Annual Steamboat Springs Marathon, Half Marathon, 10K Run and Walk on Sunday June 3, 2007

Steamboat Springs, CO (PRWeb) February 22, 2007 -- Steamboat Springs, Colorado, also known as Ski Town, U.S.A.® because it is the home of over 50 Winter Olympians, is rapidly becoming known as a summer athlete's destination and training ground. After all, when the snow melts, there's cross training to be done and with all the trails in and around town, visitors seeking a change of scenery (and what beautiful scenery it is) they'll know why Steamboat Springs is more than just a ski town. ResortQuest Steamboat Vacation Rentals is the official lodging sponsor of the Steamboat Springs Marathon and also sponsors the Steamboat Springs Running Series.


With snow still falling on the Steamboat Ski Resort area it is hard to imagine that athletes are already preparing for the Steamboat Springs Running Series, the largest running series in Colorado. Foremost in their minds is the series' most renowned event, the 26th Annual Steamboat Springs Marathon, Half Marathon, 10K Run and Walk, Sunday June 3, 2007.

The Steamboat Springs Marathon Course was selected by Runner's World as one of the "10 Most Scenic Marathons of the Year" (February 1996) and in the November/December 2006 issue of Colorado Runner Magazine it was named as the Best Marathon of the Year for 2006. The course is recognized as one of the most challenging marathon courses, starting at an elevation is 8,128' and finishing at an elevation of 6,728'. The USA Track and Field (USATF) Certified Course begins at historic Hahns Peak Village, follows a paved country road down the Elk River Valley, and finishes at the courthouse in downtown Steamboat Springs.

In 2006, over 1,600 runners were warmly received at the finish line in front of the Routt County Courthouse in downtown Steamboat Springs by thousands of spectators at the 25th Annual Steamboat Marathon, Half Marathon and 10k, Sunday. Registration for the Steamboat Marathon, Half Marathon and Taking advantage of the full moon, this unique relay event starts in Fort Collins and winds through rural and isolated sections of northern Colorado and Wyoming, passes through several small mountain and ranching communities, crosses over Sand Creek Pass (10,269 feet) and Rabbit Ears Pass (9,426 feet).
in the full Marathon. There is no cap on participants entering the 10K race. The Fun Run will be capped at the first 200 people to register.

In 2007 Jason Saitta, 28, of Parker, Colorado is the man to beat for the 7th year in a row. He won his sixth Steamboat Springs Marathon with a time of 2:37:49. Siatta, with his best time ever in Steamboat, shaved three minutes and sixteen seconds off of last year's time, and took the title with over a sixteen-minute lead over local runner Andy Picking, 33, Steamboat Springs, Colorado who finished with a time of 2:54:32.

The Steamboat Springs Running Series includes 14 challenging and fun runs from 400 yards to 195 miles over some of Steamboat Springs' most spectacular terrain! In addition to the Steamboat Marathon, races include the Mt. Werner Classic, which ascends slopes of the Steamboat Ski Area, and the Continental Divide Trail. For the more casual runner, shorter less intense courses also include some of Steamboat's local favorite trails.

The Steamboat Springs Running Series also includes the impressive Wild West Relay, a 195-mile relay starting in Ft. Collins, Colorado and finishing in Steamboat Springs. Taking advantage of the full moon, this unique relay event starts in Fort Collins and winds through rural and isolated sections of northern Colorado and Wyoming, passes through several small mountain and ranching communities, crosses over Sand Creek Pass (10,269 feet) and Rabbit Ears Pass (9,426 feet). For more information about the Steamboat Running Series events.

The commitment to developing this world-class running series by John Chapman, the Steamboat Running Series Director, was one of the reasons that, for the next two summers, Steamboat Springs will also play host to a national championship for the country's premier trail runners, the 10K Trail Championships for 2007 and 2008. These championships will be held on June 30, 2007 and June 28, 2008 and will be staged at the Steamboat Ski Area with a start and finish at the Gondola base station. The June 30, 2007 event will also be a qualifying race for the Teva U.S. Mountain Running Team. The top two men and top women will earn automatic berths to the 2007 U.S. Team that will race in the World Trail Championships to be held in Ovrannaz, Switzerland in September. 10K Trail Championships event puts Steamboat on the World Mountain Running Association map as a potential host site for the 2009 world championship event.

ResortQuest Steamboat vacation rentals is the official lodging sponsor of the Steamboat Springs Marathon and also sponsors the Steamboat Springs Running Series. ResortQuest is offering Steamboat Marathon and Running Series participants a variety of lodging packages and special rates specifically for these event weekends. Book complete vacation packages, including lodging, flights, shuttle transfers and all Steamboat summer activities with one toll-free call to (866) 634-9616, or visit the website at ResortQuestSteamboat.com. In Steamboat, ResortQuest luxury vacation rentals are accompanied with premier guest services including 24-hour front desk service and daily housekeeping. ResortQuest offers an experienced concierge to attend to our guests' every need. At ResortQuest, luxury Steamboat Springs accommodations are accompanied with premier guest services including Steamboat's only on-call, door-to-door shuttle service, 24-hour front desk service, daily housekeeping and Wine and Cheese Welcome receptions.

About ResortQuest
ResortQuest, one of the nation's leading vacation rental hospitality and resort real estate companies, provides a one-stop resource in North America's premier resort destinations, ResortQuest.com. ResortQuest is the largest marketer and management company of vacation condominiums and leading vacation rentals in the U.S. and Canada, based on a portfolio of nearly 17,000 properties, from Hilton Head rentals to a Destin resort, with a combined real estate value estimated at approximately $7 billion. ResortQuest Real Estate is one of the nation's leading real estate companies focusing exclusively on resort properties, offering superior brokerage services in the country's premier beach, ski and golf destinations. ResortQuest employs more than 4,000 people and is owned and operated by Gaylord Entertainment Co. (NYSE: GET), one of the largest and fastest growing companies in the hospitality and entertainment industries, based in Nashville, Tenn., that also owns and operates Gaylord Hotels and the Grand Ole Opry. For more information, visit ResortQuest.com or GaylordEntertainment.com.

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