Photo by Marissa Tiel
BIG CLIMB 鈥� Runners climb the second big hill on Miles Canyon Road during the Claim Pre-Skagway 10 Miler race on Sunday.
Photo by Marissa Tiel
PUSHING THE HILL 鈥� Laura Kosakoski leads a group of racers up a hill. Kosakoshi, of Calgary, was the female winner with a time of 1:14:02.
Photo by Marissa Tiel
FOLLOW THE LEADER 鈥� Runners make their way up a gruelling hill during the Claim Pre-Skagway 10 Miler last Sunday. More than 20 runners took part in the 16-kilometre event, which began at Rotary Peace Park.
Photo by Whitehorse Star
Runners tune up for road relay at the Claim Pre-Skagway 10 Miler
A longtime trail runner got her road legs back on Sunday at the Claim Pre-Skagway 10 Miler.
A longtime trail runner got her road legs back on Sunday at the Claim Pre-Skagway 10 Miler.
Laura Kosakoski, a medical resident from Calgary who is working for a few months at a clinic in Whitehorse, won the women鈥檚 division in one hour 14 minutes two seconds. She was fourth overall.
鈥淚t was a great course. It was beautiful,鈥� she said. 鈥淎 couple good climbs to get the ol鈥� heart rate up. It was a windy day, which made for a bit of a battle at times, but no, it was awesome.鈥�
More than 20 runners took part in this year鈥檚 tune-up race for September鈥檚 Klondike Road Relay, with the 16-kilometre distance mimicking the legs for the race.
Conditions for runners were windy. With what some described as a head-wind both up and downhill.
For Kosakoski, who has been exploring the trails around Grey Mountain, the race was a good way to get back on the pavement before her Leg 10 run at the road relay. She was recently recruited by a team for the event.
鈥淚t was nice when we got into Miles Canyon, then we got to run on trails for a bit, which was good,鈥� she said. 鈥淓asier on the legs.
鈥淭here鈥檚 that final straight through Lewes Boulevard, that was the real gut-check time.鈥�
Kosakoski was followed closely to the line by local Anett Kralisch, who won the women鈥檚 10K Yukon Championships in August.
鈥淚 saw her a couple times,鈥� said Kosakoski. 鈥淚鈥檇 get a flash of green behind me. But I tried not to let that get to me.鈥�
Kralisch finished in 1:14:11, while Sophie Tremblay rounded out the women鈥檚 podium in 1:21:00.
David Eikelboom won the men鈥檚 division, finishing in 58:19.
While not as fast as he would have liked, Eikelboom used the run to practise more technical aspects of his race.
He鈥檒l be running Leg 10 this year for Running Home to Yukon Brewing, which was the top Yukon team in 2016.
Eikelboom will be looking to attack the hills.
鈥淵ou have a section where you can really speed up,鈥� he said of Leg 10. 鈥淚鈥檓 really looking forward to the road relay.鈥�
Brendan Morphet was second in 1:04:39 and Bill Matiation was third in 1:13:17.
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