RCU Charity Classic (formerly Sawdust City 6)
Race Day Information
The event is generally held on the last Saturday of
June. Race day registration starts 7:00 a.m. The 10K race begins at 8:00 a.m.,
and the 2 mile race at 9:30 a.m. The children's half mile and quarter miles
races, and the awards ceremony follow the conclusion of the 2 mile race. Food
and beverages are available afterward. Over 700 runners and walkers participated
in the 2 mile and 10K run/walks in 2007.
Race Directors:
Emily Blaskey,
715-829-3617
Carla Lueck, 715-833-8167
Course Description
The runners start and finish at Phoenix Park in downtown
Eau Claire. The 10K race course showcases all three of Eau Claire’s main parks,
Owen, Carson and Phoenix Park, as well as views of the Chippewa and Eau Claire Rivers.
The course incorporates a part of the Chippewa River Recreational Trail that
runs within the city. The terrain is generally flat with a
few gentle, undulating hills and welcome shade.
Course Maps
2 mile course 10k
course
History.
(Click pictures to enlarge)
The RCU Charity Classic has its roots in Eau Claire's Sawdust City Day Festival
which sought to celebrate the city's heritage in
the lumber industry. The Club organized a 6 mile race on June 26, 1971 to
join the celebration. The entry fee was $1 and over 50 runners participated. The
first course was a 2 mile counter-clockwise loop, starting at Owen Park crossing
the Water Street Bridge, turning left onto State Street then recrossing the
Chippewa River at the Grand Avenue Bridge before returning to Owen Park. The
runners were required to make 3 circuits and the finish line was adjusted to
insure a precise 6 mile course. Chuck Ceronsky of Bloomington, Minnesota
finished first with a time of 30:14.
In 1972, the club changed the route to an out and back course . From Owen Park, the runners crossed the Chippewa River, went down Putnam Park Drive to the 3 mile turn-around point and returned. This course remained unchanged for years to come. Although Putnam Park Drive was shady, it could be a very hot run with little breeze. Chuck Ceronsky defended his title in 1972 winning in 29:29. That year, there were 65 runners.
In 1976, the club decided to mix things up a little. Two separate heats were run: the women's heat and the open heat. For instance in 1977, 19 women ran in the women's heat which was won by Kim Merritt in 36:04. The open heat drew 109 runners. Kim Merritt also ran in this heat, finishing in 26th place with a time of 35:09, almost one minute faster than her run one hour earlier in the women's race. The 2 heat race remained format popular for a number of years and continued up to 1983 when 103 runners competed in women's heat and 309 runners competed in the open heat.
Legend has it that many women's records were set during that time since the women did not have to worry about any men trailing behind, getting lost and not asking for directions. Another legend says that the women loved their own race, but the men complained about the "lack of scenery". Like all legends, we may never know the complete truth about what prompted the re-unification of the separate races.
Dan Conway won the open division in 31:42 in 1983 before going on to become master's World Champion at the 10K distance with a time of 30:26. In 1989, Dan Held, the former UW-EC runner, and Brett Burt, the former UW-La Crosse runner, finished first and second with times of 28:15 and 28:57. This was the first time anyone had run under 29 minutes. "This was an amazing performance---about as good as you'll see on this course", said Sean Harnett, who was one of Held's coaches at UW-EC.
In 1992, Kris lhle's finished with a women's record time of 35:51 In 1994, her record was broken by Kris Hoel who finished in 35:16 which record continues to this day at the 6 mile distance.
Royal
Credit Union's long running support of this race began in 1983. In
1994, the Royal Credit Union was looking for a way to raise money for worthy
charities in the Eau Claire community that involved community participation in
some kind of healthy sporting event, and the club was looking for new sponsors.
After a lucky meeting between ITC’s Cheri Uelmen and RCU’s Charlie Grossklaus at
a local watering hole, the ITC and RCU decided to create the RCU Charity
Classic.
The original Sawdust City 6 mile distance became the RCU Charity
Classic 10K. A 2 mile race was added to appeal to walkers and runners who
want to race a shorter distance.
Each year, the proceeds from the event are donated to local charities.
In 2004,
Jason
Finch, a former UW-Eau Claire All-American from Hudson, and Jen Theisen took
advantage of cool and crisp weather to establish the race records for the 10K.
Finch beat the record set in 2003 by Vince Temu by seven seconds, and Theisen
beat the record set by Suzy Stanley in 1996 by 32 seconds.
In 2006, the race moved from its long time Owen Park
location to the RCU Corporate Center in Phoenix Park at the confluence of the
Eau Claire and Chippewa Rivers. It is also the location of the Farmers’
Market which runners are free to visit during and after the race.
The ITC Tortoise and the Hare make an annual guest appearance to
run with the kids in their ¼ mile and ½ mile Children’s Races after the finish
of the 2 mile race.
Race Records
| RCU 2 | RCU 10k | |
| Male | Joe Uhan (2005) 9:46.8 | Jason Finch (2004) 31:55.6 |
| Female | Sarah Kasabian (2003) 11:22.7 | Jen Theisen (2004) 38:10.5 |
| Sawdust City 2 | Sawdust City 6 | |
| Male | Dan Held (1989) 28:15 | |
| Female | Kris Hoel (1994) 35:16 |
Course Records
| RCU 2 | RCU 10k | |
| Male | Sean Olson (2006) 10:01.5 | Larry Mboga (2007) 34:04.9 |
| Female | Katie Bethke (2006) 12:23.7 | Rachel Rich (2007) 39:23.4 |
Results: 2007 • 2006 • 2005 • 2004 • 2003 • 2002 • 2001