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ENLARGE
Steve Bond
Ron Gross, just six days short of his 71st birthday, won the 70-74 age group in the CoreLogic Cowtown Half Marathon, held last Sunday in Sacramento, finishing in one hour, 49 minutes, 50.3 seconds.
What is particularly amazing about Ron’s performance is that, despite never having run that far (13.1 miles) in his life, Ron ran his best age graded time over any distance as an adult, coming in at 74.32 percent.
Ron won his age group by over five and a half minutes and, impressively, would have been second in the 65-69 age group.
Looks like Ron is discovering untapped longer distance potential as he had never run a race farther than 10K before this year.
V. Neelakantan, a veteran marathon and half marathon competitor, also ran a stellar time in the same race, finishing in one hour, 25:39.5, placing fourth in the 45-49 age group out of 118. His time, almost three minutes faster than he ran in the Bidwell Classic Half Marathon in March of this year, age graded over 77 percent, putting him in the top half of Regional Class.
Therese Iknoian had a very good race despite some foot issues, crossing the finish line in one hour, 49:21.8, good for fourth in the 50-54 age group (out of 123). Age graded, Therese came in at almost 72 percent, solidly into Regional Class.
Congratulations to all three for outstanding races!
The next race in this year’s Gold Country Grand Prix series, the 10th of 12, is the 17th Annual Run Through the Colors, starting and finishing at Pioneer Park in Nevada City on Sunday, October 19th.
The 5K goes up steep and long Nevada Street in the first mile, then has two steep downhills, including coming down Broad Street in the last mile. The 10K has all that, and more hills.
Race day registration begins at 7:30 a.m., with the races starting at 8:30. Dress warmly for registration and warm-up as Pioneer Park is in a cold pocket and most years it is quite cold.
Awards are Sierra Club calendars to the top two in each age group. There is also a 5K Fun Walk.
More information can be obtained from Race Directors Richard and Theresa Thomas (530-265-2666 or randtthomas@sbcglobal.net).
Now for more top performances by local runners in out of town races.
On July 26th, Ron Gross, Therese Iknoian and Drue Mathies competed in Sacramento in the Alzheimer’s Aid Society Memorial 5K race.
Ron ran the best age graded race (71.5 percent, roughly), finishing in 24:50.8, taking second place in the 70-74 age group.
Therese was slightly over 71 percent age graded, finishing third out of 42 in the 50-54 age group in 24:11.7. She finished one second ahead of fourth place in her age group, taking home the bronze medal.
Drue was just under 71 percent, running 22:55.3, good for third in the 60-64 age group.
All three ran Regional Class age graded times.
On September 7th, Ron and Therese, along with Scott Lery, all ran the Buffalo Stampede 10 mile race in Sacramento.
Ron, over 71 percent age graded, finished in one hour, 25:42.3, taking second in the 70-74 age group. Therese, at 69 percent age graded, finished sixth in the 50-54 age group in one hour, 24:10.3.
Scott, over 66 percent age graded, finished 10th in the 55-59 age group in one hour, 21:56.0.
Ron achieved a Regional Class age graded time in that race, while Therese and Scott were both in the top half of Local Class that day.
What is especially amazing is that both Ron and Therese ran significantly better in the Cowtown Half Marathon, with Ron running an astonishing 14 seconds per mile faster even though it was 3.1 miles farther. Wow!
Congratulations to all the competitors!
The Sierra Friends Center has officially announced that the Salmon Run 10K Trail Run and Walk has been “discontinued” and the races will no longer be held.
On a happier note, I’m extremely pleased to announce that I was married last Sunday to my heart-stoppingly beautiful bride, Suzanne, here at our home in Nevada City.
After our first rain of the season on Friday and Saturday, Sunday was perfect, with family and a few close friends helping make it a magical day.
I look forward to seeing more of my running friends at Run Through the Colors, where I might be running a tad slower than normal thanks to the additional weight of my wedding ring, which I will happily lug up and down the hills of the course.
See you there!
Steve Bond is a competitive runner who lives in Nevada City and regularly writes columns and feature stories about running for The Union. He may be reached via e-mail at stillrunning55@sbcglobal.net.
What is particularly amazing about Ron’s performance is that, despite never having run that far (13.1 miles) in his life, Ron ran his best age graded time over any distance as an adult, coming in at 74.32 percent.
Ron won his age group by over five and a half minutes and, impressively, would have been second in the 65-69 age group.
Looks like Ron is discovering untapped longer distance potential as he had never run a race farther than 10K before this year.
V. Neelakantan, a veteran marathon and half marathon competitor, also ran a stellar time in the same race, finishing in one hour, 25:39.5, placing fourth in the 45-49 age group out of 118. His time, almost three minutes faster than he ran in the Bidwell Classic Half Marathon in March of this year, age graded over 77 percent, putting him in the top half of Regional Class.
Therese Iknoian had a very good race despite some foot issues, crossing the finish line in one hour, 49:21.8, good for fourth in the 50-54 age group (out of 123). Age graded, Therese came in at almost 72 percent, solidly into Regional Class.
Congratulations to all three for outstanding races!
The next race in this year’s Gold Country Grand Prix series, the 10th of 12, is the 17th Annual Run Through the Colors, starting and finishing at Pioneer Park in Nevada City on Sunday, October 19th.
The 5K goes up steep and long Nevada Street in the first mile, then has two steep downhills, including coming down Broad Street in the last mile. The 10K has all that, and more hills.
Race day registration begins at 7:30 a.m., with the races starting at 8:30. Dress warmly for registration and warm-up as Pioneer Park is in a cold pocket and most years it is quite cold.
Awards are Sierra Club calendars to the top two in each age group. There is also a 5K Fun Walk.
More information can be obtained from Race Directors Richard and Theresa Thomas (530-265-2666 or randtthomas@sbcglobal.net).
Now for more top performances by local runners in out of town races.
On July 26th, Ron Gross, Therese Iknoian and Drue Mathies competed in Sacramento in the Alzheimer’s Aid Society Memorial 5K race.
Ron ran the best age graded race (71.5 percent, roughly), finishing in 24:50.8, taking second place in the 70-74 age group.
Therese was slightly over 71 percent age graded, finishing third out of 42 in the 50-54 age group in 24:11.7. She finished one second ahead of fourth place in her age group, taking home the bronze medal.
Drue was just under 71 percent, running 22:55.3, good for third in the 60-64 age group.
All three ran Regional Class age graded times.
On September 7th, Ron and Therese, along with Scott Lery, all ran the Buffalo Stampede 10 mile race in Sacramento.
Ron, over 71 percent age graded, finished in one hour, 25:42.3, taking second in the 70-74 age group. Therese, at 69 percent age graded, finished sixth in the 50-54 age group in one hour, 24:10.3.
Scott, over 66 percent age graded, finished 10th in the 55-59 age group in one hour, 21:56.0.
Ron achieved a Regional Class age graded time in that race, while Therese and Scott were both in the top half of Local Class that day.
What is especially amazing is that both Ron and Therese ran significantly better in the Cowtown Half Marathon, with Ron running an astonishing 14 seconds per mile faster even though it was 3.1 miles farther. Wow!
Congratulations to all the competitors!
The Sierra Friends Center has officially announced that the Salmon Run 10K Trail Run and Walk has been “discontinued” and the races will no longer be held.
On a happier note, I’m extremely pleased to announce that I was married last Sunday to my heart-stoppingly beautiful bride, Suzanne, here at our home in Nevada City.
After our first rain of the season on Friday and Saturday, Sunday was perfect, with family and a few close friends helping make it a magical day.
I look forward to seeing more of my running friends at Run Through the Colors, where I might be running a tad slower than normal thanks to the additional weight of my wedding ring, which I will happily lug up and down the hills of the course.
See you there!
Steve Bond is a competitive runner who lives in Nevada City and regularly writes columns and feature stories about running for The Union. He may be reached via e-mail at stillrunning55@sbcglobal.net.
