require assistance!
See you again next year.
Carol Cairo
Bib# 2388

Can we register right away for next year!!!

I run with a group called Peninsula runners out of Langley BC. We would love to get a group together for next year. Because I think this will be a favourite race among runners we would like to register early to guarantee spots for us. When can we register on line for next year?

You have a great organized race with lots of great Volunteers. I will be highly recommending this race to all my running friends.

I ran this years race at a relaxed pace to enjoy the scenery next year I will be back to go hard!! I now know the course and really like it.

Annette Paul #420

Sounds great!! I would need about 30. I think we would have at least 30 people with maybe more.

My address is 7133 -210th Street, Langley BC, Canada. Please address it to Annette Paul. We can wait for the online registration as long as we get in!!!!

Annette

P.S. Say sorry to any Volunteers that I sprayed with water. I was so hot, I kept dumping water on my head and I might of caught a few

I thoroughly enjoyed my first NOD 1/2 Marathon. The organization was terrific and the volunteers were superb!The scenery...you just can't get any better than that. Thank you! Heather

Thank you NODM! Thank you Port Angeles community!

What a fabulous day!

The start was great, the course was stunning, the weather was divine!

Your volunteers in all areas always had smiles on their faces. The aid stations were awesome - we always had what we needed - whether it be motivation for the next mile, a sip of water or a HammerGel! The food after was just what we needed and to be served with entertainment? What more could we ask for?

A special thank you to my finish line buddy - that was just way too special!!

I'll be back next year!

Thanks again,

bib #2064

Thanks for a terrific event today! It was incredibly well organized from start to finish. All the volunteers at the aid stations were friendly and encouraging, which was terrific. Special thanks to the kids and teens who turned out to help! The course itself was great too, from the terrain / elevation gain to the scenery. The volunteers at the finish were really helpful too, from handing me a bottle of cold sports drink, to making sure I was okay generally, to getting my clothes. I'll be back next year for sure! Mike Gotham / Runner #2801.

i've run about 20 1/2 marathons over the last 4 years and this one was definately the best by far. so is the medal. lee hawkins #2698

Larry and Crew,

> > My wife and I walked the Half Marathon today and have never had

> > such a wonderful experience.We have competed in many Half and Full Marathons but this was the BEST.Everything from the spacing of the porta-pottys and water stations to the beautiful course and weather were GREAT. We will be back next year and will pass the word

> > to others about our very neat experience.Thanks also to the wonderful volunteers as without them the event just would'nt happen. I could go on and on but will just end with "WE WERE VERY HAPPY TO BE IN P.A. TODAY." Thanks again, Sandy Flint Nickell #2704 and Ron Nickell #2703

Larry, please convey my sincere congratulations and appreciation to all of your staff for putting on a great race. This was my first NODM, (and third marathon), and I was just awestruck by how well everything ran. It seemed like there were more volunteers than racers!!

The start facility was wonderful, having a nice indoor shelter to wait after the bus ride was really nice. Coulda used another 5-6 porta potties there, though, to handle the surge. How wonderful that Sequim makes that facility available to you.

The course was exactly advertised, i.e. flat but for those creek dips. All of the water stops were very well run, and had enthusiastic volunteers, even by the time I got to them at my more leisurely pace. I loved it that they all were uniform in their water first, Gatorade last layout, so that racers would know exactly where to get what we wanted as we passed through.

Marathon people, and their followers, are great people. My sunglasses were getting difficult to see through from sweat drips, so as I approached a family group of supporters I asked, "Anybody have a dry shirt tail?" A really nice guy ran alongside me so I would not have to stop, and cleaned my glasses on his shirt. What a great guy.

The finish was in a perfect place, even if it was a few too many miles from the start for my poor legs (HA!), and was very well laid out. I especially liked the feature of having a designated volunteer assistant for each finishing runner. A very nice blond woman, whose name did not stick in my oxygen-depleted brain, stayed with me and made sure I knew exactly where to go in the chute, and looked me over to make sure I was okay until I assured her that I would be okay. This is a great practice, and I am glad that you were able to find the people to staff that effort. I have had trouble with asthma after other races, where we are left on our own after the finish, so it was comforting to know that I was not being left alone at your race.

Having the YMCA available for showers was also very much appreciated. My wife and kids were able to be out of our hotel by the official checkout time because of my being able to shower at the Y. This was also functionally better for me, because my hotel room was on the second floor (upSTAIRS!!), while the Y's showers were on the ground floor. Please convey my thanks to the YMCA staff for allowing us to come in and use their facility.

I checked your site this morning, just a day after the race, and the link was already posted for the results! Super post race support!

Everyone in the towns of PA and Sequim seemed genuinely glad to have us there. It is understandable for the hotels and restaurants to appreciate the additional visitors, but I saw welcome signs on hardware stores and other places. My guess is that the Ace Hardware store did not see any increase in sales volume from us visitors, but they still put a note up on the marquee which was really nice. It is a testament to your leadership that the towns have gotten behind this race in such a big way, and it left me with a very favorable impression of PA as a destination for other non-race trips. We plan to come back, and if I can get my training together for next year's race, I plan to run again.

Thanks again for all you did to bring off a wonderful event!

Tom McClellan

bib 180

Hi Larry,

First of all I want to let you know what a wonderful

job you and all of your amazing vollunteers did in

running that Marathon so smoothly. The water station

were great and I loved having the oranges there.

Having mile markers at each mile really helped me keep

track of my pace, which was so nice. And the greeter

at the finish line was so kind and caring. So great

work!!!! Nice course too very pretty on the trail and

thank goodness for the nice weather, got lucky there.

I couldn't stay after the race due to a graduation

party I had to rush home to. I recieved 3rd in both

age and overall, will they mail the award to me or do

I miss out for not staying? Once again thank you for

the great experience it qualified me for Boston and

that was my goal.

Happy running,

Jennifer Bolibol #444

Another great race. You are amazing!!!!!!

Hello Larry and Michelle,

I'm sure your mailbox will be full today - no reply required.

You have created a wonderful event. As I reported to Ernie when I got home, the organization was excellent - buses, gear bags, volunteers, aid stations, race shirt (very classic - this is one I will actually wear) etc. Of course, you don't deserve praise for the lovely path leading through the woods, up and down and over little bridges etc. But you do deserved credit for planning an event on this beautiful trail. I trust you will continue to closely control the number of participants so that this route remains possible for the lucky ones who do get their entries in on time!

I'm sorry I wasn't able to run a better time - I have been dealing with some health challenges lately - which is why I am out running on roads instead of competing on the track this June.

However, it was VERY valuable for me to be able to experience your event, including at least half of the course. This will allow me to be much more specific in giving runners advice and training to prepare for future NODM races - and I'll be sure to advise them to get their entries in early.

Thank you for the complimentary entry. I greatly appreciated it.

Diane Palmason

PS - I was babbling a bit on Saturday about something I should have brought with me to registration. When I got home I realized it was the message confirming my reservation at the Downtown Hotel! Fortunately it wasn't needed, and I enjoyed my stay there - very charming - not just a motel room like every other motel room (though I do agree that the Red Lion is in rather a perfect spot to be your race headquarters!

Thank you very much for a great organized and fun run. I can see this race fast becoming the one to get into race. With a limited amount of entries allowed we all will be signing up for next year as soon as we cross the finish line

Thank again

Annette Paul #420

Larry

"The Famous Larry" who likes to kid!
I wanted to say thank you for putting on a great race. This was my
third half marathon, and I got my worst time. But, it was the best race so
far! Your support was incredible. All the volunteers were so
friendly, cheerful, helpful and suppportive! I felt like a star!!

Can't wait for next year...I'll train this time!

Best wishes,
Mari

Hi Larry,

What an impressive event you and your crew put on. My family and I really enjoyed watching the finishes.

Here are the final results for the transportation:

To Half in a.m. actual 394 projected 496 79%

To Full in a.m. actual 210 projected 311 67%

P.m. returns actual 76 projected 130 58%

Total actual 680 projected 937 72%

In 2004 we transported 701 people, which was 80% of the projected number. The two volunteers that you had on Oak Street did a wonderful job of directing runners to the appropriate bus, especially considering that we kept moving the buses up as one departed! At least a couple of buses had some standing loads on them, but we gave those folks the option of waiting a few minutes for the next bus, or standing on the departing bus. Haven’t done a de-brief with everyone involved yet, but I have not heard of any problem spots at all. The peak travel period was once again in the 0715 – 0730 range and we had few riders on the first departures, but those were buses that had to go on time to get back for a second trip.

All things considered, it went very well. Nancy and I were working Oak Street and she is the one who had the idea of checking on the finish line.

Frank

Hi Larry, Michelle and all the rest of you at the NODM,

I thoroughly enjoyed myself. I don’t think I have ever seen a more beautiful course or such wonderful volunteers. Every step of the way, your crew was friendly, available and right there to help – all the way down to your escorts at the finish line. I will definitely be back next year. And the post-race Expo was great.

Thank you for letting me participate!

Suggestions? My partner had our 3-year-old daughter there at the finish line waiting, and she wasn’t able to play on the boat climber because people were on it trying to get a better view. Maybe a sign to remind people to reserve it for the kids?

Also, my partner found it a little difficult to access a space at the finish line for spectators.

So, that’s about it. Thanks so much. It was very nice meeting you and Michelle, Larry.

Carolyn

Carolyn Price, Publisher

President: Price Media, Inc.

Dear Larry,

I ran my first marathon yesterday on your course, and despite the the delayed-onset muscle soreness I'm feeling now, I have to tell you how much I trule enjoyed the race. My parents live in Port Angeles, so I originally chose this as my first marathon so that I could plan a trip home from grad school around it. But the instant I started I was so glad to make "home" my first marathon. I absolutely love this area, and I'd been on the Olympic Discovery trail several times prior to yesterday - yet I was so excited to run the length of it from Sequim to PA. I can't believe what great weather we had! I don't know if I seeing the mountains from Carrie Blake, or the Strait the last 5 miles, was my favorite part.

I want to thank you for such an extremely well-organized race, one that was made so much fun and so easy to complete due to your dedication and organization and the extreme effort of all the volunteers. Not only were the volunteers helpful, but they were so friendly and encouraging all along the way. The aid stations every 2 miles were great monotony-breakers, and I really appreciated the fact that you had each mile marked - I can't tell you how many races I've been to where NO miles have been marked!

I finished my first marathon with a time of 4:13:01, 15/39 in my age group and in the top half overall. I was very happy with my result, but even happier just to finish such a wonderful race. If I decide to do another one (my legs have to recover first!) this one definitely gets top billing. Thanks again so much for all of your time and dedication to this area and to runners in general. Please pass on my thanks to the entire staff.

Sincerely,

Amanda Dettmer

What a great marathon! The volunteer support made all the difference. I loved their cheers, as well as their presence at almost every bend in the course. They were so encouraging.

You Guys are amazing!! My results beat me home! We flew home last night and I couldn't believe it when I opened my email. Thank you so much for a again perfectly run race! Your volunteers were the best, your city the most beautiful, and truly a great run. I went with one daughter in-law and meet my other daughter in-law from Michigan, we had so much fun. I was even worth dragging two grandchildren (2yr.old and 3month old) through three airports to get there. I promise we will all return again next year. Our bed and breakfast is already reserved for us. Thanks again Larry

Cindy Thompson

Billings, MT 59102

Thanks for putting on such a great race! This past Sunday was the second time I have run the half marathon and I plan on making this race (full or half) an annual event. It's a beautiful course with incredible volunteers and so very well organized. Thanks to the kids with the spray bottles and the great pink tutus at the last station. How do you get so many?

I did like the new half marathon starting location in that there was a little more room to spread out and the water/coffee/gatorade was a nice touch. I understand why you had to put the dogleg in and didn't have a problem with it except it was pretty crowded as in scary, crowded especially for the frontrunners (not me!). I suppose you could announce something, but it is always hard to hear at these events. Cones? Tripping hazard, I suppose. A painted line? Other options? Even a warning sign on the nice poster you had at the start warning about a narrow street would help. Not everyone would notice, but it'd help.

Thanks for a fantastic weekend in a beautiful part of the state. I'm already looking forward to next year.

Andria Kerkof

Seattle, WA

Dear marathon organizer.

Thank you for an enjoyable race experience. I felt it was well planned. I particurly appreciated the attention and assistance at the finish line. Again a job well done. I look forward to next year.

Hi LARRY . I just want to say thank you to you , and all your people for another great race . I ran a little slow because of a training injury , but still had a good time with all the insprirational people wishing me well at the watering stops and along the way . By the way , I've run all 3 NODM races, and each year gets better . With that being said would it be possible to investigate a Clydesdale Class in 2006 . Like either Las Vegas or Portland do . Either an honor system with one weight class for male or female , or more like Portland , a weigh-in, a couple classes, with awards . What do you think ? I did see quite a few big runners this year . I would be happy to volunteer to help.

Thanks again !

Larry... First let me sat "Thanks" to you and your staff... What a great day

it was... It was my first Marathon and I am Planning on many more... I will

highly recomened this race to all my running friends...Your staff was

AWESOME... thanks for your understanding

and listening to the runners because as you know everyone has the choice to

choose what races they run... Thanks again Dave Smythe #274

Hi Larry

Thanks for staging an incredible marathon experience at the 2005 North Olympic Discovery Marathon. I can't think of a single way you could have improved upon management of the event - the course, aid stations, overall support for the runners, the finish area, food and drink - it was all fantastic!

An especially fine touch was the Live Cookies at the finish. Besides being utterly delicious, I noticed that their ingredients make them an ideal post-marathon recovery food. One of my fondest memories of the marathon is relaxing on the City Pier, savoring a Live Cookie, and sipping a cool drink. And now it seems like I just can't drive past Sunny Farms without pulling over for a Live Cookie 3-pack.

Thanks again!

Randy Johnson

Larry . . .

I just wanted to thank you for putting on an awesome event this past weekend. Needless to say, I had a "funtastic" race as the women really hung together throughout the 13.1 miles (and if you add together the ages of the 2nd and 3rd place finishers, it's only 2 years older than me -- ugh, I'm feeling old). The canoe ride was the highlight, no doubt about it. You put on one classy event, well supported and an incredibly cheerful staff before, during and after the race. Thank you for all your hard work.

Carla Darr

North Olympic Discovery Marathon

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