Area runners compete in TC Marathon

Moe is 6th in his age group

By FRITZ BUSCH

Journal Staff Writer

NEW ULM -- Forty-eight-year-old 3M engineer Steve Moe has been setting running records for three decades.

Some of his track and field records still stand at Mitchell High in South Dakota. He's an elite marathon runner at the Master's (over age 40) level.

Sunday, Moe didn't set a personal record but toured the 26.2-mile Twin Cities Marathon in 2:51.06, good for sixth place in his age group.

Marathon runners typically feel as if a skyscraper fell on them after the race. Nearly every muscle in their body aches. Walking up and particularly down stairs can be difficult for several days. It takes the human body three months to fully recover from the event.

"I'm feeling better now," Moe said Wednesday afternoon. "The weather was about right for a marathon. Nice and cool."

Marathon runners usually breeze through the first 10 miles of the race, sometimes too fast for their own good. The last few miles can seem like three or four times as far as they really are.

"I got cramps at mile 14," Moe said. "I had to slow down until the cramp worked itself out. The last 3-4 miles were tough."

Moe's fastest marathon was 2:36 years ago at the Drake Relays in Iowa. That time was not far from world class. He belongs to the Prairie Striders, an elite running club headquartered in Brookings, S.D.

Ray Fahey, formerly of Fairfax, now of Forest Lake, finished in 3:29.21.

Dr. Terry Knowles, 40, of New Ulm finished three seconds later in 3:29.24. He hoped to finish in 3:20 but wasn't too disappointed.

"I've done better. I might have gone out a little too hard," Knowles said. "It was a little humid but the race was well organized and all the people watching were part of a great race."

Dave Peters, 44, of New Ulm finished in 3:55. He called himself a middle aged runner that just runs for "health purposes." He was happy to be under 4 hours.

"It's a hard thing to put your body through but it was fun," Peters said. "My wife and children encouraged me."

Not far behind Peters, several area runners were bunched close together. Heidi Kuelbs, 39, of rural Sleepy Eye and a New Ulm hairdresser, finished in 4:09.07. Kuelbs said she likes the adrenaline rush of running in front of so many people. She considered finishing a marathon a "great goal and personal achievement."

Kuelbs runs with her black lab dog on training runs but can't run with her dog in big races due to the large number of competitors.

Laurie Kunerth, 46, of New Ulm finished in 4:10.07. She hopes to qualify for the Boston Marathon by finishing a marathon in under 4 hours.

"I am often inspired by other runners," Kunerth said. "I met a 79-year-old man at mile 8. I didn't pass him until mile 10."

Kunerth and other runners are interested in creating a local running club. Members of such a club would run together outdoors and at the new community center at the Brown County Fairgrounds during severe winter weather.

Springfield runners following Kunerth were Gary Walworth, 52, in 4:44.56; Doug Robertson, 54, in 5:26.45 and his daughter Heather, 28, of Minneapolis, with the same time.

If any other area runners competed, please call Fritz Busch at The Journal at 359-2911 or 1-800-967-1760.

For information on the marathon visit: www.twincitiesmarathon.org