All results for 2006 forward posted at Athletes Lounge.
2005
Results at Racecenter.com
2005 5km results
2005 10km results
2005 Half-marathon results
2005 Marathon results
2005 Kids participants
Evan Wood
Wenatchee World
September 18, 2005
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| Above, Bob Fussner of Richland grabs a sports drink from volunteer Lak Platis of Camas Meadows as George Velazquez follows closely on the East Wenatchee side of the pedestrian bridge in Saturday’s Wenatchee Marathon. Fussner was leading at this point, but would finish second behind Michael Bergquist of Airway Heights. Velazques finished third. (World photo/Don Seabrook) |
There were a number of first-timers, such as Issaquah’s Jeff Ziegler. Then there were some who call themselves “Marathon Maniacs,” a group donning yellow T-shirts who brought serious experience to the race.
Mike Wakabayashi, 56, of Spokane, completed his 109th marathon in 3 hours, 34 minutes, 52 seconds. But fellow “Maniac” Steve Barrick, 43, of Kent, could claim even loftier numbers. Barrick had just finished No. 111 a little more than a minute earlier than Wakabayashi.
Somewhere in between came overall men’s winner Michael Bergquist, who knew he was in a bit of trouble late in his eighth marathon.
The 32-year-old Air National Guardsman, a resident of Airway Heights near Spokane, believed he had sized up his cardiovascular needs heading into the race.
“I did two marathons last year, and went 159 beats per minute at Crater Lake (Ore.) and 161 at the Spokane Marathon,” Bergquist said minutes after winning the Wenatchee Marathon men’s overall title in 3:01:19.
Bergquist, a member of the All-Air Force Triathlon Team, is no stranger to Wenatchee. He won the Wenatchee Valley Duathlon in April 2004, edging four-time defending Ridge to River champ Kevin Rieke by eight seconds.
“Normally I do sprint distances like triathlons, but being in the military, I was asked to do an Army/Air National Guard marathon May 1 in Lincoln, Neb. So I wanted to test my heart zone and felt I could push it a little more.”
But with about 90 percent of the 26-mile, 385-yard race completed, Bergquist knew he was in for a struggle the rest of the way.
“I pushed it too hard and broke down terribly at mile 23, when I hit 165 beats per minute,” Bergquist said. “I slowed down quite a bit after I was well into the red (his heart racing), and there wasn’t much I could do.
“I started walking and jogging at mile 25. Since I took the lead at mile 20, I had probably a 1½-minute lead. But at the end, it was damage control.”
Still, Bergquist held on to edge Bob Fussner, 44, of Richland, by 30 seconds. Wenatchee’s George Velazquez, 34, was not far behind in third, finishing in 3:02:14.
“This is my third marathon and I’m training for Ironman Coeur d’Alene on June 26,” Velazquez said. “This was a great course, flat and fast, and they (organizers) did a good job. Didn’t have to hold up any traffic.”
When asked why he pushes himself to do a marathon distance, Velazquez said: “It’s kind of crazy, I guess. Just that it’s physically and mentally challenging.
“And then it’s also keeping up with my father-in-law (longtime Wenatchee physician Walter Newman) that keeps me going.”
Meanwhile, Newman, standing nearby, said with a smile that cycling is more his speed these days.
Women’s overall winner Jennifer Yogi, 29, of Seattle, completed the two circuits around the Apple Capital Recreation Loop Trail — plus a short run down Wenatchee Avenue at race’s start — in 3:12:00. She easily beat Spokane’s Wendy O’Neal, 36, by 20 minutes, 40 seconds.
Yogi, who enjoys racing with her 51-year-old father Guy Yogi of Seattle, was one of several offering high praise for the race, both its course and management.
“I’ve done somewhere between 30 and 40, probably around 35 marathons, while I’ve been running a little over five years now,” Jennifer Yogi said. “I just did Yakima River Canyon, but this is an awesome race.
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| Eastmont cheerleader Taylor Muller roots on runners and directs them to the Apple Capital Loop Trail. (World photo/Don Seabrook) |
She also said the rolling hills on the trail makes it “easier on your muscles, so you can rest some as you’re moving.”
Remarkably, she said she trains by running a mere 30 miles per week.
“I really enjoy doing the marathons, so that’s my training I guess,” Yogi said with a laugh. “It’s gotten easier for me to run them.”
At the opposite end of the spectrum, Ziegler, the No. 8 men’s overall finisher, joked that his 43-year-old body felt a bit more like 53 or 63 after running his first marathon.
“I don’t have anything to compare it to, but I think it’s a nice course, with enough variation to it,” Ziegler said.
He said he tried the marathon after doing years of long-distance hiking.
“I felt it was harder to get into shape as I got older, so I started running as a hobby.”
Saturday’s races drew 93 registered marathoners and 141 to the half-marathon. The 10K had 92 registered runners, while 67 tried the 5K and 17 entered the kids’ run.
Both Jennifer Yogi and Barrick said that the Wenatchee course is now their favorite of all the marathon layouts that they’ve encountered.
“The aid stations were the best I’ve ever seen, there were porta-potties everywhere, so there was no waiting,” Barrick said. “I’ll definitely come back next year.
“And we’ll be reporting back on this to our friends, so it’ll get great publicity.”
