A study tour of Israel was planned for April 2006. Perusal of the Internet revealed the 13th running of the Dead Sea Ultra Marathon and associated Marathon, Half Marathon, and 10K races, the morning of April 7. Being of advanced maturity and on vacation, we selected the 10K distance. These races benefit the Society for the Care of Neurological Patients, under the patronage of HRH Prince Raad Bin Zeid, founded to assist needy neurological patients in Jordan and supported by the Amman Road Runners.

Registration was easily accomplished on the Internet. After the semi-annual Synvisc knee injections, we were off to Amman, Jordan, on the day of a favorite race, the Credit Union Cherry Blossom Ten Mile. The official travel agent for the event, Yolla Khoury, was efficient and invaluable in planning airport pick up, accommodations, delivery of race numbers and packet, transportation to the race site, as well as pick up of luggage and transportation to the border after the race to meet a tight post-race schedule. On the eve of the race there was a pre-marathon pasta dinner/carbo loading party at the Grand Hyatt Zara Exposition Hall, 3rd Circle, in Amman. This was better described as a fine banquet rather than a pasta party. It provided a good opportunity to meet many of the participants, locals and foreign, as well as many of the volunteers. Forty-five countries were represented.

At 5 am on race morning, buses collected runners at various hotels for delivery to the check in at the Amman International Motor Show, Airport Road, near 7th Circle. After check in, buses delivered the runners to the various starting points along the race course. The Ultra and Marathon starts were at 7:00 am, Half Marathon at 7:15, and the 10K started at 7:30. The number of runners for each event was in inverse proportion to the distance, with 64 Ultra finishers, 74 Marathon finishers, 171 Half Marathon finishers, and 601 10K finishers. Starts for the Ultra and the Marathon were at about 900 meters above mean sea level. The finish line was the same for all races, the Dead Sea Amman Tourist Beach, 400 meters below mean sea level, for a net loss of 1300 meters, about 4,265 feet. If you want a down hill course, this is it.

There was a sense of awe running through this historical area to the lowest point on the face of the earth. Jordan is rich with ancient history. Amman is the place where David arranged for the death of Uriah. The finish line of the race is in view of Mt. Nebo. The course passes near the area where Joshua and his people camped before crossing the Jordan. A few kilometers from the course is the area where Elijah is said to have ascended. Within sight of the finish area, on the other side of the Dead Sea, is the site of the discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls. There is much more.

The hyperbaric effect of below sea level running had no apparent adverse effect. The day was sunny with temperatures near 60 F. at the start and warming up by the end. The increased atmospheric density at the level of the Dead Sea is said to have a protective effect from the sun's UV rays. At any rate, it was very comfortable.

The demographics of the participants were somewhat different from the U.S. For example, in the Cherry Blossom Ten Mile the number of men and women is nearly equal. Not so in this race where the men far out numbered the women. In Jordan, the average age of the local runners was weighted toward the younger age group whereas in the U.S. there is a balance between masters and younger runners. There were serious, dedicated runners, and there were those who were running (or walking) for the fun and enjoyment of the event. We wondered whether we would be out of place running in shorts and singlets but this was not the case at all.

One week before departure, on a training run through the Naval Academy grounds, Jeanette tripped over an irregular place in the road and fell, with resultant chin laceration and a fracture of the tuberosity of the proximal head of the right humerus, aka broken shoulder. Holding the arm in a splinted position during the race altered her running form, and surely slowed us a bit.

The post race celebration on the shores of the Dead Sea was well planned, festive, and relaxing. Swims as well as therapeutic mud baths at the Dead Sea were popular. Showers were available. Some of the foreign participants planned on staying at the nearby Dead Sea resort hotels for a day or two for relaxation before returning home. Cash prizes totaling 4,100 JD (1 JD = about $1.41 USD) were awarded to the first three male and female runners in the Ultra Marathon, Marathon, and Half Marathon.

Jordan is a friendly, hospitable, and safe country. Never in our time in Jordan did we feel concerned about our safety or well-being. Examples of the friendliness of Jordan include the recovery of our Gor-Tex jackets and pants which did not appear on the baggage truck after the race, mostly due to our own misunderstanding of directions. These items were later found and sent to us. During the race four men in a pickup drove by and took our camera, driving ahead to take pictures of us running, Then they returned the camera. How often would these two events occur in the U.S.?

This is a very good, well-managed race. For those seeking a marathon in which they believe a good downhill course will improve their time, this is the race to run. Traditionally, the race is the second Friday in April. The Internet the address is www.deadseamarathon.com.

Results of those registered as Americans

April 7, 2006 	Amman, Jordan
Dead Sea Ultra Marathon 48.7K 52 Finishers
American Men
		
Pl   Name		AGE	AG Pl	Time
19   Michael Crook	30-39	  4	4:13:46
37   Evan Swingholm	40-49	 16	5:26:42
40   Jeffrey Knudson	16-29	  7	5:44:56
46   Christopher Byrd	30-39	  8	7:02


Winner: Ali Al Smadi, Jordan	30-39	2:53:06


Dead Sea Ultra Marathon 48.7K 12 Finishers
American Women
	
Pl   Name		AGE	AG Pl	Time
 1   Hana Webb		16-29	1	3:34:33  
 4   Sharon Kovar	40-49	2	4:05:23
11   Kate Hall		30-39	4	4:51:14
12   Ami Angell		30-39	5	5:37:12


Winner: Hana Webb		16-29		3:34:33


Dead Sea Marathon	42K 58 Finishers
American Men
		
Pl   Name		AGE	AG Pl	Time
30    Dennis Bellow	50-59	6	4:05:20
34    Kenneth Thompson	60-69	2	4:21:11
38    Ralph Thompson	50-59	8	4:26:00


Winner Bader al Khawaldeh, Jordanian 	30-39	2:24:54


Dead Sea Marathon  	42K 16 Finishers
American Women
	
Pl   Name		AGE	AG Pl	Time
 8    Sarah Jaeger 	16-29	  2	4:19:40
 9    Linda Ill		40-49	  2	4:40:38
13    Ashley Bates	16-29	  3	5:34:29
14    Meriam Jackobs	60-69	  1	5:53:06
15    Katie Reilly	16-29	  4	NT


Winner Esther Van Hoof, Dutch	30-39		3:08 28


Dead Sea Half Marathon 21K 195 Finishers
American Men
	
Pl   Name		AGE	AG Pl	Time
12   Saleem Al-Bahloly	16-29	  8	1:22:36
22   Thomas Fallon	50-59	  1	1:34:23
29   Andrew Pitt	40-49  	  3	1:38:14
31   Michael Harvey	40-49	  4	1:38:37
56   Mathew Dunn	16-29	 24	1:50:51
60   Brent Hyman	40-49	 13	1:51:51
76   Thomas Ross	16-29	 34	1:59:12
88   Jesse Levinson	16-29	 41	2:07:20
99   David Knaus	40-49	 22	2:10:10
165  James Tucker	40-49	 30	3:04:54


Winner: Sulieman Zboun, Jordanian, 30-39	1:04:37   


Dead Sea Half Marathon  21K 73 Finishers
American Women
	
Pl   Name		AGE	AG Pl	Time
 2   Monica Smith	30-39	  2	1:31:43   
 5   Alyssa Teach	16-29	  1	1:41:44
 9   Eliza Al-Laham	30-39	  4	1:51:28
11   Tacia Boohaker	30-39	  5	1:52:01
18   Ann Nicole Watters	16-29	  5	1:59:20
21   Maria Aldaoud	50-59	  3	2:01:10
26   Tiffany Greer	30-39	 10	2:09:42
28   Patty Tucker	40-49  	  7	2:13:19
29   Michelle Guenther	40-49	  8	2:13:38
31   Monica Muschalik	40-49	  9	2:15:03
32   Deborah Adams	40-49	 10	2:15:03
33   Stacy Johnson	30-39	 13	2:15:10
36   Jennifer Mergy	40-49	 11	2:20:24
39   Ingrid Oldfield	30-39	 16	2:30:45
45   Cassandra Hunter	16-29	 13	2:54:00
55   Vicki Carlson	60-69	  2	3:42:28


Winner Cinda Plowman, Australia 30-39	1:26:40


Dead Sea 10K 398 Finishers
American Men
		
Pl   Name		AGE	AG Pl	Time
105 Stefan Goldfaden	30-39	  12	52:01	
111 Curtis Moore	30-39	  13	52:56
138 Jonathan Peccia	16-29	 112	56:13
182 Fady Timani		40-49	  10	1:01:20
212 John Chambers	70+	   1	1:08:11
241 David Strine	30-39	  25	1:12:39
250 James Pickett	30-39	  26	1:14:07


Winner Ra'fat Qasem, Jordan  16-29  30:07


Dead Sea 10K 203 Finishers        
American Women
		
Pl	Name		  AGE	  AG Pl	  Time
 7	Lisa Wood	  30-39	    1	  52:55
 8	Peg Clement	  50-59	    1	  54:39
11	Oni Blair	  16-29	    8	1:00:08
24	Martha McComb	  40-49	    5	1:05:28
27	Ellen Paddock	  16-29	   15	1:05:44
30	Jeanette Chambers 70+	    1	1:08:10
35	Elisabeth Page	  16-29	   20	1:10:54
37	Jennifer Adcox	  16-29	   22	1:12:13
38	Carrie Horan	  30-39	    7	1:12:44
42	Ann Pickett	  16-29	   25	1:14:12
56	Sarah Gerhart	  30-39	   11	1:20:32
82	Beverly Hayman	  40-49    12	1:29:33
91	Laura Hattan	  16-29	   58	1:34:04
99	Maria Royston	  30-39	   16	1:35:04
118	A. Van Donselaar  16-29	   75	1:41:08
174	Zuchelle Henry	  16-29   108	NT


Winner  Abeer Al Ghoul, Jordan   16-29	42:15

Acknowledgements: Joey Angeles of Jordan Tourism Office, McLean, Virginia-- general planning; Maryana Abbasi of the Dead Sea Ultra Marathon H.Q./The Society for Care of Neurological Patients in Amman- race details, assistance in preparation of this article, and the finding and return of our Gor-Tex outfits; Yolla Khoury of Amman- accommodations and travel within Jordan.

Complete results.