Classic 10K winner Josh Eberly (left) pushed the pace early in the race.

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VIDEO: Start of the Classic 10K ** Interview with Kristen Fryburg-Zaitz

By Monica Smith
PikesPeakSports.us
The Classic 10K proved once again to be one of the fastest and most alluring events on the Colorado race calendar.

The race was fight from the beginning according to Josh Eberly, the champion of Saturday’s Classic 10K.

“We made it pretty honest from the first couple of miles and then it was me and a few other guys,” Eberly, of Gunnison, Colo., said. “We battled pretty hard.”

Despite ignoring the clock, Eberly still managed to cross the finish line in a solid time, running 30 minutes, 41 seconds over a downhill course that included sections of cement sidewalk and crushed gravel.

Eberly had company in the final mile, running shoulder-to-soulder with A.J. Richmond of COlorado Springs, and Boulder's Andrew Lesser.

But the 32-year-old Western State College assistant cross country coach had a little more in his legs as the runners galloped over the final meters. Eberly pulled away to put three seconds between himself and Richmond. Lesser finished in 30:46.

Eberly, who won the race in 2009 as well, said competing was his main priority today.

“(I wanted) to get down here - don’t worry about the time - and just go for the win,” he said.

Eberly said he will take a short break from hard racing for the rest of the summer to turn his focus toward his team, but is looking to do a fall marathon.

In the women's race, Kristen Fryburg-Zaitz, of Broomfield, Colo., won in 34:01. Fryburg-Zaitz outkicked last year’s winner and course record (33:28) holder Laura Thweatt, of Boulder, Colo., who finished in 34:11. American Distance Project athlete, Wendy Thomas, of Windsor, Colo., finished third for the women in 34:53.

Like Eberly, Fryburg-Zaitz ran to compete,training for the 20K National Championships Sept. 2 in Conneticut.

“I came out to win,” she said. “It was a workout - I’m in the middle of a 100 mile (training) week."

Fryburg-Zaitz said she started fast and then ran by herself for more of the race.

“I went out and Laura Thweatt was with me, which was kind of nice but then I realized I was going out in like 5:12 (pace per mile) and I was trying to do 5:20 so I went out a little fast,” Fryburg-Zaitz said.

“She fell off and so I ended up running by myself the whole race. But it was good, it was a really good solid hard effort.”

Lee Troop, of Colorado Springs, won the men's master's race in 33:01. Connilee Walter captured the women’s master’s title in 38:44

The Classic 10K is the fourth race in the Grand Prix of Running series. The race is also a part of the 2013 Trophy Series by Trail Runner Magazine.

Top 5 Men:
1. Josh Eberly, 30:41 - $250
2. A.J. Richmond, 30:44 - $150
3. Andrew Lesser, 30:46 - $100
4. Emilio Trujillo, 31:12
5. Ryan Meyer, 31:30

Top 5 Women:
1. Kristen Fryburg-Zaitz, 34:01 - $250
2. Laura Thweatt, 34:11 - $150
3. Wendy Thomas, 34:53 - $100
4. Rachel Gioscia-Ryan, 35:00
5. Alia Gray, 35:26

Top 3 Master’s Men:
1. Lee Troop, 33:01 - $100
2. Peter Fleming, 33:47
3. Jeff Turner, 34:19

Top 3 Master’s Women:
1. Connilee Walter, 38:44 - $100
2. Dianne Gates, 39:58
3. Bean Wrenn, 39:59