Craig Curley Romps to Easy Victory in Second-Fastest Time in 44 Year-History of Saguaro Race:
Craig Curley won the TMC Saguaro National Park Labor Day 8-Miler on Monday, running the second fastest time in the 44-year history of the race. Running alone through the light mist and distant lightening of Saguaro National Park East, his time of 41:43 narrowly missed his own course record of 41:39, set when he was a Pima Community College student in 2008. Using the race as a training run for the US National Marathon Championships next month in Twin Cities, Curley won $424 for his efforts on the hilly 8-mile loop.
Second place in the field of 900 runners went to Benson’s Trent Binford-Walsh in 43:59, while Stephen Schaefer, the 2011 champion, took third place in 46:08.
Amy Cole, a University of Arizona graduate student, took first place for the women in a time of 53:25 for her first victory at Saguaro. Second place went to former University of Montana runner, Aleta Jokisch, running in her first Tucson race. Margaret Smith, stationed at Fort Huachuca, took third place in 56:46.
Shane Carr defended his crown in the men’s 5k, while Jennifer Garcia-Girvan was the first place woman in the 5k.
Seven Arizona state 8-mile records were set on the day.
Produced by the Southern Arizona Roadrunners with help from more than 100 volunteers, Saguaro raised over $10,000 for local charities, including Friends of Saguaro National Park and Child and Family Resources.
Full results can be seen at http://www.azroadrunners.org/results/detail/saguaro_national_park_labor_day_run_results_2013.
8-Mile Results
MEN
1. Craig Curley (25) 41:43
2. Trent Binford-Walsh (24) 43:59
3. Stephen Schaefer (22) 46:08
4. Damon Vasiliw (25) 46:18
5. Kurt Michels (29) 47:50
WOMEN
1. Amy Cole (29) 53:25
2. Aleta Jokisch (23) 54:18
3. Margaret Smith (33) 56:46
4. Anne Neuenschwander (40) 56:54
5. Stephanie Wenneborg (40) 57:15
Arizona 8-Mile State Age Group Records
Samantha Andrade (F16)
Debra Lazar-Pearl (F54)
Nancy Fuller (F63)
Craig Curley (M25)
Richard Kutzner (M70)
Paul Robillia (M76)
Leonard Moore (M78)
