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Red Deer’s Craig Schmitt placed first once again at Woody’s Marathon

When Craig Schmitt runs in the annual Woody’s RV Marathon in Red Deer, he does not look back.

When Craig Schmitt runs in the annual Woody’s RV Marathon in Red Deer, he does not look back.

That’s because he worries a fellow racer, Brendan Lunty, of Camrose, would run right past him.

But that didn’t happen on Sunday, when Schmitt finished first in the 42.2 km race with a time of 2:46:26.92.

“I never look behind me because I feel Brendan would be five steps behind, and so I don’t want to know,” said Schmitt, at the 20th annual event.

“He pushes me to be my best at the same time, so I appreciate running with him a lot.”

Lunty finished in fourth place this year with a time of 2:57:03. Dave Van Reeuwyk of Camrose took second place at 2:55:02.12.

Last year Schmitt finished first with a time of 2:44:37.77, after taking second place to Lunty several years in a row.

“Last year I won and I felt the pressure to do it again this year, and it worked out,” he said.

The 39-year-old said the last nine kilometres of the race went “rather slow” for him due to an injury in August when he fell on his hip.

He said he was happy and proud of his effort on Sunday.

The Red Deer native said he enjoys participating in the family-friendly event and the scenic race course.

Rhonda Loo, who lives outside of Brooks, participated in the race for the third time Sunday. She echoed Schmitt’s thoughts.

Loo was the first female marathoner with a time of 3:16:04.89.

“It’s a beautiful course,” she said Sunday. “Very few courses I can say that are like this that I really enjoy.”

Curtis Marquart, Woody’s RV Marathon race director, said runners keep coming back every year because they enjoy the scenic course that takes them through areas around McKenzie Trails, Heritage Ranch, Bower Ponds and Three Mile Bend.



mamta.lulla@reddeeradvocate.com

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More than 1,250 people registered for the 20th annual Woody’s RV Marathon in Red Deer Sunday. Photo by Mamta Lulla/Advocate staff
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Red Deer’s Craig Schmitt (right) was the first male marathoner across the finish line Sunday at Woody’s RV Marathon. He had a time of 2:46:26.92. He was accompanied by race volunteer Claude Duret at the finish line. Photo by Mamta Lulla/Advocate staff Red Deer’s Craig Schmitt (right) was the first male marathoner across the finish line Sunday at Woody’s RV Marathon. He had a time of 2:46:26.92. He was accompanied by race volunteer Claude Duret at the finish line. Photo by Mamta Lulla/Advocate staff
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Photo by MAMTA LULLA/Advocate staff Rhonda Loo was the first female marathoner across the finish line Sunday morning. She had a time of 3:16:04.89.