Marathon feature - Hann
Highlight on runners coming to Abilene

Eisenhower Marathon entry fees are coming in from all corners of the United States to benefit underprivileged families in Dickinson County and the runner backgrounds are fascinating, according to Pat Viola Cormack, local coordinator for runner registration and treasurer for the Viola Family Foundation, which is the host family for the marathon.
“I am continually amazed at the variety of entries we receive for the marathon each year,” Cormack said. “They register from Maine across the US to Los Angeles, from Florida to Alaska, with several coming in from outside the United States.”
Registered marathoners from Canada include 60-year-old Ray Lim who is traveling from Markham, Ontario, to run in his 59th marathon in 58 months, and 52-year-old Jason Tung from Thornhill, Ontario, who is hoping to finish the Eisenhower Marathon in less than four hours.
Many runners are members of the 50 Staters’ Club, desiring to finish a marathon in all 50 states.  Seth Elsheimer from Winter Park, FL will run his 66th state marathon while in Kansas, and John Crilly, Georgetown, TX, will run the Eisenhower as his 47th state.  Randy Maugle, Fountainville, PA,will run in his 40th state marathon while in Kansas.
Several are hoping to qualify for the Boston Marathon, which is possible in Abilene since the Eisenhower Marathon is sanctioned and certified by US Track & Field.
Karah Levely-Rinaldi from Grand Junction, CO, missed qualifying for the Boston by six seconds in 2008, so she is trying to qualify on Abilene’s course, which is described as fast by a majority of runners, according to Cormack.  Runners in Abilene’s 2009 event can qualify for the Boston Marathon in 2010 if their time is fast enough for their age level.  Since the runner is one year younger in 2009, the qualifying time usually works to the runner’s advantage on race placement for the Boston the next year.
Returning women’s first-place winner in the 2004 Eisenhower Marathon, Marla Rhoden, Topeka, has won her age division in the Boston and Marine Corps marathons.  The 2009 Eisenhower Marathon  will complete her 113th marathon while her husband Brad completes his 105th marathon.
Steve Grady from Lewisville, TX, describes himself as a marathon maniac since he also plans to run in Cassoday, KS, next fall in his first 50-mile race . Grady advises runners “not to take running too seriously and enjoy training.”
Eddie Hahn, from Ontario, CA, must enjoy his running, according to Cormack,  as he is participating in his 106th marathon in Abilene.  Hahn has run in 34 states in the United States plus Israel, Greece, Germany and Canada.  Hahn describes his toughest marathon experience as one in Nevada in 2007.
“Temperatures exceeded 115 degrees,” Hahn said, “and I came the closest I have ever come to quitting a marathon.” Hahn advised beginning marathon runners to “savor every moment. You have set yourself apart from 99 percent of the US general population.” Hahn is a retired US Army staff sergeant who was deployed to combat twice and later provided training to military service members deploying to Iraq and Afghanistan.
Many runners are attracted to the Eisenhower Marathon because of President Eisenhower.
“I have wanted to run this marathon for years,” Florida runner Bill Bonetz said. “President Eisenhower is the president of my youth and the one I measure other (presidents) to.  I will wear my Eisenhower Marathon shirt proudly.” Bonetz will run his 81st marathon in Abilene and once lived in Pennsylvania where he visited Gettysburg and the Eisenhower farm often.
“It has been interesting this year learning about the younger runners who are entering competition,” Cormack said. “Abilene’s Isaac Wright is only 11 years old and has run 300 plus miles on the track at Garfield School this year.  Isaac is running in the 10K race.”
Mattie Loder, age 16, is running the half marathon in Abilene while her mother Mari will walk the 10K. They are from Marquette, KS,  and Mattie will participate in the Down Under Games in Australia in July as part of the Team Kansas Cross Country squad.
“We have a large field of half-marathon runners with about 50 more registered in the half than in the marathon at this point,” Cormack said. “It’s surprising how many half-marathon runners are coming from across the US, also. We have a group of four half marathoners coming from Virginia and others from Florida, Utah, Wyoming, New York and Indiana, as well as from across Kansas and all states surrounding Kansas.”
Some runners simply want the Eisenhower Marathon to be their first, such as Nathan Chancy from Derby, KS; Krystle Dalke and Emily Sloan from Wichita; David Schaufler from Smithville, MO; Howard Gamber from Holt, MO; Greg Brown from Kearney NE and Abilene’s own Jon Gose, whose wife Mitzi  is a member of the R.H. Viola host family for the marathon.
Wendy Blauman, New York, has read the comments about the Eisenhower Marathon that runners post on www.marathonguide.com and decided she wanted to experience Abilene’s small-town hospitality. “Watch out Kansas, here we come!” Blauman wrote on her entry form.
The marathon begins at 7 a.m. April 11 on south Buckeye between the Catholic Church and the Eisenhower Center.