Marathon - Sunday 6 June, 2004

Columbia River Gorge Marathon Albums: (3 of 5) :

The Columbia River Gorge Marathon reckons it is "The Most Gorgeous Marathon in the USA". Indeed the course is beautiful and it's in a the Gorge - so this is a reasonable claim.

I had the great good fortune to meet up with April - a young woman from Pennsylvania running in her first marathon. She did really well to finish in 4:13 or thereabouts (I'll have to check the official time). She'd have have done 4:05 if she hadn't waited for me when I started to get tired at 22. And the course measurement was suspect - my GPS made it 26.51miles. Well done, April. You'll run in Boston in 2006.

It was Penny's birthday. 44 today - and running great. Penny did 3:54 to finish 16th overall and 2nd in the Ladies Masters. Penny you're awesome. The overlength of the course and a wrong turn in downtown Hood River City cost her a Boston Qualification time (she needs 3:50:59) to qualify. Oh well, you'll qualify soon Penny - you're a really good athlete.

Columbia River Gorge Marathon is a small event. The web site said 500 runners, although I'd thought it looked like 200 for the 7am start. I believe there were 100 for the 6am earlybird/walk start. I finished 56th in 4:19:58. At best that'd be about a top 20% finish - so I think 300 runners.

Anyway, a really good run - thank you April for your company. I hope you'll never forget your first marathon. Come to visit Ali and me in California.


Robin at the start
Bang
Robin crossing the starting line

Rushing past
April and Robin at mile 3
April and Robin at 10

Penny at 19
Ali brought the peaches
Peaches at 19

Janine at the finish
Janine powering for the line
Janine's moment of triumph

Janine and Penny
Robin running for the line
Looking good for an old man

Robin finishing (4-19-58)
Robin and April
Running buddies

Aprils beautiful friends
Robin relaxing
Andrew and the kids

Penny, Ali and Andrew at lunch
Andrew
Ali

Penny
Robin
Sunset from our room

Ali at dinner
View from dinner table
Ali at dinner table

Bridge from dinner
Sunset, Hydro Dam and Ancient Huts
Ancient huts

Robin whistling

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Created: Monday June 7, 2004