CLASSIC 10K RESULTS: Check Finish Line Index for results from today's race

MEN'S RACE: Quigley adjusts pace, then wins Classic 10K

MASTERS RACE: Tough competition for runners 40 and over

ODDS AND ENDS: Classic 10K runners provide $5,000-plus to Circle of Hope fund ... ...

PHOTOS: Classic 10K Gallery 1 ** Gallery 2 ** Gallery 3 ** Gallery 4 ** Gallery 5

VIDEO: Start of the Classic 10K

By Monica Smith
Laura Thweatt, 23, of Boulder, set a new women’s race record on Saturday in the Classic 10K and Circle of Hope Run, dashing to the win in 33 minutes, 28 seconds.

With a slightly downhill course, the Classic 10K in Colorado Springs is one of Colorado’s fastest races and attracts many of the state's swiftest runners.

“I felt good early, so I pushed the pace a little bit and went for it – I was just lucky to hold (the other women) off,” Thweatt said. “I just came out here and I wanted to try and win it. But I knew Brianne Nelson was in it (as well as) the (Boulder Running Company) team – who are really good, and also a bunch of (my own) really good teammates.”

Thweatt set a pace just quick enough to break the previous course record - 33:33 by Fiona Docherty in 2010 - by a sheer five seconds. She also beat her own 10K personal best time - 33:49, set at sea level - by a solid 21 seconds.
 “It was kind of a rust-buster for me, I’m just coming off of track season – it wasn’t a great track season so I definitely have some fuel,” Thweatt said. “I had some motivation – I just came out here and I wanted to try and win it.”

Not far behind Thweatt was her Boulder Track Club teammate Ellie Keyser, 23, of Fort Collins, finishing in 33:46 with a big personal record effort to improve her 10K time by more than a minute from 35:03.

“It’s only the second race I’ve run this summer, so I didn’t really have any expectations at this point and I’m training with a new program,” Keyser said. “I just kind of went out there and relaxed the first half and the second half worked on reeling people in.”

Keyser, who is new to the Boulder Track Club, said her new teammates were key to her race today.

“Having other (Boulder Track Club) teammates around me and (seeing) Laura was really motivational - it kept me going,” she said.

Keyser said will be switching gears a little with her next race being the Pikes Peak Ascent on August 18 – a 13.3 mile mountain race that climbs nearly 8,000-feet elevation to the summit of Pikes Peak.

Boulder Running Company’s Brianne Nelson, 23, of Fort Collins, rounded out the top three for the women in 34:02.

Beyond the fast times, most impressively, was the fast times posted at controlled efforts by many women. Lauren Kleppin, 23, of Fort Collins, used the flat and fast course as a tune-up workout. She placed fourth.
 “It wasn’t a (personal record) effort, but I signed up for this race last minute and just wanted to use it as a workout,” Kleppin said. “I wish I was a little bit more competitive, but I was just having fun.”
Colorado Running Company’s Rochelle Persson, 44, of Colorado Springs, also said she ran the race at a controlled effort finishing second for the master’s women in 38:59 – an eight-second personal record.
“I didn’t have many goals for this race other than to finish, but I felt good about it,” Persson said. “I just raced a few weeks ago, and normally like about four weeks between races before I’m thinking ‘Ooh. I want to race again!’”

Persson currently leads the GrandPrix of Running women's short series.

The Classic 10K is the fourth leg of the Grand Prix of Running (short and long) series based in Colorado Springs.

The next race for the series will be the Top Ten Mile on August 4th for the long series option, followed by the final race of the series – the Great Pumpkin 10K Run on Oct. 6th.