Steamboat Classic – 15K – 1:08:03

06/19/2010 by Mrs.CJ 7 Comments

This was not only a great race, but really a great day overall!! Starting from the beginning we were up at 4am to get ready to head out of town for Steamboat Classic 15K. This race is known for it’s hills and the claim to be the toughest 15K in the mid-west, and they aren’t joking. The race also offers one of the fastest 4 Milers in the world, elites come from all over the world at the chance to break the world record on the flat/fast course. There were elites from Japan and Africa, some of them flying over 27 hours, just to compete in this event, how cool!

We had friends running in both distances and got to say hi to a few of them before the race. Rob and I got warmed up and found out spot to start. Before I know it we are off. I was trying to hold back the first two miles and even with trying to slow down I found myself being pulled forward by the moving herd.

Mile 1 – 6:54

Mile 2 – 7:10

Mile 3 – 7:49 (The hills begin. It’s a steep incline up, levels off for a moment and then up a bit further, a run around a park then back down the hill and another loop around again for good measure)

Mile 4 – 7:06 (Glad the first set of hills is over.)

Mile 5 – 7:24

Mile 6 – 7:33 (Feeling tired, so over the hills.)

Mile 7 – 7:12 (Time to finish this up.)

Video of two miles to go.

Mile 8 – 7:03

Mile 9 – 7:22 (I felt like I was moving faster than this, but apparently my legs were more melted than I thought.)

Video of .9 to go.

.3 – 6:20 Pace

Coming into the finish.

Video of finish.

I came in at 1:08:03!! A new PR!! And 16th Overall Female!! The awards for Overall in each gender went 25 deep!

Rob came in at 1:05:14!! A new PR for him!! 4th in his Age Group!!

Afterward we hung out with our friends and recanted stories from the 4 Miler and 15K and we waited for the awards ceremony.

Me and Michelle while the boys got the beer.

Michelle arresting me for being too speedy. 🙂

While we were relaxing Rob spotted someone very important sitting 2 feet from me, it was Constantina Dita!! The Women’s Beijing Olympic Marathon winner and all around bad ass elite! She normally comes to race the 4 Miler like the other elites, but today she was here to make an appearance at the post party to present the race director who was retiring an award. We knew she wasn’t running this year, but did not know she was still making an appearance and that we would get a chance to see her. Normally with big named elites it can be an up to 2 hour wait at an expo to even get an autograph or picture and here she is sitting in the grass waiting for her moment to speak. Constantina addressing the crowd.

After speaking and in between the awards Rob and I made our way over to her to see if we could bother her for a picture and she was so sweet to oblige. I was a super cheese and blubbering all over her telling her how amazing she is. She then grabs her bag with cards of herself and offers Rob and I an autograph and signs them right there, how cool! 

Constantina passed out the overall awards so I got to see her again and hear her say “congratulations” in her thick and very cool Romanian accent as she gave me my plaque. Rob and I watched her performance in the Beijing Olympics and she dominated! Never in my wildest imagination would have I thought the Olympic Marathon winner would be handing me an award in a race, too cool!!

Overall Females 15th – 25th Place.

Me with my award and Michelle’s cop sunglasses.

Finisher’s medal.

My award.

Up close of the card.

Stats:

1:08:03

7:18 Pace

F: 16/290

Overall: 129/802

As a side bonus I PRed in the 10K! 45:54 I seriously need to get another 10K in sometime so I can actually race it.

The day continued to be perfect because then we had lunch with Drew. Afterward we headed out boating with Dan and Michelle. It was gorgeous out today and we had a great time getting to hang out with them.

Michelle and me.