by Travis Duncan

 A cool morning and a downhill course made for some fast times at Saturday’s 15th annual Classic 10K and Circle of Hope Run, a race that’s known as one of the fastest 10K runs in Colorado.

“It’s a great course,” said Rochelle Persson, 44, of Colorado Springs. “In previous years, I would check out the race results and say, ’Why were those times so fast?’ And now I understand why.  You’ve got a tailwind, which probably occurs each year. It’s got a slight downhill. It’s perfect for some really fast times.”

Persson, who placed second in the Women’s Masters Division, pointed to the race results tacked to the wall of the restrooms just north of Colorado College in Monument Valley Park, where the Classic 10K concluded. “My time was really good. 38:59. That’s a PR for me.”

Persson (below, left) ran a close race with Eva Hagen (at right), 44, also in the Masters Category.

“We ran together at Garden of the Gods and I beat her there by a few seconds,” Persson said. “I probably had a big target on my back. This race, we started out fairly close together. I passed her, and then at mile 5, she passed me. That was near the end, unfortunately. When she passed me, I saw her look at me and I was like, ‘Dammit!’ I knew she was behind me because my coach, John O’Neill, at mile 5 yelled, ‘Go, Rochelle!’ and then, ‘Go, Eva!” like he was letting me know she was right there. I just didn’t have enough kick. And probably desire.”

Hagen, who won the Women’s Masters Division in 38:49, said she was aware of Persson the whole race.

“I was ahead of Rochelle for the first mile and then she passed me,” Hagen said. “Then I just kind of stayed behind her. Smart racing, you know? Once we got into the park, I thought, ‘I’m feeling pretty good, I think I can pass her.’”

Hagen said it was her first time running in the Classic 10K and that it was her first road race in quite awhile.

“I really liked it once we got into Monument Valley Park because I’m really more of a trail runner,” she said. “I really liked getting off the pavement and running on the gravel … I think trail running is good training for road races. It’s just easier on your body because you’re not running on pavement. At least for me.”  

The men had a close finish in the Masters Division as well. Runners Roost teammates Jeff Turner and Gerald Romero battled it out over the last mile, with Turner, 41, finishing 8 seconds ahead of Romero, 40, with a time of 34:40.

“I was ahead the whole race until the end,” Romero said. “During that last mile he overtook me. I turned it back on to try to catch him but just couldn’t get there. But I told him after the race, ‘We helped each other out.’”  

“There was a lot of competition out there today, and there were some good battles,” Romero said. “I’ve been working on my speed and I beat guys who have been beating me (in other local races) today. I’m coming off a great run at Garden of the Gods and I’m just focusing on the Pikes Peak Ascent. I’ll be doing a race a week from now until then. I’m a racing junkie. I gotta get out there and show off what I got.”