Rattlesnake Lake Marathon - Race Day 2007

Race morning it rained. The race directors arrived together at 6:10AM just moments ahead of the first runners. We set up a canopy to get out of the rain, registered 21 runners by 6:55 then headed up to the Start.

At 7:15AM the virtual starting gun rang out and the runners took off down the hill. Back at the finish area the race timer caught a quick nap before manning the 10 mile aid station. Monte, Andrew and Blaize covered the 5 mile aid station while Brian and Daniel headed up the pass to set up the 15/21 mile aid station.

After an hour, Monte and his boys moved up to mile 18 and after two hours, the last runner passed the 10 mile mark. Meanwhile the first runners had already shown up at the 15 mile aid station where Gatorade and Clifshot sold well but potatoes and bananas did not. Daniel provided live entertainment at 15 miles but generally only when there were no runners passing by.

Terry Sentinella flew by the 15/21 mile aid station ahead of schedule on his way to setting a new course record of 3:15:04.

Dao Kambara and Antoinette McCormack kept us company at the finish area after completing the first leg of the course. Gregg Walchli followed Terry across the finish after 7 minutes or so and David Spooner edged out TP#3 for the #3 spot.

Ann Marie Thiessen finished first among the women in 3:39:24 despite a grouchy hamstring. Van Phan took second and May Cheng third.

The early finishers subsisted on watermelon and snack mix while they waited for lunch. It was worth waiting for - chili with fixings, Greek salad and authentic Philippino Adobo, Pancit and Lumpia cooked up on site by Race Director turned Chef Monte Pascual.

Those who waited were rewarded, but so were those who arrived after lunch was underway - there was plenty of food for everyone. Everyone who finished received a finisher's medal as well, and the extra medals were appreciated by the volunteers.

Larry Macon swept the course for us, finishing his 59'th marathon this year with a time of 6:09:53, just 8 minutes behind the Race Directors. An hour of course clean-up and aid station take-down and the 2007 Rattlesnake Lake Marathon was in the can (as they say in the film industry).

Thank you to the runners and volunteers who made the 2007 Rattlesnake Lake Marathon happen. Come back again next year (and we'll try to arrange for some sunshine next time).