Steamboat 2008

Today was the running of the annual Steamboat Classic 4 mile and 15K foot races.

I decided to walk with Barbara. Barbara had been out with foot surgery and has taken some time to get back into it; she just restarted her walking program about 3 weeks ago. I’ll keep on her to keep going.

Here I compare how she did this year with last year (by chip time)

mile	2007	2008
1	18:01	18:57
2	18:18	18:58
3	16:54	17:55
4	17:05	17:09
time	1:10:04	1:13:00

The start time was 7 am and for the 4 mile runners, it was relatively cool (60′s) but humid the whole way. Things did heat up toward the end for the 15K runners, but Barbara’s son Mark hung tough and finished at slightly over a 10 minute per mile pace; that isn’t bad considering he weighed about 300 pounds about two years ago.

This race has not been a goal race for me for some time, but I still love it; I like the way the community gets behind the event and I like seeing everyone.

Here is my 2008 Steamboat photo album.

I’ll post a few of the photos here. Note: yes, I know; literally about 1000 women, and no spandex shots. Hey, that is what happens when I go to races with the wife.

This is Barbara, Mark (her son) and me (and Smoochie, one of our stuffed frogs)

This is Barbara, Ron Love and Bob Corbett. Ron’s lifetime PR for the 5K judged racewalk is 25:00, and Bob has run the 15K at Steamboat in 1:03; this year he ran it with a friend.

Bill Holmes and Herb Kasube (Herb is in our mathematics department)

Barbara and Fran Garcia. Fran is a triathlete who was a Building Steam instructor this year and worked with me with the walkers

Tracy had some friends come up from St. Louis; the husband of the couple did the 4 miler

Lupe Martinez and his “better half” before the race

Burt Rabee before the race. Nice shirt! Though Bert is a middle of the packer when it comes to distance, he ran a 47 second 440 yard dash in college and still could turn over a 64 second 400 meter when he was 50

Barbara early in the race. Her knee is straight and legal; her technique is better than mine. Of course, that isn’t saying much.

Barbara a bit past two miles. Some of the faster 15K runners (who are at about 12 km) are passing her.

GET GOING LARD BUTT!!!! If that sounds harsh, that is exactly what she yells at me at the end of races. She is about 50 meters from the finish line here.

Proud mom with her son. Yes, Mark knows about lubing up the old nipples; but it just didn’t work today. Yes, I’ve been there.