by Clay Shaw
ANACOSTIA PARK, WASHINGTON, DC, NOVEMBER 24, 2020—In this pandemic year Keira D’Amato is in great shape. With no big races, Keira, with the help of the Credit Union Cherry Blossom (CUCB) 10 Miler organization, created and paid for the Up Dawg 10 Miler.
In the US Olympic Trials Marathon in Atlanta on February 29, Keira ran a 2:34:24, set a PR, and finished 15th. (See George Banker’s story in RG earlier this year.) Keira surprised a few people, and there were a few “Who is that? comments” while running in the big lead pack on the Atlanta streets. Since then she has run 32:33 in winning a socially-distanced track event in New England. She ran and won the Michigan Pro Half Marathon in 1:08:57 in Shelby Township in an elites-only event organized by the Hanson Brothers in Stony Creek Metro Park. After that she won the Sugar Run 5K in Memphis, TN in 15:08. Keira was more than ready. The course was set and certified. Weather was a factor, too, and with a bad forecast, the event was delayed one day. The event, at an undisclosed location, was now taking place on Tuesday, November 24.
Keira D’Amato, the 36-year-old realtor from Midlothian, VA, isn’t sponsored, but she sure is fast. Keira brought in some other elites to share the course with her, including Olympic marathoner Molly Seidel. All four women finished with personal bests. It was a three-loop course with a smaller loop on the south end and a much larger big loop at the north end, and a solid straightaway for most of the race. The Anacostia River Park overlooks the edge of Central DC. One could see Nationals Park and the old RFK Stadium where the Washington Football Team used to play. It was the perfect “secret venue” with perfect weather.
Keira D’Amato kept a steady, even pace throughout, and smashed the record (Janet Bawcom 52:12, 2016 CUCB) in running 51:23. Molly Seidel finished second in 53:36. Emily Durgin who trains in Flagstaff, AZ was third in 54:03 and Susanna Sullivan of VA was fourth in 54:22. As noted before, all personal bests. Molly Seidel, two days later, won the Great Cranberry Island Turkey Trot 10K in Maine in 34:40 while wearing a turkey costume.
Runner Stats
- 51:23 Keira D’Amato
- 53:36 Molly Seidel
- 54:03 Emily Durgin
- 54:22 Susanna Sullivan
Editors note: This has been a terrific running year for Keira. After her excellent result at the Olympic Marathon Trials on 2/29/2020 in Atlanta and the results noted above including Up Dawg, on 12/20/2020 she finished The Marathon Project in 2nd place with a huge PR in 2:22:56 at age 36!! Congratulations to Keira!!
Categories: Race Coverage
Runner's Gazette 
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