Peoples captures her seventh Steamtown Marathon women's title
Oct. 8—SCRANTON — Chalk it up to the home-course advantage.
Heidi Peoples ran the Steamtown Marathon numerous times and knew what to expect. Karen Bertasso Hughes was running the race for the first time and didn't know what to expect.
So it's not surprising Peoples used her experience to pull away from Bertasso Hughes in the second half of the race and add to her victory total.
For a record seventh time, Peoples won the women's race. The 43-year-old runner from Clarks Summit completed the 26.2-mile run from Forest City High School to Courthouse Square in downtown Scranton on a chilly, windy Sunday in 2 hours, 43 minutes, 17.17 seconds, making her the first female finisher and 11th overall. Her time set the Female Masters Division record, surpassing the previous mark of 2:52:58 set in 2001 by Jen Locke.
"It's a huge advantage, being a local and seeing the course several times and knowing the mistakes you can make," said Peoples, whose other Steamtown wins came in 2008, 2010, 2012, 2015, 2018 and 2019.
Bertasso Hughes of Selkirk, New York, wound up second in 2:48:55.84. Scranton's Clare Schoen was third in 2:54:55.09. Rounding out the top five were Kate Guy from Churchill, Ontario, Canada in 3:00:41 and Amber Coppolo of Saratoga Springs, New York, in 3:01:18.
A veteran of 27 marathons, Bertasso Hughes projected she would run 2:40 on Sunday at Steamtown.
Peoples, meanwhile, was coming off running 1:15:53 at the Philadelphia Distance Run Half Marathon on Sept. 17.
"I was more focused on the Masters record. I just had a great half-marathon a few weeks ago, so I was focusing on that," Peoples said. "I saw the time Karen put in, a sub 2:40, and I knew if she ran that I don't think I had that in me today. But, I was going to give it my best shot."
For the first half of the race, Peoples and Bertasso Hughes took turns leading with the other just yards behind. However, around Mile 15, Bertasso Hughes' inexperience began to take its toll.
"I didn't know what to expect going into this," Bertasso Hughes said. "They always warn you about the downhills. I don't know if it was the downhills, the wind or just me in general, I just felt it around Mile 15. My gluts were cramping up a bit and got some blood blisters on my feet. It was a little bit of a struggle."
While Bertasso Hughes was starting to fade, Peoples stayed strong. She gradually pulled away and won by a little more than 5 1/2 minutes.
"Early on, I wanted to make sure I didn't go out too fast," Peoples said. "I thought I was in pretty good shape, but Steamtown is a deceiving one you can easily get sucked into with the downhill. But, I tried to hold back a little bit. Once I went through the halfway point, I thought if I was good for a few more miles I could start picking up the pace or keeping the pace I was at."
There was a buzz in the crowd gathered at Courthouse Square upon hearing updates that Peoples was leading. As she approached the finish line, they cheered loudly for the local woman.
"That definitely helps and brings a lot of energy. I'm so happy to hear that," Peoples said. "I want to thank everyone who cheered and were excited because it gets me excited and helps me out a lot."
Although she finished second, Bertasso Hughes was grateful to do so since she considered dropping out when she began to struggle.
"I didn't think I was going to finish," Bertasso Hughes said. "I had a friend who I told to meet me at Mile 20 because I wasn't feeling great and was going to call it a day. But, I never saw her until Mile 25. So I figured I might as well finish this, what's one more mile.
"I heard nothing but great things about this race, so I really wanted to come check it out. It's a great event. Maybe one day with a tailwind and training for the downhill. But it was fun, even though it was really painful at times."
Schoen, the former Scranton Prep and Misericordia University standout, ran her second Steamtown (fourth marathon overall) and was the third-finishing female for the second year in a row.
She laughed when asked if she ever got within striking distance of the top two runners.
"I was in my own little world back in third place," Schoen said. "But I had a good group of guys around me and I get to run the course a lot, so I was able to mentally stay engaged with it.
"I'm thrilled, this is great. This is what I wanted to do today. I figured I could be under 2:55. I definitely trained to go for that number, so I'm happy to have it. Now I'm happy to rest."
Last year, Peoples was disappointed to finish second at Steamtown. So she definitely was relishing Sunday's win.
"I just felt like I fell apart, I was getting old and everything was done," Peoples said. "I can't take anything for granted. I don't know how long this high will last. So if this is my last one, at least I went out on a high note."
Might Sunday have been Peoples' final race?
"I'll be happy if it is," she said. "But you see the community and you always get sucked back into it. I can't say for sure. It depends on where I'm at health-wise and everything else."
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