Steamboat Classic

Saturday - June14, 2008 at 7:00 AM CST.
The Gateway Building
Hamilton Boulevard at Water Street

Friday - June 13, 2008 from 12:00 PM - 8:00 PM at the RiverPlex.

Located immediately north of the Gateway Building (at the foot of Hamilton Boulevard at Water Street). To be assured of receiving your desired T-Shirt size, please pick up your race packet on Friday.

Saturday - June 14 - Race Morning

Limited packet pick-up is available race day between 6:00 - 7:30 AM at the Gateway Building. SORRY, there is NO race day registration.

All registered participants will receive the official STEAMBOAT CLASSIC full-color Adidas race T-Shirt, poster, and the Bud Light 2008-2009 calendar.

After completing the race, finishers will be treated to refreshments at the Post-Race Party at Festival Park, courtesy of Bud Light, Pepsi, CH Robinson, Kroger, and the Heart of Illinois Hospitality Association.

The Steamboat Classicwill feature awards to the top (25) men and women, and the top (3) finishers in each age group and Clydesdale Classes.

Clydesdale Class winners MUST BE PRESENT to receive their awards.

4-Mile Age Group Awards (Male and Female)
10 & under; 11-14; 15-18; 19-24; 25-29; 30-34; 35-39; 40-44;
45-49; 50-54; 56-59; 60-64; 65-69; and 70+.

15KM Age Group Awards (Male and Female)
18 & under; 19-24; 25-29; 30-34; 35-39; 40-44;
45-49; 50-54; 56-59; 60-64; 65-69; and 70+.

BUD LIGHT and BREWERS DISTRIBUTING CO. are the major Open Prize Money Sponsors. More than $25,000 in prize money is offered with cash awards to the top (10) open men and women.

The prize money will be distributed under the auspices of USAT&F. Because of rules governing them, High School and NCAA/NAIA athletes are not eligible for prize money.

Without sponsors, prize money would only be a dream; please support our sponsors and thank them for making the STEAMBOAT CLASSIC a world-class running event!

Elite athletes and managers should contact Glenn Latimer, Elite Athlete Coordinator, at glennlat@aol.com, regarding the 2008 Steamboat Classic Prize Money format.

There are numerous city parking decks and lots in the Downtown Peoria area. Most do not charge for parking on Saturday morning.

The Steamboat Classic is the cornerstone event of the Illinois Valley Striders (IVS). With a membership of over 1,000 members, the IVS mission is to promote running and walking fitness as a life sport while striving to enhance our community.

IVS serves its members, the running community, and the community at-large through its active involvement in programs, events, and organizations that support this mission. Proceeds from the Steamboat Classic entry fees are used to support the IVS events and programs year-round.

The Steamboat Classic, the cornerstone event of the Classic Sports Festival which includes: bowling, cycling (touring and off-road racing), golf, in-line skating, kick boxing, polo, rowing, softball, disc golf, along with other running/walking events and entertainment.

The STEAMBOAT CLASSIC has never been limited on the basis of age or ability. People of any age or ability may enter, and race officials strongly encourage all entrants to honestly evaluate their own fitness and preparedness.

The best available medical evidence indicates that children may safely engage in distance running if approached sensibly. However, runners who are under age 16 may be more susceptible to heat injuries and other injuries.

Runners under the age of eight are required to be accompanied by an adult who is registered in the race.

For safety reasons: running or walking with pets, music head-sets, MP3's, and strollers are strictly prohibited.

BUILDING STEAM is an eleven week program of Fitness, Friendship, and Fun to help walkers, new runners, casual runners prepare for the Steamboat Classic 4-mile race on June 14. Trained volunteers and 10 or more participants work as a team, with warm ups, stretching, and lots of practice, starting slowly and easily, to get more fit, make some friends, and have fun as the group prepares together for the trip to the finish line.

BUILDING STEAM is built on the premise that getting there is ALL the fun. Many Steamboat Classic participants and many of our coaches are graduates of BUILDING STEAM. BUILDING STEAM includes people who want to feel better, be less sedentary, lose a little weight, or get started or back to running or walking. If you can take a deep breath and walk for 3 to 5 minutes, you are ready to start in one of our easy-paced teams.

BUILDING STEAM starts on Wednesday, April 2, 6:00 p.m. at the RiverPlex Arena on Peoria's beautiful riverfront and continues for the next ten weeks. PARKING IS FREE!

The fee for BUILDING STEAM is $65.00. You get eleven weeks of coaching, a high quality participants-only Building Steam shirt, training tips, and your fee INCLUDES your entry into the 2008 Steamboat Classic with its own Steamboat Classic original artwork shirt.

TEAM STEAM is open to runners of all ages focused on preparing for the Steamboat Classic Four Mile or 15K (9.3 miles) races on June 14. Each week, the Tuesday night TEAM STEAM meetings begin at 6:00 p.m. at the Woodruff High School Track starting on April 1. Sessions last 1 to 1.5 hours.

TEAM STEAM uses Woodruff's 400-meter track, the hills and roads of Glen Oak Park, and the RiverFront Trail. The runs - sometimes speedwork, sometimes hill, or sometimes intervals/tempo runs - are led by veteran area coaches and are designed with the runner's progression in mind. Whether you a 6 minute mile or an 11 minute mile, you'll be grouped with runners of similar ability focusing on the Steamboat Classic.

TEAM STEAM is designed to be most beneficial to those who have been running consistently (averaging 3 times per week) for at least a year, and are able to run three miles in 33 minutes or faster. TEAM STEAM starts on Tuesday, April 1. We start at 6:00 p.m. at the Woodruff High School Track. Woodruff High School is located at the corner of Monroe and Abington (on the Steamboat Classic Course). Our weekly sessions continue for the next ten weeks on Tuesdays and Thursdays at 6:00 p.m. at Woodruff High School.

The fee for TEAM STEAM is $65.00 for Illinois Valley Striders Members. You get eleven weeks of coaching, a high quality participants-only Team Steam Technical Training shirt, your entry into the 2008 Steamboat Classic with its own Steamboat Classic original artwork shirt, and the chance to train with some of the area's top runners. Graduates will also receive an Adidas IVS/TEAM STEAM singlet.

For all event details, please visit our website at:

www.steamboatclassic.org
www.ivs.org