A super run on Super Sunday

Mike Sciacca

The rumors began to swirl around the running community about a month

ago.

But judging by the massive throng of people who stood at the

starting line of Sunday’s Pacific Shoreline Marathon, those rumors

turned out to be untrue, unfounded and utter nonsense.

“There was word out there that the Pacific Shoreline Marathon was

canceled and would not be run again,” said Don Gerould, who, along

with business partner Amy Tomchak, took over ownership of what is

Orange County’s biggest marathon, at the same time the rumors began

to run rampant.

“As you can see by today, it is still going quite strong.”

So strong, in fact, that Gerould listed the number of runners who

participated Sunday, unofficially at 7,635.

It’s a new record for the marathon, which was run for the ninth

consecutive year.

Once again, it was run on Super Bowl Sunday and again proved to be

a big success.

“We couldn’t have been happier with the way it turned out, rain

included,” Gerould said.

Gerould and Tomchak took over the Pacific Shoreline Marathon from

Herb Massinger, who started the Surf City event in 1997.

“It’s a huge undertaking, trying to coordinate 1,000 volunteers and 7,000 runners, especially in just a few weeks’ time,” Gerould

said. “Amy and I have been working with executive director Louise

Weiner on this event for just 11 weeks, so it’s been a run to the

finish, so to speak.”

The Pacific Shoreline Marathon included a marathon, half marathon,

5K Run/Walk, a Surf Kids Mile and a three-day Surf City Health and

Fitness EXPO.

Runners started the race by heading north up Pacific Coast

Highway, traversed a course that took them through Central Park, then

headed back toward PCH, running south toward the finish line.

The starting and finish line shared the same landmark: the

pedestrian bridge that spans from the grounds of the Hyatt Regency

Resort & Spa, to the beach.

As in years past, the marathon featured a little rain, personal

best times and a few milestones.

Crossing the finishing line first in the men’s division was Richie

Boulet, 31, of Oakland, who completed the course in 2:39:30.

The first-place finisher in the women’s division was Liz Downing,

46, of Portland.

Downing, who finished in a time of 3:07:44, became the race’s

oldest winner.

Johann Appell, 27, of Huntington Beach, won the men’s 5K in 15:19,

and San Dimas’ Christy Adamyk, 15, won the women’s 5K in 18:24.

Several runners recorded personal best times, including Sophie

Donnelly, 25, of Pasadena.

A second-grade teacher and runner in the club L.A. Leggers,

Donnelly was in good spirits after running a 4:14 in her first

Pacific Shoreline Marathon undertaking.

“I’m pretty jazzed right now,” Donnelly said in reference to her

time. “It was a nice, flat course to run and the weather was just

great. Cool is good, and that brief rain felt nice.

“I’ve run in the L.A. Marathon before, and there’s so much

pressure in the big races. But with this marathon, it was so low-key.

It was great.”

Dr. John Strand crossed the finish line with his wife, Dorothy, at

his side.

They held hands as they came in at 5:29:10.

What was special about the race for the two, who live in Orange,

was that it was the 100th marathon run by Dr. John Strand, 70, and

the 36th for Dorothy Strand, 65.

They wore numbers 100 and 36, respectively, for the race.

Dorothy Strand has run in all nine Pacific Shoreline marathons.

As the pair ran north on Pacific Coast Highway, they were met up

by nearly 20 members of the club, A Snail’s Pace Running Program,

near Main Street, as well as a police escort, which rolled along side

the couple to the finish line.

Sirens going, marathon announcer Rudy Novotny of San Diego,

informed the crowd of their finish.

“This is an amazing feeling,” Dr. John Strand said, taking a chair

near the finish line. “It’s really thrilling.”

His wife agreed.

“It’s just so beautiful out here, and I’m just excited about

running this marathon, as I have been about running the previous

eight here in Huntington Beach,” said Dorothy Strand, who was

surrounded by family members, friends and well-wishers. “I’m a bit

slower than John, and I kind of held him back. He was kind enough to

wait for me, and it was thrilling to cross the finish line together.”

At the finish line, Dr. John Strand was presented with a special

trophy: a silver-embossed running shoe that was encased in a wood and

glass box.

His running coach, Bob Gamez of A Snail’s Pace Running Program,

presented the trophy.

Inscribed on the trophy were the numbers, “100:50:7,” which signified Strand’s running of his 100th marathon, which have taken

place in all 50 states and seven continents.

“The guy is just so amazing, just so unstoppable,” said Gamez, who

has worked on running technique with Strand for two years. “He’s just

so energetic, and Dorothy is just as awesome as John. They are both

inspirational.”

Now that Gerould and Tomchak have their first Pacific Shoreline

Marathon under their belt, the two are looking toward the 2006 event.

“Next year will be out ‘coming out’ party,” Gerould said. “We have

a new vision and there will be a revamping of the event, in honor of

its 10th anniversary.”