Tributes to Bob and
Lenore Dolphin
Yakima River Canyon Marathon Race Directors,
2000-2019
World’s Oldest Marathon Race Directors at the
age of 89
This
is a place holder for a much more extensive and inclusive tribute soon to follow.
The links below are live. Please check back in a month or so and you may see
yourself in the photos of a wide range of marathon runners!
Below are three video
tributes to Bob and Lenore Dolphin who are considered marathon icons. Bob for
running over 500 marathons and for being one of the nicest guys you’d ever meet
or have the luck to run alongside. Lenore for her international reputation as a
huge fan and supporter of marathon runners plus her amazing organization skills
as co-director of the Yakima River Canyon Marathon.
Kathrine Switzer and Roger Robinson link;
Dave McGillivray, Director,
Boston Marathon link:
Frank Purdy, Director, Yakima
River Canyon Marathon Link:
The connections and
friends Lenore and Bob have made in the marathon world have had a ripple effect
to us as well, especially internationally.
·
Lenore (Mom)
introduced me to Rodolfo Reckziegel de Lucena via email when she heard that I had a business trip
to Sao Paolo, Brazil. He and his wife, Eleanora, opened their arms to me with
warm hospitality and have also visited us in the Bay Area.
·
Jack Brooks
lives in Simon’s home town (my husband is British) 20 miles northwest of London
so we’ve joined him and Roger Biggs for pints at a local pub. They’ve come to
our home in the California with other friends, too, using our place as a base
as they did back to back marathons in various parts of
Northern California.
·
The Czech
foursome (Julsimo Frankenberger,
Frank Danes, Zdenĕk and Iva Chmelovi)
sent very thoughtful gifts to Bob and Lenore over the years which were always a
delightful surprise. They then kept in touch with me all through Lenore’s
illness and passing and Bob’s as well, checking to see that I was okay, often
sending words of comfort and kindness.
·
Kathrine
Switzer and Roger Robinson did the same from New Zealand despite their busy
schedules. Their video link is amazing and so appreciated!
A wide variety of people
all across North America have connected in various warm and friendly ways as
well. Here are just a few examples:
·
Over the
years Rich Menzel and Martin Rudow could always be counted on for ready smiles,
big hugs, great emails, and to share fun stories and healing hugs when things
got really tough in Yakima. They continue to be my marathon knights in shining
armor.
·
Rick Nealis, the former director of the Marine Corps Marathon,
was one of my “adopted” brothers. Lenore told him to “look after me” when I was
in D.C. on business and he lived up to his reputation as an amazing dinner
companion.
·
Cathy Troisi shares a birthday month with me and has sent
delightful notes of encouragement and friendship since we met and after both
parents passed away. Bob and Lenore loved spoiling her for her birthday, which fell
on YRCM race day more than once.
·
The whole Yakima
contingency has been especially amazing offering not only support, but love and
friendship throughout the very difficult time of nurturing both parents in
their last years and their passing.
o
Rosanne and
Bruce Bacon stopped by Dolphin Marathon House on a regular basis to visit and
also the many times Lenore was in the hospital. Bruce even brought his own lawn
mower over once when the lawn service skipped a week! Rosanne brought special
meals and often surprised them with goodies. Their visits always made the day
so much brighter for Bob and Lenore.
o
Jeff Hagen
and Joyce Hagen also brightened the day many times. Jeff was awesome taking Bob
out on walks after Lenore passed away. He said that it was hard to keep up with
Bob and his walker! (Bob told him he was training for a marathon.)
o
Saving the best
for last; I will always be in debt to Frank Purdy, Keith Henry and most of all,
Connie Courcy, my “Yakima Angel”, who were there for me every hour and every
day both during the race times and especially at the end for the hardest part
of saying goodbye. I can truly say that they and my wonderful husband, Simon,
saved my sanity and kept my heart from breaking.
The giving spirit
of these friends in Yakima is part of the DNA of the community and what really
make the YRCM unique in the world.
Warn regards and happy
running!
Jan D. Stensland
(daughter) and Simon Patton (son-in-law)